Brian Barents is taking the new role as executive chairman of Aerion. Previously co-chairman, Barents brings decades of experience to the role, including his time as senior v-p of sales and marketing for Cessna, president of Learjet and CEO of Galaxy Aerospace. In addition to his work with Aerion, Barents serves or has served on the boards of a number of aerospace companies, including Kaman, CAE and The Nordam Group.
BACA-the Air Charter Association selected Dave Edwards its first CEO. Edwards, also a director and investor in Synergy Aviation, Oaklands Global, Flying Support and Web Manuals International, has led Qatar Executive and previously served with Gama Aviation. In addition, BACA promoted Madeleine Puzey to business and events manager and created a new administration role for Nicki Baynes to provide support for BACA.
Aurora Flight Sciences appointed Matthew Hutchison to COO. He succeeds Mark Cherry, who was named the new head of Boeing’s Phantom Works. Boeing recently announced plans to acquire Aurora. Hutchinson joined Aurora in 1993 as an engineering analyst and most recently has been vice president of engineering.
Safran Helicopter Engines named three executives to new management positions. Bruno Bellanger was appointed executive v-p, programs. Most recently general manager of large commercial engines for Safran Aircraft Engines, Bellanger joined Safran in 2004 after serving with Airbus and Eurogiciel. François-Xavier Foubert was named executive v-p, operations. Foubert served with Alcatel before joining Safran Aircraft Engines in 2003 and most recently was executive v-p, quality and process excellence. Mathieu Albert replaces Foubert as executive v-p, quality and process excellence. Albert began his career at Safran Aircraft Engines in manufacturing activities and most recently was CEO of Safran Helicopter Engines Asia and the Safran general delegate in Singapore.
Russell Kalis was named group vice president, operations for Parker Aerospace, responsible for Parker’s fluid systems division, gas turbine fuel systems division, gas turbine powergen division, and Stratoflex products division. Before this, he was group vice president, operations for Parker’s Automation Group. Parker Aerospace also recently appointed Ben Van Sleeuwen vice president of Airbus and European programs for business development and global support. Van Sleeuwen previously was director of business development for Europe, the CIS, Middle East and Africa at the company.
Donald Kamenz has joined C&L Aerospace as senior v-p of aircraft sales. Kamenz has three decades of aerospace sales and service experience, most recently as vice president of sales for Commercial Jet.
Emmanuel Drouet took the new role as vice president of procurement for Safran Nacelles. Drouet served as a sales engineer with Dresser-Rand before joining Safran Nacelles in 2001 and most recently was A330neo nacelle program director.
Victor appointed Jean De Looz senior v-p of North America. De Looz spent the past five years at Dassault Falcon Jet in its Eastern U.S and Canada aircraft sales division and has charter sales experience at Meridian Air Charter.
MSB Group, part of Sogeclair Aerospace, named Javier Fernandez vice resident of the North American business. Fernandez joins MSB after serving as CEO of Sogeclair Aerospace S.A., the Spanish division of Sogeclair Aerospace, and before that was deputy general manager of the engineering consultancy Aeroconseil Iberica.
The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) added Richard Gomez, vice president of aviation solutions for MedAire, to the board of governors. Gomez spent 20 years with the airline industry before joining MedAire in 2005.
The National Aircraft Resale Association (NARA) recently named its 2018 slate of new Board of Directors and Products and Services Member Advisory Council. Mente Group Brian Proctor is the incoming NARA chairman and president; Doc Dwyer of Guardian Jet will serve as secretary and Chad Anderson of Jetcraft, treasurer. Other board members include Todd Jackson, Elliott Jets; Paul Kirby, Cerretani Aviation; Mitch McCune, Corporate Fleet Services; and Chris Meisner, Meisner Aircraft. The new Products and Services Member Advisory Council for 2018 will include Jonathan Levy, Advocate Consulting Legal Group, chairman (also on NARA board); Stephan Asper, AIC Title Service, first vice chairman (also on NARA board); John Prock, Bank of America Leasing, second vice chairman; and Keith Hayes, PNC Aviation Finance, as secretary.
TheAmerican Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics(AIAA) appointed Daniel Dumbacher executive director. Dumbacher, who joins AIAA from Purdue University, spent more than three decades with NASA, most recently as deputy associate administrator in the Exploration Systems Development Division.
John Hamilton, vice president of engineering for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, was named chairman of the Flight Safety Foundation’s Board of Governors. He succeedsKenneth Hylander, a long-time airline executive who retired from Delta Air Lines as senior v-p for corporate safety, security and compliance and served a three-year term as FSF chairman.
Jim Topalian has retired from Skybird Aviation after 40 years of service. During his tenure with Skybird, Topalian had held roles that included chief pilot and director of operations. As Topalian retired, Ted Waddell was appointed chief pilot and Power Johnson was promoted to director of operations. Waddell, a retired U.S. Navy Reservist, has served as a line pilot with American Airlines and held captain positions with The Air Group, Northrop Grumman and Leonard Green & Partners. Johnson has 30 years of professional flying experience and 14,000 hours, most recently serving as chief pilot for Skybird.
Constant Aviation hired Blake Hogge to serve as director of completions/modifications sales. Hogge has more than 31 years of industry experience, most recently serving as senior manager of strategic sales for Jet Aviation in St. Louis.
The Aeronautical Repair Station Association’s (ARSA) board of directors has elected Basil Barimo, the COO of Coral Gables, Florida-based aviation sales and services company AerSale, to a one-year term as president. Barimo, who has been the 2017 vice president for the association, brings to his new leadership role three decades of aviation experience, including with McDonnell Douglas, U.S. Airways, AvBorne Heavy Maintenance, Airlines for America and Nordam Group. The board also elected Dave Latimer, vice president of regulatory compliance for HAECO Americas, the next vice president and Ian Cheyne, chief technical and regulatory officer of Dallas Airmotive, treasurer.
Asian Sky Group (ASG) named Nicole Wang a sales manager, based in Beijing. Wang previously spent four-and-a-half years with Dassault Falcon Jet, providing sales support in Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong.
Thrush Aircraft named Robert Garrett director of training. Garrett has 19 years of experience in the aerial application industry and more than 8,000 hours of flying experience.
Elliott Aviation hired Mindy Zumdome as vice president of talent and culture. Zumdome has 17 years of human resources experience, most recently as member and community relations manager for HNI’s Leveraged Furniture Operations group.
VanAllen added Peter Zeeb as managing director of technical services. Zeeb has 33 years of corporate aviation maintenance management experience and has served as customer advisory board member for Gulfstream, as well as a member of the Dassault Falcon Jet and Cessna Citation maintenance committees.
Quiet Technology Aerospace named Heather Hillsales and business development director for the North American eastern region. Hill previously has served in sales and business development for AeroRepair.
Edward Vesely, senior director of sales for Welsch Aviation-Houston, qualified as a pilot for the Commemorative Air Force's (CAF) newly restored Texas Raiders B-17. Vesely also continues his CAF volunteer efforts as the pilot for the only flying SB2C Helldiver.
Jeff Beaudette has joined Duncan Aviation’s modifications and completions sales team in Lincoln, Nebraska. Beaudette is a 20-year Duncan Aviation veteran, previously serving as cabinet specialist and team leader before transitioning to the engineering and certification department and alterations planning team.
Teresa Durham joined Global Jet Services to enhance its aviation safety education and awareness programs in the areas of hazardous material/dangerous goods shipping. Durham, who previously had her own practice, brings a background in shipping, receipt and storage of hazardous materials/dangerous goods in business aviation to her new role.
Duncan Aviation added Katherine Victory and April Biscamp to its parts and rotables team as sales and customer service representatives. Victory, who is fluent in both English and Spanish, has held various customer services roles over the past 10 years, including as a sales assisting in the Latin American division for Precision Heliparts. Biscamp, who also is bilingual, previously was a team leader at Dell Services.
Constant Aviation appointed Lane Clapsaddle special accounts sales manager. Clapsaddle has more than 36 years of aviation industry experience, beginning as a technician on C-141 for the U.S. Air Force and most recently as a sales manager for StandardAero.
Awards and Honors
The Wichita Aero Club selected Yingling Aviation CEO Lynn Nichols as the recipient of the eighth annual Wichita Aero Club Trophy. To be presented in January, the award will honor Nichols and Yingling Aviation for “providing exceptional services, exemplary business practices, job-generating initiatives and creative alternatives that advance both the industry and the community.” The Wichita Aero Club noted that Yingling was the first Cessna dealer and celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2016. The company remains the largest Cessna parts supplier. The Wichita Aero Club credited Nichols with saving the business from imminent closure in the 1990s and turning it into a leading fixed-base operation, maintenance and service facility, in addition to parts suppler.
The Honorable Company of Air Pilots awarded its 2017 Award for Aviation Journalism to Elfan Ap Rees, a pilot who has flown more than 90 types. Ap Rees began his aviation career in the technical publications department of Westland Helicopters Bristol Division and later became an aviation journalist covering various British aircraft types for Air Pictorial (now Aviation News) and other magazines. He wrote a regular column on helicopters that eventually transitioned into his magazine Helicopter International, which he has steered for 40 years. Ap Rees also developed a deep interest in rotorcraft history, initially acting as consultant historian to Westland Helicopters and later becoming chairman of the Helicopter Club. He further has held multiple roles with the Federation Aeronautique International Rotorcraft Commission. He founded and remains chairman of the UK-based Helicopter Museum.
