Story ID: 003
People in Aviation 
By: Jessica Reed
Caption: People in Aviation - April
Word Count: 1238
Airbus Americas CEO C. Jeffrey Knittel is retiring on June 3, at which time Robin Hayes will take on the role of CEO. Knittel has served as the company’s CEO since 2018. Hayes was previously CEO of JetBlue Airways and also held multiple senior executive roles at British Airways.
Arthur Guibert was named CEO of Air Charter Service’s Swiss office in Geneva. Guibert most recently served as head of business development for a private jet specialist in Switzerland.
Premier Private Jets has expanded its leadership team. Steve O'Neill, founder of CitationAir, has taken on a key advisory role at the air charter operator; Jeff Lee, formerly the company’s v-p of operations, was promoted to COO; and Joanne Aquilina, previously v-p of finance and CFO at Bethesda Hospital, was hired as CFO.
Jack Karapetyan is taking on a new role at Ontic as v-p and general manager of global MRO operations. Karapetyan previously was a general manager at Ontic’s site in Chatsworth, California.
Global Jet Capital promoted Mike Christie to head of sales for the Americas, succeeding Steve Day. Christie most recently served as v-p of sales for the Western U.S. and Ohio for the business jet financier. In his new role, Christie will oversee the company’s sales activities in the U.S., Mexico, and Latin America. Day served with Global Jet Capital for eight years.
Collins Aerospace appointed Phill Godfrey chief sustainability officer, succeeding LeAnn Ridgeway, who retired. Godfrey has nearly 30 years of experience in the aerospace industry, including as director of sustainability strategy at Collins.
Bristow Ireland, a subsidiary of Bristow Group, has appointed Philip Bartlett as the director of Irish search and rescue (SAR). Bartlett recently served as the chief technical officer (CTO) for Shannon Technical Services.
Penny Tomlinson is taking on the role of sales manager at the Av8 Group for Av8 AOG. Tomlinson’s previous experience includes working at Kalitta Air, USA Jet, Mesaba Airlines, Gulfstream, Falcon Jet, Flexjet, Aviall/Boeing, and Castle Aviation.
Bret Schipper was elected to Corporate Angel Network’s board of directors. Schipper is the chief of surgical oncology at Hartford Hospital and the Hospital of Central Connecticut and the director of oncologic surgery for the Hartford Healthcare Cancer Institute. He is also working on his private pilot certificate.
Richard Meikle was added to the board of directors at the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF). Meikle is currently the leader of FlightSafety International’s safety program and has guided the courseware team in enhancing the inclusion of safety content to guarantee that comprehensive, current safety training is provided to pilots and crewmembers. The Air Charter Safety Foundation also added Shaan Bhanji to its board of governors. Bhanji founded the FlyEasy platform, which was acquired by Tuvoli, and serves as the Canadian Business Aviation Association’s chapter champion for the province of Ontario.
Western Aircraft recently added three employees to its MRO support team for turbine aircraft. Peter Chabay, previously an MRO quoter at the company, was promoted to turboprop customer service manager. Charlie Rust, who brings experience from Textron Aviation subsidiary Able Aerospace, joined Western Aircraft as its turboprop customer service manager. Jeff Soderberg also joined the company as a regional sales manager, primarily focusing on jet MRO sales. Soderberg’s previous roles include working at StandardAero, JSSI, and Pratt & Whitney Canada.
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) promoted Alexandra Brendel to the position of associate v-p of member services and engagement. Brendel has been a member of the Safety 1st and membership teams at NATA for six years and has fostered the efforts of the National Air Transportation Foundation (NATF).
C&L Aerospace hired Kristina Snow as its strategic inventory sales manager. Snow brings more than 10 years of experience in commercial and regional aviation, including positions at Worthington Aviation and Regional One.
Elliott Jets expanded its sales team by hiring Colby Creger as aircraft sales manager. Previously employed by XO Aviation and Jet Linx, Creger also has experience working as a regional sales director for Textron Aviation.
Aero Center Tallahassee promoted Robert Buchanan to general manager. Buchanan recently held other leadership positions at the Florida FBO, including customer service manager and operations manager.
Aviation Personnel International hired Christine Wetherell as candidate services manager. Wetherell previously served as the director of administration for the jointly owned Wings Insurance and FlyWise Aviation, and her work experience also includes flying for Part 91, 121, and 135 operators..
U.S. Aircraft Insurance Group appointed two new officers to its New York office. Joy Posner takes on the role of v-p for general aviation claims, and Laurence Kovacs now holds the position of senior account executive v-p (underwriting).
 
Awards and Honors
NBAA senior v-p Joanne “Jo” Damato was presented with the Alpha Eta Rho award from the professional collegiate aviation fraternity of the same name. Damato has worked for NBAA since 2001 and oversees the association’s educational and professional development initiatives.
 
The Aviation Insurance Association (AIA) announced the induction of Cindy Hales into the Eagle Society Class of 2024. Hales, aviation practice leader and senior v-p of Hub International Northwest, will be recognized along with the seven other inductees at the 2024 AIA Annual Conference in New Orleans
 
Daher honored long-time pilot Margrit Waltz for completing her 960th ferry flight, an achievement notched in March when she completed a transatlantic trip to deliver a new-production TBM 960 turboprop single to an owner in North America. Daher recognized Waltz during the Aero Friedrichshafen show in April.
Completed in 15 hours and 38 minutes, the milestone flight involved a trip from Daher’s TBM production facility in Tarbes, France, to the U.S. operations base for Daher’s aircraft division in Pompano Beach, Florida, with stopovers in Wick, UK; Keflavik, Iceland; and Canada’s Goose Bay.
“It was a great trip: good winds, good weather—and with the excellent performance of the TBM 960,” Waltz said of the trip. A German-born pilot who lives in Lackawanna County in Pennsylvania, Waltz has remained active in general aviation for 48 years. She became one of the first pilots to ferry a TBM across the Atlantic Ocean in 1991 and has since transported more than 300 of them worldwide.
“It’s highly symbolic that Margrit flew the milestone trip with a TBM 960, as her ferry flight services on behalf of Daher during the past three decades have contributed to the TBM program’s success,” said Nicolas Chabbert, the CEO of Daher’s aircraft division. “With her professionalism and aviator skills, she sets a wonderful example for all women aspiring to a career in aviation.”
Final Flight
MAC Air Group founder Allyn Jay Caruso—known to many as AJ—passed away on March 7. Caruso became one of the youngest airline captains in the U.S. at the age of 19, when he began flying for Bar Harbor Airlines (BHA). He took on the role of president of BHA in 1981 and, along with his wife and son, developed the business into what is now MAC Air Group, an FBO/MRO and business aircraft charter, management, and sales firm. Caruso was type-rated in five jet models and set more than 30 flight records.