Jet Aviation makes new Asia-Pacific region and leadership team appointments

BASEL / September 17, 2018 – Jet Aviation today announced it has formed a new region for AsiaPacific (APAC) and appointed Joe Reckling SVP Regional Operations APAC, effective immediately. The company also appointed David Best, current VP Business Development, as its new SVP Strategic Global Growth (SGG), effective December 1. Best succeeds Johannes Turzer, who is retiring from this role at the end of January 2019.

To help the company capture the value of Hawker Pacific and pursue interests and ambitions in support of its vision, Jet Aviation has formed a new region in Asia-Pacific (APAC) to which it has appointed Joe Reckling SVP Regional Operations. Reckling joins the leadership team, reporting directly to Jet Aviation President, Rob Smith, and will oversee the company’s business activities throughout the region. The new APAC region has 21 locations and more than 1,100 employees.

Reckling joined Hawker Pacific as CFO in 2008, having held senior financial, commercial and managerial roles with various public companies in the UK and Australia. A Chartered Accountant, he holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Cape Town and is a graduate of the Executive Program for Growing Business at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

“Joe has a strong background in mergers and acquisitions and post-acquisition business integration,” adds Smith. “I’m very pleased to welcome him to the leadership team and am confident he will continue to expand and strengthen our service offerings in Asia-Pacific to exceed customer demand.”

Best joined Turzer’s SGG team as VP Business Development in April 2017 and has been largely responsible for the successful acquisition and integration of Hawker Pacific to date. Prior to joining Jet, he founded and led a global aviation and business consultancy company and held senior positions with BBA Aviation Asia Pacific and Signature Flight Support. Best serves as Board of Governor of the Asian Business Aviation Association and sits on the Governing Board of the International Business Aviation Council. He is a graduate of the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, UK, where he earned his MBA and is a member of the Institute of Directors.

Turzer began his career with Jet Aviation in Dusseldorf in 1976 as an Avionics Engineer. In 1978, he left the company to take on various managerial roles in the Industry until 1999. In 2000, Turzer returned to Jet Aviation as VP and GM of our Germany operations. He later assumed further responsibilities for London Biggin Hill and was also instrumental in establishing Jet Aviation’s Moscow Vnukovo presence in late 2007. In 2011, Turzer took leadership of our maintenance operation in Basel, and is credited for successfully overcoming considerable market challenges before assuming his current role as SVP SGG in 2017.

“David has lived and worked in Europe, Asia and the USA throughout his business career,” says Smith. “He brings to his new role deep knowledge and expertise in all aspects of strategy, corporate growth, acquisitions and business aviation infrastructure. Please join me in thanking Johannes for his significant contribution to Jet, and in wishing David continued success as SVP SGG.”

Jet Aviation AG l Corporate Headquarters Aeschengraben 6 I CH-4051 Basel I Switzerland Tel. +41 58 158 4111 I Fax +41 58 158 7079 I www.jetaviation.com

Best also joins the company’s leadership team, reporting to Smith. Turzer will relocate to his home in Dusseldorf, Germany in mid-December, and serve in an advisory capacity as GM Germany effective February 1, 2019.

Jet Aviation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), was founded in Switzerland in 1967 and is one of the leading business aviation services companies in the world. More than 4,800 employees cater to client needs from close to 50 facilities throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North America and the Caribbean. The company provides maintenance, completions and refurbishment, engineering, FBO and fuel services, along with aircraft management, charter services and personnel services. Jet Aviation’s European and U.S. aircraft management and charter divisions jointly operate a fleet of some 300 aircraft. Please visit www.jetaviation.com and follow us on twitter: http://twitter.com/jetaviation.

More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.generaldynamics.com.

Contact: Heinz R. Aebi, Senior VP Group Marketing & Communications or Elouisa Dalli, Head of Global Communications, +41 58 158 8834 or elouisa.dalli@jetaviation.ch.

Paul Cremer

My name is Paul Cremer, and this marks my 42nd year working within the business and general aviation industry. Over this time, I’ve had the privilege of overseeing a diverse array of sector activities, ranging from aircraft charter and management to air ambulance services, ground operations, air traffic control, airport management, technology implementation, and the outsourcing services I currently manage.

In my role focused on delivering advisory, technology, and outsourcing services to aviation customers, I handle a wide spectrum of responsibilities. This includes overseeing International Trip Support, Operations Control Centre Services (OCC), Continuing Airworthiness Management Service (CAMO), Airworthiness Reviews, ARC Services, Aircraft Delivery and Re-delivery Support Services, Maintenance Coordination Services including AOG, Tech Ops (Maintenance Control Centre), and managing myairops software products. As the Head of Aviation Delivery, I lead the customer-facing delivery of Technology & Outsourcing products and services for the market, drawing upon a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and industry connections within Gama Aviation’s Technology and Outsourcing Strategic Business Unit.

My journey into Business and General Aviation began during my teenage years while still in school. I was fortunate enough to be welcomed into the industry, starting at a flying club, and later working at the Air Traffic Services Unit at Blackbushe Airport. There, I maintained the ATC Movement Logs in the Control Tower during weekends, solidifying my passion for aviation. Upon completing my schooling, I seized opportunities at Fairoaks Airport, where I began as Ground Crew while pursuing my Aerodrome Flight Information Service Officer’s license. Advancements in my career led me to the role of Air Traffic Services Manager.

Since joining Gama Aviation in 1996, I’ve held various positions, including Operations Manager (Post Holder), Operations & Commercial Manager, Commercial Manager, Operations Delivery Manager, Head of Business Aviation Delivery, and currently, Head of Aviation Delivery. This role encompasses Gama Aviation Group’s Gama Aviation, myairops, and FlyerTech companies.

In 2023, I was honoured to be invited to serve as the Chair of the Operations Working Group for the British Business & General Aviation Association. This opportunity allows me to contribute to industry initiatives within BBGA’s membership of nearly 200 industry companies, focusing on challenges such as regulatory compliance, Air Services Agreements, technological advancements, workforce development, operational matters, and sustainability.

Marc Bailey

Marc Bailey has spent his entire career in aviation and has worked in most areas of Aviation Services with scheduled airlines, MRO’s, military contract support and latterly with associations, government, and its agencies.

Marc represents your position in Europe (even post Brexit) – as President of ECOGAS (European Council of General Aviation Support) which maintains a voice with EASA. All the major member states are represented on the ECOGAS board. With EASA restructuring its meetings with industry, ECOGAS is now well positioned to represent our position in all areas following industry partnerships with the European Independent Maintenance Group and with ARPAS the new drone and autonomous association.

Marc is chair of the UKASF (United Kingdom Airworthiness Strategic Forum) as part of an initiative to develop Aviation Services across all aviation activities. The UKASF pulls together airlines, MROs, Rotary, Drones, and commercial GA bodies to work with CAA and DfT. The objective is for industry to take the lead to drive strategic issues to benefit all parties. We are well positioned after four years to continue our good work and with the re-established role of Chief Surveyor in the CAA we have a good focal point to do this.

Marc chairs the CAA Finance and Services Forum which allows industry in the UK to discuss in the financial plans for the CAA and the value for money delivered by those funds paid by industry. This is a new and valuable new platform for all parties.

Under recent developments Marc has formed an alliance with, ARPAS, AOPA, BHA and BBGA so that we can strengthen our voice under a joint ‘GA 4 Biz’ banner. This alliance is working to do everything possible to represent the industry’s business interests with UK government and to help realise the Government’s desire to make UK General Aviation a Global Leader in a post Brexit environment. GA4Biz – GA4Biz

The next Generation initiatives with industry and government have continued to develop with the retention platform now evolving into the “Aviation Skills Recruitment Platform”. The platform now not only offers a vehicle for those offering and seeking posts in aviation, it also provides pathways with its TalentView portion seeking to provide pathways for new entrants into our sector. The recruitment platform is being further developed to include training opportunities across a wide range of providers, from government agencies through academic bodies. Getting our next generation activities right in the UK over the next couple of years is our single most important issue which we in aviation must grab with both hands. Marc is playing a central role to help develop many of these channels.

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