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Celebrating Industry Excellence

Each year, NATA recognizes an outstanding array of individuals and organizations demonstrating superior service to the aviation community and advancing a safety-first culture in general aviation. There are nine recipients in all, each introduced below, representing a broad and diverse spectrum of the general aviation community and the very best of NATA’s members and partners. The awards will be presented on November 13th during the NATA Aviation Business Conference at the Music City Sheraton in Nashville. Visit www.nata.aero for more information on these awards and the Aviation Business Conference.

NATA William A. "Bill" Ong Memorial Award
Lou Pepper
Atlantic Aviation

Lou Pepper, who built Atlantic Aviation into one of the nation’s largest general aviation companies and helped redefine the idea of a service-first FBO, will be awarded NATA’s William A. “Bill” Ong Memorial Award. 

The Ong award, NATA’s highest honor, is “given for extraordinary achievement and extended meritorious service to the general aviation industry.” 

Pepper served as Atlantic Aviation’s CEO for decades, and now serves in an active role as a member of the company’s board of directors, which includes advising current CEO Jeff Foland.

“I’m humbled, and I’m extremely excited to win this very prestigious award,” Pepper said. “I was simply blown away when I heard the news. I looked at the list of previous winners and saw many of friends of mine. It’s quite an honor to be mentioned alongside such a list of luminaries. You never know who’s watching over the years.”

Pepper’s 45-year career in general aviation covered all aspects of FBO and ground operations including line, general, and executive/corporate management.
During his long leadership tenure at Atlantic, he oversaw a remarkable era of growth for the company, expanding from five locations in 1999 to 104 today, building it into the second-largest FBO company with more than 3,000 employees, and becoming one of the most respected businesses in general aviation. Pepper was Atlantic’s CEO for all its strategic acquisitions.

Along with the company’s growth, are accomplishments he values even more. Pepper ushered in a culture of first-class customer service, advanced safety standards, invested in mission-critical infrastructure, and supported pilots and airports through important technological advancements – all under the umbrella of the Atlantic Attitude, rooted in having fun at work, and going above and beyond to make someone’s day. 

“We grew because we did things the right way. It was never about quantity, but the quality of our work and service,” Pepper explained. “It didn’t matter if we had five locations or 105; we treated every customer, and our own people, with the same level of respect. It all started with the right attitude in everything we did.”

Pepper’s path to success started in the most inauspicious and random way – through a chance encounter with a dead car battery.

“I was working at a gas station many years ago – I’m a car guy! – and a gentleman needed a jumpstart,” he explained. “I got him started and he tried to tip me. I refused the tip, and he asked me if I was interested in a job at Teterboro Airport. He said they were looking for talented young people; I didn’t know anything about general aviation, but I followed up and had a new job.” 

Pepper began his GA career at Teterboro Aircraft Service, as a line manager, hiring and training line technicians. He worked his way up to general manager (oddly enough, he recalls Atlantic Aviation as his biggest competitor at Teterboro), overseeing all aspects of the business. 

Teterboro marked the first in a line of increasingly senior aviation roles for Pepper. His next move he described as “a 25-year-old Jersey guy, packing up for Dallas,” when he was courted by Jet East at Love Field, eventually serving as vice president. Soon, he was lured to Million Air in Addison and subsequently bought the Million Air Franchise company before leading the acquisition of Atlantic Aviation in 2000, remaining the CEO for 22 successful years. 

Looking back over his decorated career, Pepper has seen many things change in the FBO business, and some important things stay the same. 

“The mission today is exactly the same as it was 50 years ago,” he explained. “People need mobility. They still need fuel, ground transportation, aircraft services, and hangar space. While the airplanes have become more efficient and bigger in a lot of ways, users also need the same level of customer service and the same devotion to safety. 

“Some principles should never change,” he added. “I’ve always followed a personal vision that I would never ask our employees to do something I wouldn’t do. I’m a big believer in managing down, not up – it’s more important to keep the team under you happy than the team over you. They are the ones that deal with the customer every day. Keeping the customer happy is something I learned in my first days fueling airplanes at Teterboro.” 

As for the immediate future, Pepper is looking forward to seeing many friends at the NATA Industry Excellence Award presentation in Nashville. 

“I’ve been fortunate enough to learn from a lot of people over the years, some I expect to see at the event,” said Pepper. “I hope someday that someone will win this award and say that Lou Pepper helped me out.”

NATA Distinguished Service Award
Andy Priester
George J. Priester Aviation

Andy Priester, who will be recognized by NATA with the annual Distinguished Service Award, is no stranger to NATA Industry Excellence awards, as the honor runs in the family. 

“My father and grandfather were both Ong Award winners and very involved in the industry, both locally and on the national stage,” said Priester, referring to the William A. “Bill” Ong Memorial Award, NATA’s highest honor. “Both Ong Awards for my father and grandfather are sitting right here in our trophy case as we speak.” 

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes a person for long-time and ongoing contributions to the aviation business industry. The Chairman of George J. Priester Aviation and its family of companies, Priester has given back to the industry over his dedicated career, serving as chairman of NATA’s Air Charter Committee and as founding chairman of NATA’s Charter Industry Audit Standards Working Group. 

He represents the third generation of Priesters to lead the business, the largest and oldest family-owned management and charter company in the world. The family’s aviation journey began in 1945 and has included owning Palwaukee Airport – KPWK (now renamed Chicago Executive Airport), operating a flight school, operating multiple FBOs, providing 145 maintenance services, and operating an aircraft sales division. 

“I take tremendous pride in the award and continuing the work of my father and grandfather,” Priester explained. “Being recognized with this honor means that I am carrying the torch properly.” 

Priester quickly points out that the fierce commitment to service runs in the company’s blood. 

“Being a family business is truly a differentiator for us,” he said. “We relate to our clients and to the business a bit differently than many other bigger companies. This honor is proof that our team’s mission is being heard and being lived.” 

While Priester grew up with aviation all around him, he took a somewhat different path to the leadership of the family company—one that started out in the classroom. 

“I was an eighth grade science teacher for five years, and I absolutely loved it,” he explained. “But the passion of aviation was something that was always there, was always at the dinner table. Aviation was in my blood. I always worked at the airport as a kid– mowing the lawn, painting the buildings, sweeping the hangars, washing, and refueling planes. It was what you would picture a Norman Rockwell aviation family doing. My dad brought me to all the aviation meetings and events; I sat, listened, and learned. 

“I decided to take a two-year sabbatical from education to see if the aviation business was right,” he added. “It was.” 

Under his vision, the company has grown to become one of the most respected general aviation aircraft management and global charter businesses. 

In 2022, he led the strategic acquisition of Mayo Aviation, a customer-focused, family-led company with decades of history similar to Priester’s. He expanded the company the next year to include Hill Private Aviation, a historic aviation services company based in the Southeast. 

Priester Aviation remains the company’s Midwest base, while George J. Priester Aviation serves as the parent organization, focusing on future business and expansion initiatives. Under his leadership, the company’s fleet has grown from seven aircraft to over 85 managed between all three brands, from 20 bases globally. 

“I am currently focused on exploring new opportunities to leverage what our businesses do best,” he explained. “I get to have a lot of fun, meeting new people, learning what other people in the industry are doing, and thinking about what we can do to advance our companies and industry. 

“But I am always mindful of the little steps to success. I like to think we win by hitting a lot of singles: service and building relationships,” Priester added. “It’s not what we want to do, it’s what the customers want and need. We have a saying in the office: ‘If the customer wants a red suit, we’ll sell them a red suit. Don’t try to sell them a green suit.’” 

That mantra, and the devotion to first-class customer service, has been ingrained in Priester since those days of sitting around the dinner table and taking in the stories of aviation. 

“As a company leader, I heard for years – and appropriately so – that I had big shoes to fill,” Priester said. 

“Getting this award means I am at least walking the right path, and that’s pretty special. The fact that I am being recognized by my peers – people I honor and trust and respect – is unbelievably rewarding.”

NATA Distinguished Public Service Award
Lirio Liu
Retired FAA Executive Director of Aircraft Certification Service

For her many years of dedicated service to the nation’s general aviation industry during a decorated career at the Federal Aviation Administration, Lirio Liu will receive the NATA Distinguished Public Service Award. 

Over a career spanning more than three decades, Liu focused on providing first-class leadership to keep the nation’s airspace the safest and most robust in the world. 

However, Liu was not expecting this award at all. 

“(NATA CEO) Curt Castagna gave me a call, and said, ‘Don’t worry, I have good news for you,’” Liu explained. 

“When I learned about the award, I was very honored and somewhat humbled. I see it as recognition that the work we do as civil servants has real meaning and value.” 

Liu recently retired from the agency, leading the team in Aircraft Certification Service – exactly where she began her career straight out of college. As executive director, Liu oversaw the operation responsible for type certification, production approval, and airworthiness certification for the U.S. civil aircraft fleet – including commercial and general aviation activities. 

In this position, Liu oversaw a professional workforce of more than 1,400 employees working in FAA headquarters in Washington, D.C., 35 field offices across the U.S., and two international offices located in Belgium and Singapore.

“The mission we accomplished, mainly behind the scenes with a rather small group, was a microcosm of the larger agency with 45,000 employees,” Liu explained. “Every aircraft flying in the system, and every piece inside those aircraft, was based on FAA approval and certification. To keep our airspace safe and strong, I’d say our team was the unsung hero, and this award is really about those colleagues.” 

Liu began her career in Aircraft Certification upon graduation from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering. (She also holds a master’s degree in aviation and aerospace sustainability from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.) Starting out in the FAA’s Los Angeles office as a structural engineer, Liu progressed through various roles in the FAA Aviation Safety Organization, as well as in other positions of importance, domestically and abroad. 

As part of Liu’s distinguish career, she served as executive director for the FAA Office of Rulemaking and in the Office of Commercial Space Transportation, where she provided executive leadership in the oversight of the requirements to authorize the issuance of a commercial launch license. 

During her FAA career, Liu was at the seat for a number of significant achievements, which included MOSIAC (Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification), opening the skies to a broader range of light sport aircraft and pilots. 

Prior to being named AIR’s executive director, Liu was executive director for the Office for International Affairs, where she provided senior leadership and guidance in the development of international policy across the various disciplines of the FAA and was responsible for the FAA’s international offices in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. 

In addition, Liu served as co-chair (along with NATA’s Castagna) of the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) Initiative, a collaborative government-industry program designed to help bring about a safe transition to a full unleaded future for the general aviation piston fleet no later than 2030. 

Liu capped off her career where it all began – taking over the FAA’s Aircraft Certification Service. 

“I had really good mentors in certification when I started out,” Liu explained. “So closing my career by returning to lead the team was really coming home. A lot of folks I had worked with were still there; it was really rewarding to come back and work with those who shared the same ideas and same history. 

“Our work in certification is not just to say no, but to work toward getting certification,” she added. “We were charged to find a way to certify aircraft to serve the system. Certification is really the livelihood of the aviation system, which is a lifeblood of the U.S. economy. But government can’t do it all alone; we really need to have close collaboration with industry to make this all work.”

NATA Airport Executive Partnership Award
Richard “Rick” Crider, A.A.E
Prescott Regional Airport

While Rick Crider has only been at the helm of Prescott (Ariz.) Regional Airport for several months, he has already made a strong impact on the airport community, and in turn, the community has made an impact on him. 

The airport director at Prescott and the author of a long and distinguished aviation career, Crider will receive the NATA Airport Executive Partnership Award, given to the airport executive who has best fostered relationships between aviation businesses and airport operators. Recipients of this prestigious award demonstrate the true spirit of partnership between airport operators and airport tenants. 

“One of the coolest things about Prescott is the diversity of business and aviation activities,” he explained. “It’s a very vibrant and interesting general aviation community, which makes the job all the more rewarding.” 

In his current role, Crider oversees one of the nation’s busiest general aviation (GA) airports. Prescott Regional houses six fight schools, including the preeminent Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; is home to a world-class U.S. Forest Service Fire Center; and has a vibrant GA community with more than 330 based aircraft. These activities, along with regional air carrier activities, account for a combined 335,000 operations in the past year. 

Crider is quick to point out, however, that it’s not the quantity of operations that define success, but the quality of relationships the local community holds with the airport. 

“My approach has always to build better understanding of the local airport,” he explained. “I am a big believer in show and tell – get the community and leaders out here to see the full spectrum of our operations and understand the value to economic development and safety. Bridging gaps, informing citizens, and making connections have been at the core of what I’ve always tried to do. I love the airport community.” 

Crider has been immersed in general aviation through much of his adult life. He started flying in the 1980s, working as a flight instructor while building flight time for a career as an airline pilot. An airport management internship changed his course and sent him down a new path, though Crider has flown as an active pilot for many years. He has also served the GA community as chair of the American Association of Airport Executives, which represents over 10,000 airport professionals. 

Prior to joining the City of Prescott, Crider served as executive vice president for airport/railport & military relations at Port San Antonio, a Texas-based development authority. In that role he served as executive agent for Kelly Field, a joint-use industrial airport that supports such aerospace giants as Boeing, Chromalloy, and StandardAero. 

While very deserving, Crider was quick to say the award was not expected. 

“It’s very humbling,” Crider said. “To be acknowledged in the same breath as some real giants who have big legacies in the industry is a true honor. I was completely surprised!”

NATA Safety 1st Certified Line Service Professional
Hanna Mulugeta
Million Air Dallas

Hanna Mulugeta, who humbly lets her work do the talking as Line Service Ramp Agent at Million Air Dallas, will be honored with the NATA Safety 1st Certified Line Service Professional Award. 

The NATA Safety 1st Line Service Professional Award is given in recognition of the achievements of certified line service professionals, raising awareness of their positive, organization-wide impact. 

Mulugeta is being awarded – and was nominated – for her steadfast dedication over the past 22 years to cultivate effective client relationships and foster a culture of safety at Million Air. Her unwavering and professional commitment to customers has been instrumental in helping to shape Million Air Dallas into the success it is today. 

Her coworkers and managers are quick to say that Hanna is consistently sought out by customers when traveling to Addison Airport (ADS), often influencing their choice of FBO. 

Despite these accolades, Mulugeta never seeks special recognition and was taken by surprise by the honor. 

“After I received the email, I thought it was very nice, but I just didn’t get very excited,” she explained. “Yes, I was happy, but I was just doing a job that I love. I’m a people person; I’ve loved dealing with different people all my life. My coworkers and customers are like my second family here.” 

While she may not show the outward emotion, one of her teammates said that Mulugeta often helps other’s days become a little brighter, and that they are “over the moon about the news!” 

Mulugeta’s contributions were also recently acknowledged with Million Air’s prestigious “Reach For The Skies” award, presented to her earlier this year. 

A native of Ethiopia, Mulugeta moved to Dallas in 1995 to reunite with family. Before starting her Million Air career, she spent 11 years in the restaurant and hospitality industry, honing her customer-first approach to the job. 

She summed up her approach to the job in one sentence: “When I make a customer happy, it makes me happy.”

NATA Future Leader Award
Myrthe Simons
Clay Lacy Aviation

Myrthe Simons, director of commercial operations at Clay Lacy Aviation in Addison, Texas, will receive the NATA Future Leader Award. The honor recognizes an individual who has shown outstanding promise, passion, and professionalism within the general aviation community. 

While the award recognizes the future value of an industry professional, Simons has already made quite a mark at Clay Lacy in just a handful of years on the job since being “discovered” while working at a nearby Starbucks. 

“I got to know a lot of my regular customers at Starbucks, and I just kept asking people about what they did and try to explore new opportunities,” she explained. “I happened to strike up a conversation with the right person at the right time (Clay Lacy chief technology officer) and landed an interview for an internship just two weeks later. I worked hard and that resulted in a full-time job in just five months. It turned out to be a great move.” 

Since coming onboard, Simons’ talents have been recognized by Clay Lacy leaders as she has risen up the ladder in a relatively short time. She started out in the aircraft management division, where she provided research, analysis, and support for sales and operations projects. That role set a great foundation for her career, giving her valuable exposure to different aspects of the business and preparing her well for the director of aircraft management role she currently holds. 

In this role, Simons supports the four lines of business at Clay Lacy (aircraft management, charter, maintenance, and FBO) through the sales process, including optimization and software. 

With such a full plate, Simons is quick to explain that customer services remains the important thread that is woven through everything she and everyone else does at Clay Lacy. 

“We never underestimate the fact that on the other end of the telephone line is a real person – one who deserves to be treated with respect and kindness,” she explained. “I try every day to emulate Clay Lacy Aviation’s values of working thoughtfully better.” 

Simons is quick to point out that customer service and going the extra mile is fueled by the way people treat each other at Clay Lacy. 

“I’ve been fortunate to have a great mentor here in (Chief Commercial Office) Joe Barber,” Simons explained. “I quickly learned that as important as Joe’s professional career and his day-to-day responsibilities are, he always looks for opportunities to give back both within and beyond the industry. I have looked to his approach to find ways to give to the next generation.” 

Despite her accomplishments at Clay Lacy, the upward track she has established for herself, and her involvement and leadership in myriad local professional and civic organizations, Simons was still surprised by the attention. 

“The award means a lot to me,” Simons said. “It means that I am on the right path and doing something right, making an impact in just five years here.”

NATA General Aviation Service Technician Award
John Malecha
Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems

John Malecha, a technician at Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems in Greenville, S.C., and an expert for two decades in “turning wrenches,” will receive the NATA General Aviation Service Technician Award. 

The award recognizes the outstanding performance of a licensed airframe and powerplant mechanic who has practiced their craft for more than 20 years. Malecha was nominated for his exemplary talent, work ethic, safety focus, and performance as a trainer. 

Malecha has more than 25 years as an accomplished A&P working with intricate technical knowledge, but was taken aback at the personal honor. 

“My boss said to me that I ‘needed to check my email more often and find out what’s going on’ as a nudge to learn that I won,” Malecha explained. “I was very surprised, but I’m not one for the limelight.” 

If there is a technician who has earned the right to boast, it’s Malecha. He served three years as a sergeant in the United States Air Force, serving as a crew chief on the huge C-130 transport aircraft and earning an Armed Forces service medal. 

“We went all over the world in that airplane, and it was important to have a mechanic like me on board to take care of it as we always went a long way,” he explained. 

Malecha earned his A&P in 1989, gaining valuable experience on large airframes at Lockheed, US Air, and Pemco Aeroplex before joining Stevens in 2005 to focus on general aviation as a maintenance technician. He quickly moved up the ranks to a crew lead position, having mastered work on a number of aircraft, including the Lear Jet, Citation, and King Air. 

“A couple of us here are very well-rounded. We like to think that if it lands, we can turn a wrench on it,” he said. 

Over his stellar career, Malecha has earned awards from the FAA’s Aviation Maintenance Technician Awards Program. All that said, Malecha would rather have his work do the speaking. 

“I’m not sure mechanics get recognized as much as we do or should,” he said. “It’s good for us to be recognized for what we do to keep airplanes in the air.”

Malecha is quick to explain that it’s easy to excel at a place like Stevens. 

“Stevens is a great place,” he explained. “It’s a family-oriented atmosphere and has great management. Everyone at every level is very close. We have seen that if you leave Stevens, you’ll probably come back.” 

Malecha has also dedicated himself to the future of the A&P profession as a mentor, knowing the profession will only grow its ranks with new talents. 

“We need to bring more young folks into the field,” he explained. “It’s starting to get a little too thin for those turning wrenches.”

NATA FBO Customer Service Representative Award
Isadora Pena
Banyan Air Service

Isadora Pena, customer support manager at Banyan Air Service in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., will receive the NATA FBO Customer Service Representative Award for her tireless efforts to raise awareness of business aviation and train the next generation of customer service representatives to the same high standards she sets for herself. 

“I was very surprised to hear about this,” she explained. “I wasn’t expecting an award. To be named made me happy and made me smile. We work very hard here; I was recognized for just doing what we do every day here. This recognition validates all of our hard work.” 

Isadora has lent her talents to Banyan since 2011, starting out as a customer service representative, working her way up to lead CSR in 2015, a supervisor just one year later, and now a customer support manager. 

Throughout her career, Isadora has been recognized as a professional who demonstrates a commitment to training customer service reps, knowing full well that future growth and strength of the organization rests with those who will rise through the organization. She has devoted considerable time and insight to mentoring tomorrow’s generations. 

Isadora is quick to cite Banyan leadership and culture for fostering a climate of excellence – one that lends itself to stellar professional development. 

“All of things that I’ve been able to accomplish here is because of other people and the team,” she explained. “Here, it never feels like you are doing something alone.” 

“Front desk people are the heart of our FBO,” she added. “We’re the first ones to greet our customers, make an impression, and help them with anything they need. We’re certainly not an FBO where you can hide in the back; we are building relationships every day.” 

If you ask the management team at Banyan about Isadora and this award, you will hear that her ability to build strong personal relations with customers and teammates make her a great customer rep manager. Collaboration is in her DNA, whether it’s with her co-workers, customers, vendors, or the wider general aviation industry. 

“The team is very special because we all have different talents and backgrounds to bring to the table,” she explained. “We all have a passion for aviation, but are all unique. I think we succeed because we are all encouraged to bring our total selves to the job. Management gives us the freedom to come up with new ideas and procedures and to use our experience.” 

Pena sees her future with Banyan in a very simple way. 

“I’ll be here for as long as they want me to be here,” she said.

NATA Excellence In Pilot Training Award
Stan McDuffie
SunEx Aviation

An Air Force veteran who served our country for 13 years, Stan McDuffie will be honored with the 2024 NATA Excellence In Pilot Training Award for his tireless devotion to helping Afghan military pilots allied with the U.S. during the long-standing war in that country navigate their way to civilian pilot certificates in the United States. 

McDuffie has created a culture of empathy and sensitivity to these pilots’ combat war experiences, through which they have felt a sense of belonging, respect, and care during their training. 

“These pilots gave up a lot, fighting on the side of the U.S.,” said McDuffie from his base at SunEx Aviation in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, where he serves as director of operations and flight instructor. “They were evacuated to the United States during the withdrawal, yet many of their family members are still there. I wanted to show my appreciation as a fellow veteran, and I feel like I am doing my part to help my fellow pilots.” 

A CFI, CFII, MEI, and MEII, McDuffie created a 7–10-day program during which these Afghan pilots can obtain a private, instrument, and commercial certificate. He conducts the ground portion virtually from Puerto Rico and oversees the flight training conducted at Albuquerque International Sunport in New Mexico. At the same time, McDuffie understands the challenges these pilots face as foreign aviators and helps them navigate the necessary security and certification hurdles.

McDuffie explained that he was floored with the honor from NATA. 

“I received an email and didn’t even know I was nominated,” McDuffie said. “I then got congratulations from Lorenzo (President & Chief Executive Officer of SunEx) and, OMG, what a pleasant surprise. My colleagues quickly found out and I got congratulations from everyone, including from the FAA in San Juan.” 

While he was humbled, McDuffie quickly deflected the conversation to his important work. 

“I don’t do what I do to win an award, I just do what I do because I enjoy it. I enjoy training, but to get the award is a great surprise,” he added. 

While these Afghan pilots start their civilian training a step ahead with their wartime background, McDuffie recognizes a specific approach is needed to train those with combat experience. 

“There is a different expectation when training a military pilot for a civilian ticket, whether it’s the Afghan pilots or the many U.S. military pilots I have trained,” McDuffie explained. 

“They already understand basic principles of aviation and they prefer working hard, on a fast-track. They have a wartime mindset we need to shift to a civilian one. That’s why it was important to me to create a program for them that was efficient, effective, and legal, and why this training is so accelerated.” 

The ground portion began in March 2022 and the flight program started in October 2023. Since the program took off, these military pilots have earned 54 civilian certifications. The pass rate for first attempt on a check ride has been 96%, and every Afghan Air Force pilot student earned their FAA tickets within the 7-10 days. Some are already flying single-engine cargo in Pilatus PC-12s and Cessna Caravans.

While McDuffie is an FAA-certified Gold Seal Instructor, he is an accomplished aviator himself, with more than 3,400 flight hours. Trained as a pilot at the Kirtland Air Force Base Aero Club in Albuquerque, McDuffie has an airline transport pilot certificate and PIC type ratings in the Citation VII and Citation X.

However, McDuffie is hesitant to talk about his own aviation experience, preferring to address the importance of the program to integrate allied pilots into the U.S. aviation system. 

“These pilots have had to deal with a lot of overall adversity in their lives, and I have a lot of compassion for them,” McDuffie added. “Even with the pressures on them, they are good pilots and will contribute to our society.”

By Eric Blinderman

Eric Blinderman is a seasoned communications professional, and while he specializes in aviation, he has represented companies in virtually all business sectors. Eric led communications at AOPA for more than four years after holding senior roles at leading New York communications and marketing firms, where he directed communications strategy for several Fortune 100 companies.

When not at the keyboard, Eric enjoys making the most of his private pilot certificate..

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Welcome to the Aviation Business Journal, the official publication of the National Air Transportation Association (NATA).

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