People Spotlight

The General Aviation Manufacturers Assn. has promoted Greg Bowles to VP of global innovation and policy and Joe Sambiase to director of maintenance and airworthiness. Kyle Martin, who comes from the AeroSpace and Defence Industries Assn. of Europe, is now GAMA’s director of European regulatory affairs. Bowles, who joined GAMA in 2005, will integrate emerging general aviation technologies into the aviation system. He has been involved in the FAA’s and EASA’s Part 23 rewrite efforts. Sambiase has been at GAMA since 2010 and is responsible for its activities in regulatory requirements governing general aviation aircraft.

L-3 Communications has appointed retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Charles R. Davis as SVP of strategy at its Aerospace Systems business segment. Davis had served as military deputy in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition. After USAF, he was president and CEO at Seabury Global Aerospace & Defense Consulting. He is a test pilot with more than 3,400 hr in 53 different types of aircraft.

Peter Ring has been promoted to FreeFlight Systems’ VP of sales and marketing. Ring is charged with getting the company’s range of products and services into the global marketplace. He recently served as director of sales and marketing and holds both private and commercial/instrument certifications.

Lease Corp. International has tapped Christopher Grainger as VP of marketing for the EMEA region. He joins LCI from Airbus Helicopters, where he was VP of oil and gas sales. He’s also held senior positions at McAlpine Helicopters, EC Canada the European Helicopter Operators Committee.

Ted Bowlds has been named FlightSafety International’s CIO. Joe Warakomski has been promoted to deputy CIO. Bowlds previously worked as a consultant. He is a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant general, having served more than 30 years. Warakomski joined FlightSafety in 2005 as business systems security manager. He most recently served as managing director of business systems.

Branding Iron Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations has hired Tim Rhea as a studio artist. He will be responsible for visual styling and layouts for all print production and digital content.

Kelly Murphy joins Women in Aviation International as director of communications and editor-in-chief of Aviation for Women. Murphy has been a WAI member since 1997. She learned to fly when she was 16 years old. She has written and edited various aviation publications.

Precision Aviation Group has brought on four new members in its sales team. Christian Medina joins as MRO sales executive in support of Precision Heliparts - Latin America. Robert Lanier joins as regional sales executive supporting the Precision Heliparts - Lafayette office. Samantha Butero joins as regional sales executive in supporting Precision Aero Technology. And Joel Knight joins as a sales executive for the Precision Heliparts Sales Executive team.

FlightSafety International’s John Healey is now assistant manager of the company’s Dallas/Fort Worth North Learning Center. He joined the company in 2010 as an instructor in the Bell Helicopter 412 training program and was instrumental in the company’s Airbus Helicopters EC135 program as an instructor, training center evaluator and program manager. He most recently served as the director of training for the DFW South location.

Kearns Aerospace Maintenance appointed Larry Miller as quality assurance director. The company also promoted Billy Mitchell to VP of operations. Mitchell has worked for maintenance, repair and overhaul companies for Bell Helicopter, Eurocopter and Sikorsky rotorcraft. Miller holds 20 years of experience in quality management in aviation, including manufacturing. R&WI