A multi-engine, instrument rated pilot, James Wynbrandt has been an AIN and Business Jet Traveler contributor since 2003. His in-depth reporting and insightful features have won more than a dozen editorial honors, including two National Business Aviation Association Gold Wing Awards (2019; 2021), and his articles have also appeared in the New York Times, Barron’s, Fortune, Forbes, and Smithsonian Air &amp; Space. He has flown his Mooney M20K 252 on assignments throughout North and Central America and the Caribbean. Wynbrandt is also the author of Flying High (Wiley &amp; Sons), a biography of Jet Blue founder David Neeleman, as well as histories, references works, and books on a variety of other topics from major publishers. He lives in New York City.

Contributor - Business Aviation

James Wynbrandt

The trustee overseeing <a href="http://ainonline.com/aviation-news/ainalerts/2013-08-20/avantair-be-liquidated-trustee-tracking-down-assets">Avantair’s involuntary bankruptcy</a> is seeking a halt to a class-action lawsuit brought against the company on behalf of former employees alleging Fair Labor Standards Act violations for failure to pay for work performed or provide proper termination notification.


Avantair has been using payments from an insurance policy it purchased for protection against claims to defend itself against the lawsuit, bankruptcy trustee Mary Beth Sharrer said in a filing to stop the action. Continuing the litigation could harm the administration of the estate by “exhausting the amount of coverage available” for Avantair’s creditors, among other adverse impacts, she said.


Parties to the former employees’ lawsuit have until the end of September to file a response. Lead attorney Ryan Barack of Kwall, Showers &amp; Barack in Clearwater, Fla., which represents the ex-staffers, told AIN, “We intend to continue to prosecute our claims in an appropriate forum, seeking to recover the money due to the employees, who are the victims in this case.”

News and issues concerning the aviation charter and fractional-ownership industries and markets, including company announcements, regulations, new developments and labor issues.

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News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

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News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

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