Ian Sheppard has acted as Editor International Show Editions for AIN since June 2013. Based in the Redhill, England, Ian reports for the various AIN publications as well as providing support to International Editor Charles Alcock in covering international air shows (such as Farnborough, Paris, Singapore and Dubai), and the EBACE and MEBA business aviation events. His central role is to cover Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
Prior to becoming more involved with AIN in mid-2011 (initially as deputy international editor), Ian worked for various aviation publications through his company, First Aerospace Media. This included being part of the AIN team covering daily news at international air shows.
Ian has worked for publications such as Flight International (technical reporter, 1997-8) and Aerospace International (editor, 1999-2000). He was publications manager at Airclaims (Ascend) between 2000 and 2004 before forming First Aerospace Media. Since mid-2009 Ian has also been managing editor of Regional International, the journal of the European Regions Airline Association (ERA).
Ian hasis working towards a European commercial pilot licence, having held an FAA private pilot license in 1991, and instructor rating. He also has a degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of Bath, England, and a graduate diploma in law from Kingston University, and is a graduate of the legal practice course (College of Law, Guildford).

Editor

Ian Sheppard

Jet Aviation has been granted an air operator certificate (AOC) by Malta's Civil Aviation Directorate, starting flight operations using a Boeing BBJ once the approval was confirmed on December 8. An Embraer Legacy 600 is to be added "in the coming weeks," said the Zurich, Switzerland-based company, which already holds Swiss and German AOCs for its operations based at Zurich and Cologne, respectively.

 


Jet Aviation is a wholly owned subsidiary of U.S. company General Dynamics. It announced the formation of its new Maltese operation at EBACE in May, when it signed a joint-venture agreement with Luxury Business Jets of Slovakia "to establish a new aircraft management and charter operation in Malta."

 


The BBJ, registerd as 9H-GGG, can accommodate up to 19 passengers and has a range of 5,000 nm, "making it ideal for trips to the Bahamas, Beijing, Mauritius, or New York, among others," said the company. Jet Aviation will manage the BBJ and is making it available for charter.

 


“Our new flight operation in Malta is a terrific complement to our Swiss and German operations,” said Jürg Reuthinger, senior vice president and general manager of Jet&nbsp;Aviation’s aircraft management and charter operations in EMEA and Asia. “The additional AOC in the European Union allows aircraft owners and operators more flexibility in their choice of registrations and operation."

 


Jarka Sommeregger, CEO of Luxury Business Jets (part of the Bratislava-based Grafobal Group), said at the joint-venture signing in May, "[This] is a great opportunity for us to increase our presence in the aviation sector together with a strong and experienced partner like Jet Aviation."

 


Jet Aviation also has U.S.-based operations via Burbank, California-based Avjet, which Jet Aviation purchased in March 2016.

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