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

A Malta-registered Bombardier Global 6000 operated by VistaJet departed the runway at the UK's Liverpool John Lennon Airport today at 5:46 a.m. local time, suspending operations at the airfield until the late afternoon. The aircraft, registered as 9H-VJM, departed Hanscom Field (KBED) in&nbsp;Bedford, Massachusetts,&nbsp;at 7:27 p.m. EST, according to FlightAware. It was confirmed to have been carrying Liverpool Football Club director Mike Gordon, two pilots, and one cabin crewmember.

 


The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) issued a statement saying it had&nbsp;“sent a team to Liverpool John Lennon Airport.” Also in a statement, Liverpool Airport confirmed "there was an incident at around 6&nbsp;a.m. this morning when a private jet with three crew and one passenger on board came off the runway after landing. There were no injuries and the runway is expected to be closed until this afternoon while the airport deals with the incident."

 


Earlier today, a crane crew was working to move the aircraft from the position it came to a halt, on the grass some 150 feet to the left side of Runway 27, the airport's only runway, close to the fast turn-off taxiway.

 


"We are fully co-operating with the airport and relevant authorities as they investigate further," said VistaJet, which operates a fleet of more than 70 Bombardier Challengers and Globals worldwide. It operates more than 150,000 flights around the world each year.

 


VistaJet employs the Osprey Flight Risk Assessment system, adopted in February, to integrate with its own flight operations software and designed to offer “instantaneous and intuitive risk assessments for every flight.” It also was the first operator to receive a Diamond Safety of Flight Awards from the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), which it received in 2016 and again in 2018 (each award covers a two-year period). In addition, the company holds the Argus International Platinum and Wyvern Wingman ratings, and VistaJet says its flight crew and ground staff "are trained to standards that surpass stringent industry regulations.”

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