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

Backers including founder Clive Jackson have secured the “winning bid to buy back control” of Fly Victor from administrators of Alyssum Holdings. Fly Victor had been placed in this holding company in 2018 following investments from BP Ventures and others but was declared insolvent last month. BP has yet to reply to AIN’s request for comment.

 


The successful management buyout (MBO) of the on-demand private jet charter company will see Jackson leading the company again, backed by “a consortium of former investors and regular flyers.”

 


A company spokesperson told AIN, “Our focus also remains on tracking to profitability and we are very confident we will return a profit this year.” Twenty percent of the company’s share capital has been preserved for its management and staff, though it is not known what share Jackson now has in the company.

 


Fly Victor was launched in 2011 with a major selling point being the sale of unused “empty legs” and even empty seats on aircraft, though the latter idea was later dropped. Its core business case was based on filling the gap between airlines that could be unreliable and jet brokers which Jackson said levied excessive mark-ups while revolutionizing business aviation by focusing on “transparency and the environment.”

 


In a statement, the company said, “breaking free to chart an independent future will allow the company to maintain its commitment to challenging business aviation to decarbonize in a matter of years rather than decades.” The company has launched a campaign to ensure every Victor charter flight is mandated to fly 200 percent carbon neutral and claims it is “set to become the world’s most environmentally responsible aviation company.”

 


On transparency, it said: “Disclosing operator details and specific aircraft tail numbers to customers before booking has enabled Victor to build customer trust and become a leading provider of on-demand jet charter.”

 


Jackson commented: “It was a competitive bid process and there were multiple bids, so I am delighted that we secured the winning bid. Joining Jackson in the MBO consortium is Rob Procter, a significant private investor, formerly of Morgan Stanley and a former shareholder in the original Alyssum Group.

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