Brings Significant Knowledge, Name Recognition To Company
Contrary to Phil Boyer's statements
that all he had on his horizon was a much-deserved
vacation, following retirement from his 18-year
tenure as president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots
Association... we had a hunch it wouldn't take him very long to
find a new gig. Sure enough, ANN received early word Monday of
Phil's next endeavor.
Boyer recently joined the Board of Directors at emerging
avionics manufacturer Aspen Avionics, becoming the company's first
outside Director. He joins six investors and company executives
already on the Board. As a Director, Boyer will help guide the
manufacturer of the Evolution flight display system through its
next stages of growth.
"Phil Boyer and Aspen Avionics share a passion for making flying
more accessible, more affordable and safer for pilots around the
world, and for bringing the most advanced technologies to the
entire general aviation fleet," said John Uczekaj, President and
CEO of Aspen Avionics. "Aspen enjoys an active board of directors,
with everyone contributing to the company's success. Phil Boyer
will be an outstanding addition to our team."
As ANN reported extensively, Boyer retired
January 1 as President of AOPA. During his tenure as head of the
pilot advocacy group, Boyer achieved an impressive list of
accomplishments... from championing the General Aviation
Revitalization Act of 1994, to developing the Airport Watch program
with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transportation
Security Administration (TSA) in the wake of 9/11, to dramatically
increasing AOPA membership to well over 400,000.
"Nearly two decades spent listening to the concerns and issues
of the nation's pilots, aircraft owners, manufacturers and
regulators has given Phil a deep understanding of the GA industry's
opportunities, as well as its challenges," Uczekaj said. "Phil's
extensive expertise and relationships will be invaluable in helping
chart Aspen's strategic course in the years ahead, and in ensuring
that our products meet the needs of pilots around the world."
Boyer is no stranger to emerging technologies and recognizing
their potential to improve aviation safety. Under his leadership,
AOPA was instrumental in convincing the FAA to endorse and certify
the Global Positioning System (GPS) and Wide Area Augmentation
System (WAAS) for use in GA aircraft navigation.
More recently, he has worked closely with the FAA on its NextGen
initiative to use 21st-century technologies to transform the air
transportation system.