Director Of International Operations Retiring From The Organization

William H. "Bill" Stine II, longtime director of international operations for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), retired from the Association on Jan. 10 after nearly 35 years of service.

Since joining NBAA in 1979, Stine has been the Association's resident expert on international business aviation communications, navigation and surveillance issues. He has served as staff liaison to the NBAA International Operators Committee and Schedulers & Dispatchers Committee, and helped set the agenda for the Association’s International Operators Conference, as well as for education sessions on overseas operations at NBAA’s flagship annual event, the Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition.

For more than three decades, Stine has been a champion for international business aviation. He was a founding officer of the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC), which represents the interests of national business aviation organizations on technical issues before the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and in other international forums. Starting in 1981, he spent six years as IBAC’s first executive officer and later served another term in that capacity before becoming the organization’s corporate secretary, a position he will hold until his retirement from NBAA.

In addition to his work with IBAC, Stine has served in leadership roles with numerous other aviation industry groups, including the Airline Engineering and Electronics Committee, ARINC, Comsat Industry Users Advisory Committee, Inmarsat Users Association, Mobile Satellite Users Association, RTCA and the U.S. Interagency Group on International Aviation.

Born in Ohio, Stine attended Culver Military Academy in Indiana and Ripon College in Wisconsin, where he learned to fly before joining the U.S. Air Force, becoming an electronics specialist.

Stine has broad experience in civil, non-airline flight operations in various geographic areas. As a chief pilot of several FAR Part 135 and 141 operations, he flew and taught in both rotor and fixed-wing aircraft in mountainous and subtropical environments. He also flew crop-dusting and banner-towing missions. His business flying experience includes stints as a line pilot and chief pilot for several flight departments. In total, Stine has accrued more than 7,000 flight hours, holds an FAA airline transport pilot certificate in both rotor and fixed-wing aircraft, and is rated in gliders. He is an FAA gold seal flight instructor in all three categories. For five years he was an FAA accident-prevention counselor.

“No one has played a more important role in advancing the technical interests of business aviation worldwide than Bill Stine,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen in praising Stine’s work on behalf of the industry. “We thank Bill for his countless contributions to NBAA and the industry, and although he will be missed, we wish him all the best as he begins a new chapter in his life’s journey.”

Steve Brown, NBAA’s chief operating officer, added, “In recent years, Bill has mentored younger NBAA staff members, sharing his in-depth understanding of the inner workings of the international regulatory process.”

“Bill Stine has been the go-to person when it comes to international business aviation operations, serving as the focal point for many important worldwide issues,” added IBAC audit manager John Sheehan. “His knowledge of and relationships with world aviation regulators, representatives and operators are what made him so valuable.”

FMI: www.nbaa.org