Both Send Representatives To GAMA Board

The Board of Directors of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) welcomes EADS Socata and Pilatus Aircraft, Ltd. as the newest members of the trade association.

EADS Socata will be represented on GAMA’s Board of Directors by Stephane Bernard, President and CEO, Socata Aircraft, Inc.

Pilatus Aircraft, Ltd. will be represented by Thomas Bosshard, President and CEO, Pilatus Business Aircraft, Ltd.

EADS Socata is a wholly owned subsidiary of the European Aeronautic Defence & Space Company (EADS group).

EADS Socata manufactures a line of single-engine piston-powered and single-engine turboprop airplanes at its manufacturing facility at Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrenees airport, France.

Socata Aircraft, Inc. located at the North Perry Airport in Fort Lauderdale (FL), serves as the US headquarters for sales and marketing and technical and customer support for the entire line of EADS Socata products.

Stephane Bernard was named President & CEO of Socata Aircraft, Inc. in 1998. Prior to joining Socata Aircraft, he was head of aircraft sales contracts with the ATR commuter aircraft.

Bernard spent most of his 19-year tenure with EADS in the U.S. in various positions including Airbus product support and automatic test equipment (ATE) sales. He holds an Engineering Degree in Electronics and Computer Science and a Masters Degree in Management from Sup de Co Lyon in CESMA, France.

Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. manufactures its single-engine turboprop, the PC-12, at its headquarters in Stans, Switzerland. Pilatus Business Aircraft, located in Broomfield, Colorado, serves as the company's completions, marketing, sales and product support office for North and South America.

Thomas Bosshard was named President & CEO of Pilatus Business Aircraft, Ltd. in 2002, after having previously served as its Chief Operating Officer. He first joined Pilatus Aircraft in 1994 and then Pilatus Business Aircraft in 1997. Prior to joining Pilatus, Bosshard worked at Shannon Aerospace in Shannon, Ireland and Swiss Airlines in Zurich, Switzerland. He holds Bachelors Degrees in both Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration from the Technical College of Rapperswil, Switzerland.

FMI: www.GAMA.aero