Passed Peacefully At His Home At The Age Of 85

Bruce Whitman, Chairman, president & CEO of FlightSafety International, passed away peacefully at home Wednesday morning with his family by his side. He was 85.

All of us with FlightSafety are deeply saddened by Bruce’s passing and have expressed our deepest sympathy and condolences to his family. Bruce will be remembered with great admiration and affection. He will be missed by us and his many friends and colleagues in the aviation industry and beyond.

Bruce was highly-respected and held in the utmost regard by all who knew him. While his loss will be mourned by us all, we also celebrate Bruce’s remarkable life and accomplishments. We are deeply indebted to Bruce for his many contributions to the aviation industry, his service in the United States Air Force, support of our veterans and those who currently serve, his contributions to Orbis International, and dedication to educate and foster patriotism among young people.

We are thankful for his outstanding leadership of FlightSafety and especially for his friendship, guidance, and vision. In addition to his many business accomplishments, which resulted in FlightSafety becoming the world’s premier aviation training organization, he created a culture within the company of customer service, quality, trust, caring, respect, and family.

All join in expressing our appreciation for our friend, mentor and remarkable leader. We are grateful for his boundless energy, commitment to excellence, and fervent dedication to enhance aviation safety around the world.

Whitman spent two years at NBAA just prior to his long and successful tenure with FlightSafety International.  From 1959 to 1961 – a period during which NBAA had just four employees – Whitman served as NBAA’s senior executive assistant.

“Today, the aviation community has lost a leading light in Bruce Whitman,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “He was a leader who saw the big picture, but nevertheless delighted in quietly rolling up his sleeves to help countless organizations tackle their everyday needs. He studiously applied what he learned from his mentors to inform his own life’s work, at NBAA and beyond. He surrounded himself with people who shared his values of working hard and treating people with professionalism and courtesy. His handwritten notes often wished recipients ‘blue skies and tailwinds’ – now, we wish him the same.”

(Image provided with FlightSafety news release)

FMI: www.flightsafety.com, www.nbaa.org