Azim Sumar Chosen to Lead Flight Operations at Fractional HondaJet Company

Volato’s rapid growth throughout 2021 has brought one of the most experienced HondaJet pilots in the industry, onboarding Azim Sumar as their new Chief Pilot. The fractional jet operator boasts a notable fleet composed entirely of the Honda aircraft, setting them apart from the crowd with the bulbous, cetacean cockpit and distinct overwing engine pylons. 

Sumar brings almost a quarter century of aviation experience in all operational aspects of passenger carriage. Throughout his career, he has gotten familiar with customer service, airline cargo, ticketing, flight testing, training, and simulator instruction. Volato hired Sumar from his previous job as chief pilot for fractional ownership competitor Jet It, reportedly enticing him with what he said was “Volato’s leadership and vision”. "Engaging further, I learned their program was truly built on delivering the best experience for owners, which they understood could only be delivered by ensuring their pilots are happy,” he said in a statement announcing his appointment. “I'm excited to join Volato and curate a team of owner-centric pilots by providing them a positive work environment, strong remuneration and a balanced lifestyle." 

Reading between the lines, it seems that smaller charter operators are subject to the same market forces that cause so much consternation in airlines - after all, pilots tend to graze the greenest pastures. Aviators and their turnkey, universally accepted credentials and constant travel make for highly mobile professionals, sometimes making the industry seem more like a game of musical chairs than a traditional, one-company career spanning decades. Matt Liotta, co-founder and CEO, believes Volanto can reel in and retain quality pilots with his company’s scheduling, retirement, paid time off, and pay. “Since our launch, we’ve focused on making our pilots as happy as possible as we recognize the correlation between that and our customer service to clients. Azim will play a big part in continuing to evolve our offering to our most important assets while we continue to scale.” 

FMI: www.flyvolato.com