Tag: 2015

Categories
General Private Air Charter

Meridian Air Charter Earns Another NetJets Award

The Meridian Air Charter sales team proudly displays its latest award. Meridian was recognized by NetJets for being the Northeast region top subcontract provider for Q4'2015.
The Meridian Air Charter sales team proudly displays its latest award. Meridian was recognized by NetJets for being the Northeast region top subcontract provider for Q4’2015.

Meridian Air Charter is very pleased to announce that it has been named the top subcontract provider for NetJets in the Northeast region for the fourth quarter of 2015. This is the second quarter in a row that Meridian has earned this prestigious award. Meridian was also recognized for the same honor in the third quarter of 2015.
NetJets is a private aviation company that specializes in fractional ownership of business jets. While the company operates its own fleet of aircraft, sometimes it may require additional lift from third party operators. NetJets, like Meridian, will only select available aircraft from a trusted network of business jet operators with a proven safety record. Meridian Air Charter has worked diligently to meet the rigorous requirements of the industry’s highest standards, including ARG/US Platinum, Wyvern Wingman, and IS-BAO Stage 2.
Chris Battaglia, Director of Charter Sales for Meridian Air Charter, says, “For our company to be recognized in third quarter of 2015 was quite an accomplishment. Having achieved this award again in the fourth quarter is simply outstanding. We know firsthand the high level of teamwork and commitment required to make the process seamless for our clients and those of our partners. I am very proud of our Sales and Operations teams, and we at Meridian Air Charter are truly honored to receive another award from such a reputable company like NetJets.”

Categories
Executive Terminal (FBO) General Maintenance Private Air Charter

Meridian Staff Gives Generously to Local Hunger Program

A Bag A Lunch display is set up in the Charter area at Meridian to create awareness of the annual campaign. This year, contributions exceeded $1,500.
A Bag A Lunch display is set up in the Charter area at Meridian to create awareness of the annual campaign. This year, contributions exceeded $1,500.

October is the time of year for the annual “Bag a Lunch, Help a Bunch” campaign, sponsored by Table to Table. Meridian is a proud supporter of Table to Table, a community-based food rescue program that collects prepared and perishable food that would otherwise be wasted and delivers it to organizations serving the hungry in Northern New Jersey. During the Bag-A-Lunch campaign, we ask Meridian employees to donate what they would normally spend on lunch for a day. Donating to the campaign is voluntary and the donation amounts are of each individual’s choosing. After the donations are tallied at the end of the program, the company donates a matching gift at 100%, effectively doubling the contribution.
The program, which ended on October 14, resulted in over $750 of Meridian employee contributions. With company matching added to that amount, the total donations from Meridian brought the final tally above $1,500, achieving last year’s contribution level. Kelly Manzo, HR Assistant, was the Meridian Team Captain, responsible for promoting the program at the company and coordinating with her counterparts at Table to Table. Ms. Manzo says, “The Bag-A-Lunch program is a great way for employees to help others in our local communities who are less fortunate. By donating what we would normally spend on lunch, each person’s individual contribution will double with the gift matching program, and ultimately have a much greater impact on those who need it most.” To help raise awareness of the campaign, donation bags were placed in several locations throughout the FBO, including the Break Room, Line Service, Jet Center, and Charter areas.
Table to Table is able to deliver food for less than 10 cents per meal, which creates a huge impact:
$5 helps to deliver more than 50 nutritious lunches
$10 keeps a child nourished for an entire month
$25 brings fresh produce to a family of 4 for 2 months
Every day Table to Table picks up fresh, wholesome food that otherwise would have been discarded, and delivers it safely to non-profit organizations such as soup kitchens, homeless shelters and centers, programs for women and children who are victims of domestic violence, and programs that assist the working poor that serve meals to the hungry in Bergen, Passaic, Hudson and Essex counties. With five refrigerated vehicles and dedicated drivers, Table to Table picks up food from a wide range of food establishments each day. This food is delivered on the day it is donated, avoiding the need for warehouse facilities and keeping Table To Table’s costs limited to the operation of the vehicles.
For more information or to make a donation, please visit: www.tabletotable.org

Categories
Maintenance

Meridian Supports Aeronautics School through PAMA Golf Tournament

Team Meridian at the Teterboro PAMA Annual Golf Outing (l to r): Per Karlsson, John Langschultz, Joe Langschultz, and Brian Fee.
Team Meridian at the Teterboro PAMA Annual Golf Outing (l to r): Per Karlsson, John Langschultz, Joe Langschultz, and Brian Fee.

On Wednesday, September 23, Meridian Jet Center was proud to support the 2015 Ed Furst Sr. Memorial Teterboro PAMA Annual Golf Outing, which was held at the beautiful Crystal Springs Golf Club in Hamburg, NJ. Meridian sponsored the trophies and the putting contest, in addition to sending a foursome of golfers to represent the company. The event included a 4-person scramble, box lunch and an awards reception following the tournament.
The golf outing traditionally follows the first Teterboro PAMA meeting of the season, which was held the previous evening at Graycliff Restaurant in Moonachie, NJ. The Meridian team was composed of John Langschultz (VP of Maintenance), Per Karlsson, (Director of Maintenance), Joe Langschultz (Parts Manager), and Brian Fee. While the foursome did not win the tournament, they did win the award for ‘Most Honest Team’, finishing the round with a robust score of 84. The winning team was Dassault Falcon Jet (Wilmington), with a final score of 62.
The annual golf outing hosted by the Teterboro Chapter of the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association provides educational opportunities to students attending the Teterboro School of Aeronautics in conjunction with FlightSafety. According to chapter President Ed Furst Jr., “The PAMA chapter has had a long-standing relationship with the school. Every student benefits from the latest donation by PAMA and FlightSafety. The chapter is leasing FlightSafety’s popular Principles of Troubleshooting training program for the school for a three-year period. Each year we would donate scholarship funds to one or two students – but our board members were looking for something that would benefit the whole student body.”
John Langschultz says, “We are proud to participate in this event because it positively impacts all of the students. Since these young men and women are the future of our industry, we all benefit in the long run. It’s really a great cause.”

Categories
Aircraft Management Executive Terminal (FBO) General Private Air Charter

Meridian Exhibits at NBAA Regional Forum in St. Louis

The Meridian team works the booth at the NBAA Regional Forum in St. Louis. (l to r): Mike Moore, Nora Jacob, and Anthony Banome
The Meridian team works the booth at the NBAA Regional Forum in St. Louis.
(l to r): Mike Moore, Nora Jacob, and Anthony Banome

Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company based at Teterboro Airport, proudly participated in the final National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Regional Forum of 2015. The show was held at St. Louis Downtown Airport (CPS) in St. Louis, MO. The one-day event was held on Thursday, September 17, and drew more than 1,200 attendees. The forum, held for the first time at that venue, hosted 130 exhibitors and 25 aircraft on static display, and closed out a year that also featured the popular local events in West Palm Beach, FL, and Teterboro, NJ. Meridian sent three representatives, including Mike Moore, VP of Aviation Sales, Anthony Banome, Director of Fuel Sales, and Nora Jacob, Customer Service Representative.
When the opening session concluded, and the forum got underway, exhibitors and attendees alike appreciated the forum’s value as a focused, one-day event. Leaders with local agencies and airport businesses illustrated the importance of the St. Louis-area event in highlighting the value of business aviation, and in supporting people and companies in the industry located in the area.
Peter Sadlo, president of the Greater St. Louis Business Aviation Association, said it is important to make sure young people can experience first-hand the possibilities that exist in the business aviation industry, and NBAA’s Regional Forums provide a great venue for that. “If we don’t get the next generation in at some point, it doesn’t work,” he said. “We need to share our network and get them involved.”
As with all NBAA events, elements of the No Plane No Gain advocacy campaign were on display throughout the forum, with signage highlighting CEOs with well-known companies from across the country, each providing testimonials to the value of business aviation to their organizations. The No Plane No Gain program, jointly sponsored by NBAA and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, educates policymakers and opinion leaders about the essential role of business aviation in the nation’s economy and transportation system.
NBAA’s St. Louis Regional Forum also included several education sessions, held throughout the day. Michelle Wade, of Jackson & Wade, discussed building successful aircraft and operating structures, while Mark Francetic, from Duncan Aviation, talked about how to prepare for NextGen and future equipment mandates, such as those for aircraft Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) systems. The forum closed with a talk by Travis Kuhn, from Aviation Research Group-US, who’s presentation focused on helping attendees make sense of the myriad business aviation flight activity and forecast data that is increasingly available to operators.
NBAA will continue its Regional Forums in 2016, with venues to be announced in the near future. NBAA will be hosting its annual Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA2015) in Las Vegas, NV, from November 17-19, 2015. Meridian will be exhibiting at the show in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center at booth #N4925.

Categories
Executive Terminal (FBO) General Private Air Charter

Meridian Exhibits at NBAA Regional in West Palm Beach

Team Meridian at the NBAA Regional Forum in West Palm Beach. (l to r): Bob Platten, Kirk Stephen, Nora Jacob, and Andrew Ladouceur
Team Meridian at the NBAA Regional Forum in West Palm Beach. (l to r): Bob Platten, Kirk Stephen, Nora Jacob, and Andrew Ladouceur

Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company based at Teterboro Airport, proudly participated in the first National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Regional Forum of 2015. The show was held at Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) in West Palm Beach, FL. The one-day event was held on Thursday, Feb. 19, which featured 128 indoor exhibits, 21 aircraft on static display, and attracted more than 2,000 attendees. The company sent four representatives from its Headquarters in Teterboro, NJ, including Andrew Ladouceur, VP of Charter Sales, Bob Platten, Aviation Sales Executive, Nora Jacob, Customer Service Representative, and Kirk Stephen, Marketing Manager.
West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio toured the static display and thanked NBAA for choosing West Palm Beach as a site for its 2015 regional forums. “I want to welcome the NBAA to West Palm Beach,” the mayor told attendees.“Aviation is very important for our city, and we are very proud of our airport. In fact, our airport is only five minutes from downtown, making it easy for business people to come to our city and not only do their job, but also enjoy downtown, which was voted the No.1 city in Florida for business and jobs.”
Steve Brown, NBAA’s chief operations officer, updated attendees on the Association’s efforts to support business aviation’s interests in Washington, DC and around the country, including in Florida. “We just filed a bill that will eliminate sales tax on planes purchased in Florida,” added NBAA Jenny Showalter, a director at Showalter Flying Service, and NBAA Member Company in Orlando, FL, and a member of the Florida Aviation Business Association.
One common thread throughout the presentations was the importance of NBAA and the work it does in support of the industry.
“Flight departments need to be more active in groups like this, said Jeff Ramsden, president of NBAA Member Company RamJet Aviation, Inc., of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. “They worry about advocacy and have the resources to help you take the necessary steps. We all need to stay connected.”
“We are a vital industry and everyone from the bottom up needs to advocate for what they do, stay connected and use the resources available,” added Showalter. To underscore that need, NBAA prominently displayed the voices and resources the association has produced, through the No Plane No Gain advocacy campaign, which educates policymakers and opinion leaders about the importance of business aviation to citizens, companies and communities across America. NBAA jointly sponsors the advocacy campaign, with the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.
On hand at the forum was NBAA’s most recently produced advocacy resource, “Business Leaders on Business Aviation,” a highly popular booklet featuring 25 of the nation’s most respected business leaders detailing how business airplanes help their companies compete and succeed.
In addition to business aviation industry representatives, aviation students from Florida-based universities were on hand to attend a student session where they had the opportunity to meet and hear from successful industry experts in all facets of the business.
With much enthusiasm, these future pilots and business experts were able to tap into the information sessions and talk to experts for advice on their career objectives. Key players in the industry – from pilots, to aircraft brokers, and maintenance and repair operators – all expressed their enthusiasm for business aviation, reinforcing for the students that there are a variety of aviation career opportunities available.
Other topics discussed during the forum’s information sessions included updates on state and federal advocacy efforts, including strategies for managing Florida’s aircraft sales and use tax system; the latest in in-flight connectivity, and options for increasing insurance coverage, while reducing risk and minimizing liability when full-time business aviation pilots fly on their own time.
The next NBAA Regional Forum will be Thursday, June 25, at Teterboro Airport (TEB) in Teterboro, NJ. Meridian will be hosting an evening cocktail party on Wednesday, June 24, the night before the event. Look for more information coming soon.

Categories
General Private Air Charter

Meridian Exhibits at Record-Breaking Schedulers Conference

Team Meridian at the booth during the exhibition. (l to r: Anthony Banome, Estrella Reynoso, Edvina Floed, Mike Moore, Bob Platten, Andrea Politis, Greg Johnson, and Kirk Stephen)
Team Meridian at the booth during the exhibition. (l to r: Anthony Banome, Estrella Reynoso, Edvina Floed, Mike Moore, Bob Platten, Andrea Politis, Greg Johnson, and Kirk Stephen)

Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company based at Teterboro Airport, proudly participated in the 2015 National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference (SDC2015) at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, CA. The annual conference was held from Tuesday, Feb. 3 through Friday, Feb. 6, with a record-breaking 2,700-plus attendees. The company sent nine representatives from its Headquarters in Teterboro, NJ, as well as three local representatives from the West Coast, including CEO Ken Forester.
This year’s conference featured a groundbreaking live-action business aviation emergency response drill, five days of in-depth educational opportunities, and a visit from former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta. The live emergency response simulation was staged during the first-ever Second-Day General Session. Blending live actors with video simulations, the immersive drill left many attendees reflecting on the effectiveness of their own emergency response plans.
“This has been an incredibly exciting and engaging show,” said Mike Nichols, NBAA’s vice president of operational excellence and professional development. “We’ve had packed session rooms, people taking every opportunity to share experiences with their peers from across the country and a powerfully captivating emergency simulation that brought the participating crowd to its feet.”
Mineta, an esteemed aviation leader who has also served as a congressman, the mayor of San Jose, as well as U.S. Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Secretary of Transportation, visited the conference on Thursday, Feb. 5, meeting NBAA staff and committee leaders while touring the exhibit floor. His visit was all the more fitting, with the conference held less than 3 miles from the airport that bears his name: Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC).
“We’re very proud to have had former Secretary Mineta on hand to demonstrate his enthusiasm for our industry,” said Steve Brown, chief operating officer of NBAA. “Many of the attendees were inspired by his service and he, in turn, was clearly impressed with the professionalism of business aviation schedulers and dispatchers and the contributions attendees made to the local community.”
SDC2015 broke more than attendance records, with the conference’s annual Pay It Forward program collecting a record 1,452 suits, dresses, shirts and other business attire for Dress for Success and Sacred Heart San Jose. With a first-ever pedometer competition, based on steps walked across the show floor, the conference also raised $4,000 for the two local charities.
The educational program at SDC2015 was more dynamic than ever, with in-depth sessions on advanced topics such as personal use of aircraft, international aviation regulations and handling and Fit for Duty: Not Just for Flightcrews.
There were more than 450 exhibitors at the show, and NBAA unveiled a new category of its Flying Safety Awards: the Scheduler and Licensed Dispatcher Safety Award, which will be presented for the first time in 2016.
“This conference gets more dynamic, more informative and more rewarding every year,” said NBAA’s Jo Damato, NBAA’s director of educational development and strategy. “That’s all because of the active involvement of our attendees and the leadership of the Schedulers & Dispatchers Committee. This event always brings out the vitality and dedication of our community.”
This was the 26th year since the show’s debut in 1989. Meridian’s own Bob Platten has been there since the beginning. “I remember standing in a room with about 25 people from the industry, and we were asking ourselves, ‘What do we want this to be?’ Twenty-five years later, the educational component has expanded tremendously, attendance has grown to almost 3,000 people from companies based all over the world, and the networking opportunities are boundless. It’s really amazing to see how the show has evolved over the years, and I am really glad to be a part of this important event.”
Next year’s Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference (SDC2016) is scheduled for Jan. 19 to 22 in Tampa, FL.