On Wednesday, April 3, Meridian welcomed local representatives from all walks of business aviation to hold a roundtable discussion on the current state of the industry, and speculate on where it’s headed in the future.
The first topic was the “State of the Charter Industry” and the rising popularity of the ultra-long range jet. The attendees surmised that this is due to either business taking people further than before, or that larger jets are chosen to accommodate more passengers at once.
The industry’s efforts in recruiting young talent are beginning to bear signs of success. More and more young pilots and engineers are lining up to begin their careers in Business Aviation. The challenge we face now is getting them qualified to fly.
One issue that NATA Vice President, Ryan Waguespack, brought up was the increasing popularity of “Gray Charter” and the safety issues that accompany it. NATA has been working to advise and inform the FAA on what “Gray Charter” is, and what to look for to uncover it.
Finally, to wrap the meeting up, representatives discussed what they’ve been doing to reach out to the youth and get them interested in the industry. From career days to 5Ks, there were plenty of different community engagement methods being utilized.
Overall, the event was a tremendous success and all that attended left with a better picture of the industry, and a greater understanding of its future. We cannot wait to see what the next meeting holds in store for us.
Tag: Town Hall
The Management team at Meridian held its first Town Hall meeting of the year on Wednesday, March 20. The meeting was hosted by Emil Iannone, Director of Operations, who made the session available to all employees, including those based locally at the Teterboro office and those offsite who were able to call-in remotely.
These meetings provide employees with an informative venue to hear updates about company performance, afford a glimpse into future projects, and offer a unique opportunity for attendees to ask questions.
A few highlights include the upcoming makeover of our Teterboro lobby, a redesign of our IT and Human Resources’ offices, and the growing success of Meridian Hayward, which has improved significantly over last year. Steve Chandoha, President of Meridian Teterboro, provided updates about FBO performances in both Teterboro and Hayward. Dennis O’Connell, President of Meridian Air Charter, offered recent insights about Air Charter, Aircraft Management, and Jet Maintenance.
Our CEO, Ken Forester, wrapped up the session by elaborating on some of the key topics and thanking everyone for their continued efforts and hard work. The next Town Hall meeting will be held at the end of the 2nd Quarter.
On Monday, August 6th, the management team at Meridian held its 3rd Town Hall meeting. These quarterly meetings offer a chance for everyone on board to get a picture of how the company is doing, and what’s in store for the future.
A few highlights were the upcoming makeover of our Teterboro lobby, our new 40,000 sq. ft. hangar in Teterboro (which is our charter department’s new home) and Meridian Hayward’s involvement in the Bay City 99s’ Annual Poker Run, which had the best turnout in its history.
Our CEO, Ken Forester, thanked everyone for their hard work and we are looking forward to the next quarter!