Discover our Guests and Topics

Ep. 1: The Isle of Man Aircraft Registry

In this episode we had the opportunity to speak with the Deputy Director of Civil Aviation for the Isle of Man, Mr. Colin Gill.

We discussed the history of the Administration, the structure, the regulation and the different aspects and pieces that need to be in place to manage M-registered aircraft under a flight operations, airworthiness, and maintenance perspective. We talked about Transition Aircraft, as the Registry also supports this kind of projects. The intent with this interview is to share knowledge about the regulation, the approach and the services provided by the Aircraft Registry of the Isle of Man.

We’d like to thank Mr. Colin Gill, Deputy Director of Civil Aviation, the Director of Civil Aviation, and all the people of the Isle of Man Aircraft Registry that made this interview possible.

Ep. 2:  Business Aviation, IBAC, IS-BAO, & Aviation Training with Scott Macpherson

Scott has been a pilot and manager in corporate aviation for over 35 years. Scott’s flight department was the first IS-BAO registered operator and he continues to be a strong supporter of the standard. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA) and is a past Chairman of the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) governing board, on which he still serves.  Scott started TrainingPort.net as business aviation’s first comprehensive online training solution and now spends his time developing new services to add value to TrainingPort.net.

Ep. 3: Aircraft Certification with Adam Bakos

In this episode we spoke about Aircraft Certification with Adam Bakos, AIRCRAFT CERTIFICATION & INTERNATIONAL REGULATORY AFFAIRS EXPERT. Adam shared some of what he has learned about aircraft certification. Some of the topics that we discussed are the role of the TC holder, the different phases of the certification process and Authority roles, how different Authorities issue their own TCDS, what Service bulletins are, how they come to be and much more. The intent with this interview is to share knowledge about the certification process and provide clarity on aspects of certification that can affect aircraft management.

About Adam Bakos

Adam is a Professional Engineer with 15 years experience in the Aerospace industry; predominantly in the areas of Airworthiness Procedures and Processes, Aircraft Type Certification, Product Integrity, Project Management and International Regulatory Affairs. Adam graduated with a Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering from Ryerson University (now named Toronto Metropolitan University) in 2008 and a Master of Aerospace Engineering from Ryerson University in 2011. Adam obtained a Certificate of Project Management from University of Toronto in 2009 and his P. Eng and PMP designations in 2014 and 2016, respectively, and also became an internationally recognized Professional Engineer (IntPE with Engineers Canada) and a Member of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 2021. Adam was formerly a Senior Engineering Specialist/Technical Expert and Section Team Lead of the Airworthiness Department for the Global Platforms at Bombardier Inc. in Toronto. Adam is currently a Project Certification Manager at Transport Canada Civil Aviation, National Aircraft Certification Branch. In his spare time, he's the head instructor of the graduate level Aircraft Type Certification and Airworthiness course at Toronto Metropolitan University, a role which he has held since 2021. He also guest lectured at the course from its inception in 2014 until 2020. Adam is also a steadfast volunteer with his local baseball association (Mississauga North) and he’s often found instructing and teaching the next generation of baseball umpires.

Ep. 4: The Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority

As part of our series on Civil Aviation Authority & Regulation, in this episode we talked with the Director General of the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Thomas Dunstan.

We discussed the history of the Authority, the structure, the regulation and the different aspects and pieces that need to be in place to manage Bermudan-registered aircraft under a flight operations, airworthiness, and maintenance perspective. We talked about Transition Aircraft, Storage Aircraft and Commercial AOCs as the Registry also supports this kind of projects. 

The intent with this series of interviews with different CAAs is to share knowledge about the regulation, the approach and the services provided by various  Authorities.

We’d like to thank Mr. Thomas Dunstan, Director General of the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority, and all the people at the BCAA that made this interview possible.

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE: https://youtu.be/Qoi0t9iSolo?si=_2XW5K9ZWk1z9Xxy

Ep. 5: The Gyroplane World Altitude Record

(27,556 ft / 8.399 mt), with Donatella Ricci

Donatella was born and grew up in Rome, Italy. Her passion and curiosity for the sky and its mysteries were cultivated at La Sapienza University where she graduated as an astrophysicist. Thanks to scholarships received from the University, Donatella furthered her education with visits to the United States. Her doctoral research work conducted on black holes at La Sapienza, awarded her with an internship at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, California, USA. Upon her return to Italy, with the experience gained and her enthusiasm, Donatella was entrusted with a Program Manager position for a prestigious Italian company, the largest satellite manufacturer in Europe, with a global market in the aerospace industry. In those years Donatella discovered recreational flight, which eventually led her to embrace her dream in a new career path relevant to the aviation industry. Donatella currently holds the position of helicopter division Program Manager at Leonardo, (former Agusta Westland/Finmeccanica) located near Venice, Italy. The engaging work environment and her passion for flight, has never stopped Donatella from pursuing new horizons. She became a licenced pilot of hot air balloons, airplanes, helicopters, and gyroplanes.

Donatella is a flight instructor, at Flight School Club "Papere Vagabonde", near the Lagoon of Venice and Jesolo beach; for airplane, helicopter, and gyroplane, the latter being the type of aircraft used for the solo flight which gave her the World Altitude Record in 2015 (27,556 ft / 8,399 m).

Donatella has been rewarded by the Royal Aeronautical Society "For excellence achievements and contributions in the aerospace industry".

Donatella's Website: https://www.gyrodona.com/index.html

Discover Donatella's book:

Mursia: https://www.mursia.com/products/18739?_pos=1&_sid=8ef385257&_ss=r

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=digital-text&rh=p_27%3ADonatella%2BRicci&s=relevancerank&text=Donatella+Ricci&ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1 

FULL INTERVIEW TO BE RELEASED ON JUN 5TH, 2025, 10.00 AM PDT.

Ep. 6: Are Aviation Schools Teaching the Right Skills? A Professor’s Perspective on Industry Readiness with Professor Dr.sc.Ing. Iyad Alomar

About Professor Dr.sc.Ing.Iyad Alomar

Current position: Professor, Director of Aviation Engineering Program Engineering Faculty AT THE TRANSPORT AND TELECOMMUNICATION INSTITUTE OF RIGA, LATVIA

Experience:

• More than 11 years of academic experience
• More than 28 years’ experience in aviation maintenance
• More than 5 years’ experience at top management position in aviation business (Airline General Director Technical Maintenance Chief Advisor)
• More than 2 years’ experience as Airline CAMO Manager (Technical Director)

Teaching activity

Master level (Aviation Managment Program): Management of Aviation Maintenace

Bachelor level (Aviation engineering Program): Compliance Monitoring System, Aircraft Maintenace Planning, Aerodynamic & Flight Dynamic; Maintenace of Aircraft; Propeller and its control systems; Human Factors; Introduction to specialty

Publication activity: Author/Co-author of 18 research publications in journals and conference proceedings (incl. SCOPUS&WoS)

Projects: Horizon 2020 “Enhancing excellence and innovation capacity in sustainable transport interchange – ALLIANCE”

Supervised theses: 2 PhD student (ISO1), 5 Master students, 11 Bachelor students (ISO 8)

Research fields/domains: February 2019 got my PhD degree “INVESTIGATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE GROUND HANDLING VEHICLES ON THE AIRCRAFT HANDLING DURATION”

Motto: Quality is not an act, it’s a habit

Hobby: Mushroom picking

Discover Professor Alomar's book:

“AERODYNAMICS AND FLIGHT DYNAMICS” written by A. MEDVEDEV & I. ALOMAR

FULL INTERVIEW TO BE RELEASED ON JUL 5TH, 2025, 10.00 AM PDT.

More interviews coming soon!

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