ALBUQUERQUE, NM -- Aspen Avionics announces that Phil Boyer, President of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) for 18 years until his recent retirement, has joined the company’s Board of Directors.
Boyer becomes Aspen’s first outside Director, joining six investors and company executives already on the Board. As a Director, he will help guide the company through its next stages of growth.
"Phil Boyer and Aspen Avionics share a passion for making flying more accessible, more affordable and safer for pilots around the world, and for bringing the most advanced technologies to the entire general aviation fleet," says John Uczekaj, President and CEO of Aspen Avionics. "Aspen enjoys an active board of directors, with everyone contributing to the company’s success. Phil Boyer will be an outstanding addition to our team."
Boyer recently retired as President of AOPA, a not-for-profit organization that represents the interests of more than 400,000 aircraft owners and pilots. During his tenure as president, Boyer championed the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994, developed the Airport Watch program with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the wake of 9/11, and increased membership in AOPA’s ranks.
"Nearly two decades spent listening to the concerns and issues of the nation’s pilots, aircraft owners, manufacturers and regulators has given Phil a deep understanding of the GA industry’s opportunities, as well as its challenges," says Uczekaj. "Phil’s extensive expertise and relationships will be invaluable in helping chart Aspen’s strategic course in the years ahead, and in ensuring that our products meet the needs of pilots around the world."
Boyer is no stranger to emerging technologies and recognizing their potential to improve aviation safety. Under his leadership, AOPA was instrumental in convincing the FAA to endorse and certify the Global Positioning System (GPS) and Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) for use in GA aircraft navigation. More recently, he has worked closely with the FAA on its NextGen initiative to use 21st-century technologies to transform the air transportation system. The opportunity to continue bringing transformational technologies to all segments of the GA industry is part of what attracted Boyer to join the Aspen Avionics team.
He is a 8,000-hour-plus, instrument- and multiengine-rated pilot who has been flying for more than 40 years, 25 as an aircraft owner. Prior to AOPA, Boyer was Senior Vice President/Development for Capital Cities/ABC Video Enterprises, Inc., where he explored new business opportunities in communications technologies and coordinated ABC's international business activities. He also created ABC's Wide World of Flying, a quarterly subscription-based video magazine.
