SAN DIEGO, CA – (October 29, 2012) – Jim Panknin, a 27-year veteran of the aviation field, has been appointed chief pilot for Schubach Aviation, announced Henry Schubach, president and founder of the leading San Diego private air charter company.
In this position, Panknin will be charged with overseeing pilot training, safety, personnel management and regulations compliance for the company. His immediate focus will be on teambuilding, standardization and customer service for Schubach Aviation’s expanding fleet of aircraft. He is also serving as a captain on the Citation II business jet.
Panknin brings to the firm an impressive background in aviation. Prior to joining Schubach Aviation, he served three years as president of Executive Flight Support, Inc. in Santee, a company that provides aircraft management, charter brokerage, aircraft acquisition and contract aviation support services. During this time, he served in the capacity of director of operations for Conquest Charter, for which he established a basic charter certificate. He also served as director of operations for Air2Air Corp. He managed several Eclipse 500 jets through a period when the manufacturer went through bankruptcy.
Prior to that, Panknin was chief pilot for Jimsair Aviation in San Diego, where he flew the King Air 200, 350 and Hawker 700 for four years. During that time, he helped grow Jimsair from a small propeller operation to a multi-aircraft jet charter operator.
For 20 years, Panknin was a U.S. Marine Corps pilot. As a CH-53 pilot, he was deployed throughout the world in service of the country. He also was a presidential helicopter pilot at HMX-1 during the Clinton Administration. Additionally he was a C-12 (Marine King Air) pilot in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In his last tour of duty, he served as community relations officer for the Marine Corps Air Station.
Panknin earned his Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. He recently obtained his MBA from the University of California, San Diego, Rady School of Management. He holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate.
Panknin serves on the National Business Aircraft Association King Air Committee and is a member of the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce. He is a board member of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, having been appointed by the East County mayors representing El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove and Santee. He also is a director for the Santee School District Foundation.
Born and raised in North Carolina, Panknin resides in Santee, Calif. with his wife, Ivan. He has one grown and one teenage daughter. In his leisure time, he enjoys playing golf.
About Schubach Aviation:
Schubach Aviation is San Diego’s premier, on-demand charter aircraft carrier, providing the corporate community and leisure travelers with private aircraft charters to anywhere in the world. Founded in 1992 by Henry Schubach, the firm employs a team of highly experienced pilots, mechanics, and support staff at 2026 Palomar Airport Road in Carlsbad, Calif. and at Lindberg Field in downtown San Diego. Its fleet of managed aircraft includes a Gulfstream IV, two wide-bodied Bombardier Challenger 601s, a Challenger 300, two Hawkers, a Citation II, a factory-new CJ3s, and a CJ1. More information about the company can be found on the web at www.schubachaviation.com.
