Our guest for this episode is long-time aviation marketing and comms veteran Jane Stanbury. Jane is managing director at UK-based Arenagroup, which uses a wide range of marketing, commercial and practical experience at an international level to help clients in aviation, travel and commercial sectors. Among her clients, Jane is spearheading marketing and comms for the popular business aircraft modification house Flying Colours Corp.
As industry is well aware, all aircraft that operate in US airspace will need to have a certified ADS-B out system by January 1, 2020. Jane shares why owners and operators need to be planning now, and provides an update on how industry is progressing in meeting this FAA mandate. "Hope is not a strategy," she warns the general aviation community, whose pace of equipage has lagged.
Next, as a trusted aircraft modification house in Canada, Flying Colours is regularly in BizAv industry news, as it transforms business aircraft interiors for various aircraft types. Co-hosts Max Flight and Mary Kirby ask Jane about what trends she is seeing in business aircraft interiors, and what unique requests Flying Colours fields from clients. "It's very personal," says Jane. And new materials, including carbon fibre, are emerging to replace the traditional wood furniture on board aircraft.
Last but certainly not least, Jane recently hosted a Women in Aviation in Africa panel in Lagos, which proved extremely interesting. Jane tells us what she learned from fellow panelists, and why the skills that women bring to the table - including "the ability to perhaps think emotionally intelligently about the situation" - are valued in Africa.