12 News Features One of Pinnacle Aviation’s Challenger 350s
12 News featured one of Pinnacle Aviation’s Challenger 350. Watch the segment below to get an exclusive look inside this $24 million dollar jet.
Pinnacle Aviation’s Director of Safety, Don Wade was a presenter at Bombardier’s Safety Standdown this past October at The Hyatt Regency hotel in Wichita, Kansas.
As a recognized aviation safety expert, Don Wade, was asked to provide information, tools and guidance for aviation professionals to create a safety culture within their flight departments. The goal of the breakout session was to show the benefits of creating an environment where excellence is the norm and gold medal performances are daily occurrences.
The Safety Standdown is an annual event promoting knowledge-based pilot safety training along with personal discipline and responsibility as essential elements of aviation safety and aviation professionalism. Safety Standdown started in Wichita, Kansas USA in 1996 as an aviation safety training event for a Bombardier Learjet Flight Demonstration Team. The objective was to improve aviation safety standards and sustain positive changes within the industry. The event was such a success that it was later opened to other corporate pilots and flight crews in 1999.
The theme of the 2018 event, was Normalization of Excellence, with the goal of Safety Standdown 2018 to challenge the over 500 attendees to raise their game in terms of professionalism.
Next year’s Safety Standdown seminar will be held from November 12 to November 14, 2019, in Dallas, Texas.
Meet Pinnacle Aviation’s Senior Accounting Executive, Paula Talbot. Paula’s roots are in Idaho, but her family moved to various locations around the US during her childhood. Because she never called one place home for more than 5 years, Paula considers Arizona home. She has lived in the valley since 1984.
Besides spending time with her children, grandchildren, and friends, her favorite activities are cooking with her husband and watching movies. Paula is task oriented so doing projects around her home is another priority when she is not working.
She loves working with numbers and has been employed in an office setting since high school. Paula received her accounting degree from ASU and finds satisfaction working in a vocation that keeps her busy. She likes details and enjoys creating spreadsheets for anything and everything.
At Pinnacle Aviation Paula works with many aspects of accounting; A/R & A/P, expense reports and reimbursements, bank statement reconciliations, payroll, and many other cyclical tasks related to the aviation business.
She left public accounting in 2006 to work at Pinnacle Aviation. She loves the variety of work and personalities in our business and says that it has been a fun dozen years to see the changes and progress in the company. She is happy to come to work in her spacious office with all the tools necessary to be successful. The environment is exceptional and the Pinnacle staff is professional and diligent.
Pinnacle Aviation is thankful for all the hardwork and dedication Paula puts into her job. She is a valued member of our team!
Pinnacle Aviation was featured on the cover of the June 2018 issue of Professional Pilot. Read more about how Pinnacle Aviation was created and who has helped our company evolve into the amazing private aviation company it is today by clicking the link below.
https://issuu.com/propilot/docs/june_18?fr=sOTVlZDIwNzY2MTE
Meet one of our Maintenance Technicians, Jorge Garcia. He is from Alamos Sonora, Mexico and moved to Arizona 25 years ago. He enjoys spending time with his family, hiking and going on long bike rides.
Jorge has a passion for the aviation business. He is intrigued with airplanes and how they work. Jorge’s passion for planes brought him to Pinnacle Aviation 12 years ago. With his years of experience and knowledge in the aviation maintenance industry, he has become an asset to our team. He works on aircraft only under our management and is intimately familiar with each one.
Jorge knows what it takes to get the job done right and we appreciate all the hard work he has put into each and every aircraft at Pinnacle Aviation.
Meet our amazing Charter and Management Services Coordinator, Marci Steenson. Marci is from Vancouver, BC Canada and moved to Arizona 20 years ago. She enjoys cross fit, traveling, trying new restaurants, and her French Bulldog, “Rocco”.
Marci’s family was in the charter and aviation business since the 1970’s in Vancouver. At the time she had no interest in working in the business. After college and working a few different jobs her Dad needed some help with invoices and Marci volunteered to help out. She quickly became immersed in the business and started helping out with charters and her career began.
In 2011 Marci joined the Charter team at Pinnacle Aviation as one of our Charter and Management Services Coordinators. This position is responsible for working with aircraft owners in meeting their specific needs and also booking the aircraft for charter clients. She schedules client’s flights, assigns the crews, arranges hotels, ground transportation, and catering.
Marci enjoys working with a wide array of clientele. Every trip is different, with different aircraft and crew, so dealing with all aspects of the trip is always keeping her on her toes. We are so thankful for all that Marci does for Pinnacle Aviation and all our clients.
This weekend Pinnacle Aviation hosted their annual putting challenge at Desert Mountain golf club during their spring demo day. The proceeds from this putting challenge go into a scholarship fund, which the employees children are able to apply for and use towards their education.
The winner of the putting challenge is also given an opportunity to make a 50 foot putt, which gives them the opportunity to win a $50k aircraft charter trip of their choice. Unfortunately Greg (pictured in green) did not win the trip, but he is now a two time winner!
Thank you to everyone who came out and supported this great event and contributed towards the scholarship fund.
Written by: Douglas Young II – Aircraft Sales & Acquisitions at Pinnacle Aviation
Meet Pinnacle Aviation’s Director of Administration, Pegeen Griffith. Pegeen is married to a wonderful husband and has 2 amazing grown kids and 1.5 grandkids. She loves spending time with her family and enjoys being involved in her church.
Pegeen is originally from New York. She began her career in New York City as a commercial real estate agent and moved to Arizona 22 years ago. She decided to move to Arizona and find a new career. Pegeen was hired by Curt Pavlicek, our CEO, in January 1996. At this time Pinnacle Aviation had already been established for 8 years and was preparing to launch Pinnacle Air Group, our management company. Pegeen was instrumental in the pilot hiring process, HR, and all the accounting. Over the next 5 years Pegeen would play an integral part as Pinnacle Aviation added more companies. Pinnacle Air Charter was started and she continued to be proactive in establishing procedures that allowed each company to be more efficient, but also provided savings for our clients. When Pinnacle Air Insurance was formed, Pegeen attended school and received her property and casualty insurance license. This helped open the door to provide insurance services for our clients.
As our Director of Administration, Pegeen continues to help Pinnacle Aviation grow by managing HR, company benefits, 401K, and overseeing both accounts receivable and accounts payable.
The growth of Pinnacle Aviation is credited to passionate, hardworking employees such as Pegeen. Pegeen states “I am blessed to be a part of such a wonderful company for over two decades and I have enjoyed seeing Pinnacle Aviation grow from the ground up.” We appreciate all that you do for Pinnacle Aviation and your dedication to the Pinnacle team.
After an amazing hole in one at the Lou Grubb Friends Fore Golf & Gala Hole in One Event, Mr. Terry Rochford won a Private Jet Weekend Getaway in Laguna Beach, CA provided by Pinnacle Aviation.
They departed Scottsdale at 9:00 AM on Friday August 11th on our sleek Raytheon Premier 1 that holds 6 passengers with plush leather interior. This aircraft was flown by dedicated Pinnacle pilots, Mike Price and Matt Forsey. Our Charter Coordinator Charise Kneip did an amazing job at coordinating every detail for the trip such as catering, ground transportation and itinerary details.
The Rochfords had a smooth flight to John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, CA where Pinnacle Aviation had arranged for a limo to be waiting upon arrival that transported them to The Inn at Laguna Beach.
They were provided with a three night stay with rooms that overlooked the ocean and had private balconies. Each room had welcome gift baskets personally selected just for them by Pinnacle Aviation. They also enjoyed three nights of dining at exclusive restaurants in the Laguna Beach area.
After three fabulous days in Laguna Beach, Pinnacle Aviation had a limo pick them up at the hotel and took them to the airport for their flight back to Scottsdale, AZ.
Thanks to Pinnacle Aviation the Rochfords returned from Laguna Beach happy and relaxed. They are extremely grateful for all that Pinnacle Aviation did and are excited to play in the Lou Grubb Friends Fore Golf tournament next year for a chance to win again!
Our ASU interns acted as assistants to our Director of Safety during the 2017 Summer Semester. They were trained on the Pinnacle Aviation Safety Management System (SMS), the performance of safety audits, and the duties of the Director of Safety as outlined in the Pinnacle Aviation General Operations Manual.
The interns conducted Pinnacle Aviation internal evaluation audits, aircraft spot audits, training of Pinnacle Aviation personnel on SMS, security, and emergency response procedures.
Don Wade, Pinnacle Aviation’s Director of Safety stated, “My goal for the program is that the ASU interns will achieve an understanding of how a mature and robust Safety Management System is structured and operates in our General Aviation world. The program at ASU is focused primarily on mass transportation systems (Airlines). Exposure to Pinnacle Aviation allows the interns to expand their view of air transportation in the General Aviation world.”
Learn more about our 2017 Summer interns below.
Basil Alkuyman
From: Chicago, IL
Major: Air Transportation Management
What motivated your interest in aviation?
All my life I have always been intrigued by the aviation industry. As a young kid my father and grandfather had a small plane and they would always take me flying, it was a thrill! Ever since then I wanted to have a career in the aviation world.
Long-term goals in aviation or in other endeavors
I want to continue my flight training and also incorporate my business major in the aviation world.
Peter Stefanescu
From: Phoenix, AZ
Major: Aeronautical Management Technology
Air Transportation Management
What motivated your interest in aviation?
The person responsible for opening my eyes to the aviation industry was Professor Keith A. Mew, the lead of the Aviation Administration Program at CSULA. Dr. Mew helped me realize that my business experience as an Assistant Store Manager and my extensive studies in architecture and civil engineering would allow me to have great potential in aviation.
Long-term goals in aviation or in other endeavors
I am very interested to become an expert in operations safety and the Next Generation Air Transportation System (Next Gen) in order to help and improve the global implementation and cooperation of safe and modern air transportation systems.
From left to right: Basil Alluyman, Peter Stefanescu
Orin Anderson is the Director of Business Development for Pinnacle Aviation based in Scottsdale, Arizona. He is responsible for advancing the growth and development of Pinnacle Aviation’s direct retail charter business in addition to aircraft management and aircraft sales.
Prior to joining Pinnacle Aviation, Orin was Director of Business Development for AirSprint Private Aviation, a Canadian company offering a regional fractional ownership program.
Orin began his professional career with the NBA Phoenix Suns, joining the organization in August of 1991 – just prior to the start of the final season in Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum. He held various Sales and Management roles beginning with the transition and move to the new America West Arena (now Talking Stick Arena) in 1992. Over the next 6 years, The Phoenix Suns Limited Partnership bought and rolled out six professional sports franchises; The Arizona Rattlers (AFL), Arizona Sandsharks (Indoor Soccer), Phoenix Smash (Indoor Tennis), Phoenix Mercury (WNBA), Phoenix Coyotes (NHL) and the Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB). Orin led the Ticket Sales Team of 20+ sales professionals, providing sales and marketing services for each team rollout and ramp up.
In 1998, Orin accepted a Regional Vice President position in the Commercial Card Services division of Bank of America where he was responsible for growing the purchase card market-share in the Southwest. He experienced tremendous success, winning lucrative purchasing card contracts with the States of Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico.
In 2002, Orin moved to Sacramento, California to join the NBA Sacramento Kings along with a team of professionals assembled to facilitate the transition and move to a new state-of-the-art arena in downtown Sacramento. By 2006, the public/private funding of the new arena became mired in politics and the arena project ended.
Orin returned to Scottsdale and worked on several commercial real estate projects from 2006 to 2011, before leaping into the aviation industry with AirSprint Private Aviation.
Orin is a native of Denver, Colorado. He moved to Scottsdale, Arizona in 1991 after he graduated from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and Management. He currently lives with his wife of 24 years, Melissa and their 12-year old twin boys, Alex and Zach. Orin also holds an Arizona Commercial Real Estate License.
Pinnacle Aviation is a full service aircraft sales, acquisition, charter and management company based at Scottsdale Airport. For nearly 30 years, Pinnacle Aviation has assisted many buyers and sellers to maximize the value of their aircraft experience. After purchasing an aircraft, it is not unusual for a client to request a refurbishment of the interior and/or the exterior to fit their preferences and personality. Similar to a home remodel, the process of refurbishing the interior of a personal aircraft can become quite complex.
Refurbishment upgrades fall into three basic categories: 1) exterior, 2) interior, and 3) avionics. The costs associated with refurbishment can vary substantially depending on the scope of the work, the materials chosen, and the extent of any repairs needed. A full refurbishment greatly enhances the resale value of the aircraft, however a 100% return on investment will likely not occur. The industry generally assumes a 50% return on refurbishment costs depending on when the refurbishment was completed, however the salability will greatly improve. The motivation to refurbish an aircraft, is usually for the owner’s personal pride and enjoyment of their aircraft.
Pinnacle Aviation recently assisted a client with interviewing and vetting aircraft refurbishment facilities – ultimately selecting the highly-acclaimed West Star Aviation (www.weststaraviation.com) based in East Alton, Illinois. West Star Aviation specializes in major modifications and interior refurbishment; as well as, repair and maintenance of airframes, engines, avionics installations and repair, accessory services, and exterior paint.
Because every owner is unique, every design and refurbishment project is different. A typical refurbishment project takes four to eight weeks to complete, depending on the scope of work.
Once the design team is chosen, they begin working with the owner to select the paint scheme and make an initial wish list; to include things such as: high-speed internet connectivity; entertainment systems; moving map systems; size and number of video monitors; and type and style of seating. And then, all of the galley amenities – types of ovens and warmers, coffee and cappuccino makers; lighting fixtures throughout the cabin; lavatory amenities and preferences – and finally, selecting the carpet, fabrics, leathers, and metal plating for latches and buckles.
Everything that will be upgraded and installed is listed, prioritized, and scheduled in the right sequence. For instance, the wiring for all of the electronics must be completed before the interior components can be installed; the new carpeting is one of the last things to be done. An error in the project sequence can create unnecessary expenses in wasted time and materials.
Debi Cunningham, Vice President Marketing & Interior Design, with West Star Aviation explains, “once the contract is signed for the work, our design team moves forward with designs until approved by the customer, once approved everything is ordered…we like to have everything approved, ordered and in-house (if possible) by the time the aircraft arrives for the work…that way we have no hold ups due to delayed delivery of materials”. Ms. Cunningham continues, “once in-house, we work continually on the interior items (including wood) while the aircraft is going through stripping, exterior painting, and any maintenance work, so when done, the interior/wood can start going back into the aircraft, along with the headliner/valance panels, usually the carpet is the last to go in, once all the seats, wood cabinetry, bulkheads, galley/lavatory is back in, the carpet is fit, taken back out and serged, then refit and fully installed.”
During the planning and design phase, the interior of the aircraft is often completely stripped out, exposing the airframe and all of the wiring.
Pinnacle Aviation’s recent client designed a new paint scheme for their jet to convey personality and enhance ramp presence. While the interior materials were being gathered, the exterior painting project began. Painting an aircraft involves much more than just shooting a glossy coat of paint. As with most aspects of the refurbishment, the value is in the details. The exterior paint project took about 4 weeks to complete and the interior work began on schedule.
Ms. Cunningham adds, “After the job is complete, we normally do a test flight, when the test flight comes back and all checks out, the customer is good go”.
Pinnacle Aviation has worked with West Star Aviation on many refurbishment projects over the past two decades. Our clients continue to challenge the status quo and persistently push the design teams to add new amenities and innovative technologies. It is always inspiring to see their creativity manifest with each new project.
The June 2017 national average for a gallon of Jet-A fuel is expected to decrease ($0.03) from May 2017 to settle at $5.01.
This is $0.11 higher than the June 2016 national average.
Aircraft managed by Pinnacle Aviation and hangared in Scottsdale are currently paying a wholesale rate of $2.32/gallon for Jet-A fuel.
In support of our client Mr. Dan Grubb, Pinnacle Aviation sponsored a Hole-in-One prize during the 2017 Lou Grubb Friends Fore Golf & Gala fundraiser.
The Lou Grubb Friends Fore Golf & Gala has raised more than $6 million over the years for Barrow Neurological Institute and St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. This was the 44th Annual fundraiser!
The event was held at the Camelback Golf Club in Scottsdale with over 250 golfers teeing off on two golf courses – Padre and Ambiente – around 12:15 pm. Pinnacle Aviation sponsored Hole #11 on the Padre course and Hole #2 on the Ambiente course.
At around 12:45 pm, Mr. Terry Rochford’s foursome rolled up to #11 and had their picture taken by Pinnacle Aviation intern Ernesto Quintero. Mr. Rochford used his 8-iron to hit his tee shot from 146 yards — the ball landed on the green and rolled into the cup for a HOLE IN ONE!!
Mr. Rochford won his choice of the following all-expense private jet getaways. Click the weblink below to learn more about this fundraiser:
https://www.pinnacleaviation.com/lougrubbholeinone
