The Air Charter Association (The ACA) has appointed Patrick Lucy as chair of its Next Generation (NextGen) group, to lead the group in promoting greater awareness of the air charter industry to its target audience.

Lucy, area sales manager at Avinode Group, says: “The ACA has put together a diverse and energetic NextGen group, and I take great pride in leading us in the journey ahead. I'm looking forward to using my strengths in communication, leadership and organisation, in collaboration with the NextGen team, to help drive our key areas of focus in the coming months.”

The NextGen group, formed in October 2020, has already started its initiative of introducing university students to the sector. In March 2021, the group held its first virtual presentation to 30 Air Transport Management students at Loughborough University, UK. Will Taylor, senior account manager at Air Partner, together with Alina Minaeva, director at Volanteus, both members of the NextGen group, focused the presentation on the opportunities and careers available in the aviation and air charter industry.

Taylor says: “As a Loughborough Uni alumnus, it was thoroughly rewarding to share an insight into the air charter industry and the future roles that the next generation could be exposed to in their careers. One of our key focuses for 2021 is to promote the participation of the younger generation into the industry, and sharing our expertise and experiences is vital to this.”

The ACA's NextGen group aims to showcase and support the industry's many varied, rewarding and challenging career opportunities by raising awareness and encouraging young people to consider a career in the sector. In addition, the group is set to guide and support the development of the association's work on sustainability and innovation, allowing the industry to move forward towards the goal of net-zero carbon.