Paul Cremer has taken up the role of chair of BBGA’s Operations Working Group, a supplementary responsibility that complements his role as head of aviation delivery at the Gama Aviation Group.

Cremer takes over from Wally Epton who has steered the group for the last six years, following the leadership of Adrian Whitmarsh, former CEO of Premier Aviation. The working group, made up of BBGA business aviation operator members, is growing in importance, embraced within the association’s near 200-strong membership.

Cremer is keen to encourage more business aircraft operators to attend meetings and contribute when it comes to tackling industry-wide challenges. He also wants to bring in more topical issues, such as creating more opportunities for apprenticeships and identifying future skills as the industry evolves.

“We have a raft of issues that aren’t unique to the UK, but as we are Europe’s largest national association under the EBAA, they are invariably in the top of our inbox, demanding solutions. We do this by drawing on our close working relationship with the regulators,” he says. “Pressing matters include permits and TCO; advancing development of technology including the handling of advanced passenger information; the evolving systems available to adopt to input data and to be more efficient in day-to-day operations, workforce and training, fuels for the future, airspace and airport access.”

Cremer’s industry career spans 40 years, and he is looking forward to drawing on his knowledge of the industry, connections and experience in the role.

“I’ve looked after a wide range of business and general aviation sector activity over the decades, including air charter, aircraft management, air ambulance, ground operations, air traffic, airport management, technology, airworthiness and the outsourcing work I now deal with, focused on the delivery of advisory, technology and outsourcing services to aviation customers. This covers international trip support, operations control centre services, continuing airworthiness management service, airworthiness reviews and ARC services, aircraft delivery and redelivery support services, maintenance coordination service including AOG and tech ops (MCC) and myairops software products. As head of aviation delivery, I am responsible for leading the customer facing delivery of technology and outsourcing products and services to the market, so there’s a whole wealth of knowledge in my new role with Gama Aviation technology and outsourcing I can call upon too.”

Gama Aviation, as a group, has itself diversified into wider aviation expertise. FlyerTech, for example, at Burgess Hill in the UK is its CAMO for commercial airlines.

“Being out of the EU and EASA has made life more complicated for UK operators. We need to collaborate and share information with the CAA and DfT to make things happen for the benefit of all our members,” says BBGA CEO Marc Bailey.