By Lisa Gordon | September 9, 2013 Estimated reading time 9 minutes, 53 seconds.
Rudy Toering was the name on everyone’s lips at the 2013 Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA) Convention in Vancouver, where it was announced that the long-time aviation industry professional had become the association’s newest president and CEO. After a four-month search, the CBAA board created an aura of mystery before announcing the name of its new president at the annual convention, attended by almost 600 business aviation delegates. Toering, who has a diverse range of experience in the aviation industry spanning more than 40 years, called himself the “jack in the box” at the show.
“It was pretty interesting, with the introduction and the way the Board handled that,” Toering told Canadian Skies. “I felt pretty good sitting in the room with other members, knowing the announcement was coming. But my first comment on the podium was an apology for keeping things under wraps from friends and colleagues.”
After his surprise introduction, Toering got right to work, touring the convention show floor with CBAA chair Frank Burke. “We made it our mission to visit with as many members as possible. The overall comments I received were positive, because the show was such a success,” Toering recalled. This year’s CBAA Convention saw a 40 per cent increase in show attendance, with a sold out exhibition featuring 63 booths.
Toering is no stranger to business aviation, although he has worked in many different aviation sectors. He was the chief aircraft maintenance engineer at northern Quebec’s A. Fecteau Transport Aérien in the early 1970s, before spending a couple of years overseeing maintenance on three photographic survey aircraft in Africa. From there, he held a series of progressive positions with Innotech Aviation, Air Canada, FlightSafety International and CAE, before moving on to his most recent post as vice-president airline operations at FlightPath International. At one time he held a pilot’s licence, although it is no longer current. Still, he takes to the skies in a glider as often as possible.
“I’ve been involved with the bush airlines; I’ve been involved with the major and regional airlines; as well as business aviation,” said Toering. “I guess I consider myself an expert trainer. I spent a big part of my career with FlightSafety and CAE. Business aviation is where I started training. It is a real pleasure to get back into that environment again. The customer service ethic in this sector is phenomenal.”
Since he took on the role of CBAA president and CEO back in June, Toering has been busy “getting down to the grass roots and finding out what the issues are.” He said he has already identified a number of key challenges that he plans to address over the next year; but he is pleased that overall, the Canadian business aviation industry appears to be on an upswing.
“There’s a lot to take in, but I’ve had some really good briefings with our staff and we are in what I would consider a very good position right now. There are challenges, which is why it’s very important to increase communication between the CBAA and its members. We must respect all segments of the business aviation community, and know all of their concerns. That is an ongoing task for me: to listen, to evaluate, and then to plan,” said Toering.
One of the new president’s key priorities at the CBAA will be continuing the association’s efforts to educate regulators, government, and other stakeholders about the true value of business aviation.
“People need to keep being educated about what business aviation is,” he explained. “We tend to get lumped in with other segments, such as airlines. But one of the goals I have is to really establish the economic contribution of business aviation. Worldwide, business aviation brings a lot to the bottom line of the global GDP; it brings a lot of employment, and is an incredible business tool. There’s always this perception about the luxury aspect of business travel. But it’s really a business tool, and it brings tremendous value to the economy.”
Toering said the CBAA is working to complete an economic study evaluating the impact of business aviation in Canada. A similar study completed in Europe found that for every additional passenger added to a corporate jet, the value was comparable to nine passengers on a commercial flight. It’s figures like these that illustrate the high impact of business aviation, he added.
Along with education comes communication, and Toering plans to hone in on the association’s six regional chapters in order to better connect with members. “My goal is to be at those meetings and support the chapter activities,” he commented. “We need to be sure we have the regional input, because then you hear the local needs, and can make everyone aware of any issues.”
Since it was established in 1962, the CBAA has represented business aviation interests on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Toering said that function is more critical today than ever before, as the regulatory environment sets the stage for a host of ongoing issues.
“Fatigue management, de-icing rates for business aircraft, and cross-border policies and procedures are just some of the current issues. With the 604 regs in review right now, we are being careful to evaluate those regs and provide feedback to the authorities,” said Toering. “Operators are busy operating. When issues arise they sometimes don’t have the time or expertise needed to make the arguments that will support their cause. That’s what we’re here for, to make sure these things are addressed.”
The CBAA is also focused on working with Transport Canada to improve service levels for its members. Aime O’Connor, the association’s director of administration, has been a Transport Canada delegated authority since November 2011. She is able to endorse instrument ratings and type ratings for CBAA members, processing them in about 24 hours. Over at Transport Canada, that paperwork can take 30 to 60 days.
Business aviation can’t afford those kinds of delays, said Toering. “It’s a concern to our members because business aircraft need to go when they need to go. Schedules often change. When the demand is there, we must be able to react. We are concerned with turnaround times, but we understand that Transport Canada has a lot on its plate. Our approach is that we are here to help. How can we get to a better level of service?”
With a total of 426 member companies – including corporations, owner/operators, fleet management firms, industry suppliers, OEMs, and other industry groups – the CBAA is focused on bringing new members into the fold.
“Increasing our membership is a very big priority for us,” Toering concluded. “We feel we can do that because there is a tremendous value to being a member. As an association, we have a lot in common with the NBAA in the U.S. and the EBAA in Europe. We all need to establish the value associated with business aviation, realize what the needs are, and determine how regulations need to be structured to allow us to thrive.”
Toering has already made significant progress learning about the top-of-mind issues facing CBAA members. By the time the 2014 CBAA Convention rolls around in Edmonton, Alta., next summer, he’ll certainly have a lot more to say at the podium than “surprise!”
