News
Johnson joins fledgling OEM Saker Aircraft
July 15, 2013, Los Angeles, Ca. - Saker Aircraft Corporation, an emerging U.S.-based luxury jet aircraft manufacturer today announces the appointment of the highly regarded Charles B. Johnson to its Advisory Board.
July 15, 2013 By Carey Fredericks
Mr. Johnson is an experienced leader and aviation executive with 40 years of industry experience. He served as President of Cessna Aircraft Company from 1997 to 2002 and had full responsibility for the company through 2003. He joined Cessna Aircraft in 1979 as Manager of Production Flight Test and served in a variety of positions in quality control and product support and was appointed Vice President of Aircraft Completion and Product Support in1988, followed by Senior Vice President of Operations, then Executive Vice President until 1997. After retiring from Cessna in 2003, he has served as President of Aviation Technology Group, President of Beyond Aviation, and is currently President of Practical Aircraft Solutions.
Sean Gillette, CEO of Saker Aircraft, stated, “Charlie is one of the most influential leaders in this industry and we are extremely fortunate to have him agree to join our Advisory Board. There are numerous milestones we need to achieve in the next few years, and his guidance and depth of experience will help propel our concept into a reality.”
Mr. Johnson began his aviation career in 1961 when he joined the U.S. Air Force, eventually serving as an F-105 pilot, where he accumulated over 1,000 hours of military flight time, including a combat tour in Southeast Asia. Today, he is still an avid aviator with 15,000 hours of flight time, holding type ratings in numerous aircraft.
"I am pleased to be an advisor to the Saker S-1 project,” said Mr. Johnson. “The past few years have given me the opportunity to work with and observe a number of new start-up companies. This has allowed me to see what does and doesn’t work from both a design and execution perspective. Sean Gillette and his team have a great and fundamentally well-researched design for the S-1. I am impressed with the Saker team and how they are focused on the basics of efficient aircraft and have a keen eye for detail. This approach, along with the energy and drive to succeed, makes it a pleasure to work with them and contribute to the success of Saker Aircraft and the S-1."
Saker Aircraft last month released the details and pre-ordering of its USD $5 Million Saker S-1 luxury personal jet. The Saker S-1 will be one of the world’s fastest and most efficient civilian aircraft available for purchase when it receives FAA and EASA certification and goes into production in 2019.
The S-1 will shave an entire hour on a 1,500 NM trip when compared to its closest competitor, making it a true time machine. Additionally, it is designed to be significantly more fuel-efficient, giving the user an estimated 20% fuel savings. These performance goals will enable the Saker S-1 to deliver the lowest cost per nautical mile when compared to any aircraft in its category.
