NBAA Thanks Eli Cotti for 20 Years of Service, Welcomes Stewart D’Leon as Director, Technical Operations

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has announced the appointment of Stewart D’Leon as director, technical operations, replacing Elias “Eli” Cotti, who is retiring after 20 years with the association.

Cotti joined NBAA in November 1999 as the association’s senior manager, technical operations, providing technical assistance to the business aviation community that enables companies to perform aircraft maintenance at the highest level. In this position, he facilitated, coordinated and developed certification policies on behalf of the NBAA to increase dispatching and reduce cost of ownership.

Cotti represented the business aviation community as an International Business Aviation Council observer to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection; in developing Standard and Recommended Practices for global certification of aircraft, emission and noise, and; in his work on the Carbon Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, a global, market-based measure meant to complement a broader basket of initiatives to achieve the global goal of carbon-neutral growth from 2020 onward. Cotti also served as staff liaison to the NBAA Maintenance, Technical and Connectivity Committees.

Prior to joining NBAA, Cotti was employed by the Hewlett Packard Company, where he was the flight department’s chief of maintenance from 1987-1999, and an aircraft maintenance mechanic from 1980-1987. Over the years, Cotti has been an active volunteer on the Galaxy Aerospace and FalconJet Subcommittees of the NBAA Technical Committee; Galaxy Aerospace’s Operators Advisory Panel; the NBAA Maintenance Committee and AlliedSignal’s AS900 Advisory Committee.

In his new role, D’Leon will be responsible for providing technical assistance to NBAA member companies and promoting the highest standards of aircraft maintenance. He also will coordinate and develop certification policies for NBAA membership to support increased aircraft dispatching and reduced cost of ownership.

D’Leon joins NBAA after 14 years at Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., where he most recently served as field service representative at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. D’Leon served in the U.S. Air Force for four years before joining Gulfstream in 2005. He holds a Bachelor of Science in professional aeronautics and a Master of Aeronautical Science, both from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.