Avionics News July 2017 - 56

AVIATION ACES

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president and general manager of StandardAero's
business aviation service center.
Changing companies but not leaving business
aviation, Ménard's next position took him to
Wilmington, Delaware, to work as vice president
and general manager of Dassault Aircraft Services'
service center, including three satellite locations, an
FBO and a structural repair facility. In Wilmington,
Ménard said, "We had a full ODA so we could do
our own STCs for avionics, cabin management and
entertainment systems, as well as structural and interior
modifications. We could design it and certify it, install
it and sign it off."
After Dassault, Ménard went from service to
manufacturing. He ran a manufacturing company in
Wisconsin that made complex, highly-engineered
products such as combustion chambers and combustion
liners from sheet metal for aircraft engines. He said,
"It was a small company but capable, and I learned the
manufacturing process from flat sheet metal to the final
product sold to engine OEMs."
In April, Ménard joined Elliott Aviation as vice
president of operations at the company's headquarters
in Moline, Illinois. He oversees employees in their jet
service, King Air service, avionics, paint, interior and
accessory departments. "I am back to the flight line to
do what I love," he said.
A typical day now begins at 7 a.m. when Ménard
does a walking tour around the shops where work is
already in progress. He said, "I talk to the techs and
see where projects are and get a feeling for what is
happening in the facility." Then it's to his desk to
make a schedule for the day and get ready for the daily
production coordination meeting to ensure everyone
is on the same page. "The rest of the day is a mix of
meetings, customer phone calls, working with sales
reps to find new ways to accommodate a customer
project. I usually call it a day at 6 p.m., but sometimes
later."
Although he is relatively new on the job at Elliott,
Ménard is enjoying being in and around airplanes. "Plus,
the type of people who work here are all consummate
pros who are committed to their trades and crafts,"
he said. "Being an A&P mechanic or paint and mods
technician takes a lot of time and training, and there's
little room for error. Aviation is an unforgiving business,
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and nothing but perfection is satisfactory. Elliott attracts
focused and driven people, and I find it energizing to be
around them."
He is not only impressed by the rank and file at
Elliott, but with the senior leadership team in place.
He said, "I recently experienced my first quarterly
senior leadership team meeting, and it's a good bunch
of people who are ready to make things happen.
Sometimes these kinds of meetings are a drain of
energy, but not at Elliott. It was encouraging as we all
shared the same positive attitude and goal of making
Elliott Aviation successful for the long term.
"In addition to full airframe, interior and paint
services, G1000 installs have been Elliott's avionics
shop bread and butter in the past few years, but we
can do about anything because we have engineering
support and experience. The number of G5000 installs
is ever increasing as part of our Hawker 400E aircraft
refurbishment offering or as stand-alone installs.
We're getting ready for the upcoming ADS-B mandate
deadline where we can do the installation at Elliott
Aviation facilities, or we have the STCs available for
other shops to perform their own installs."
When asked about his guiding principle, Ménard
offered his own Latin phrase: maximum flexibilis, or
maximum flexibility, in personal and professional life.
"I am where I am today because I was willing to
try new things and move different places, such as
Canada to Tennessee and Tennessee to Europe," he
said. "I've accumulated a breadth of experience, unlike
someone who has worked at the same location for the
same company for his entire career. It's been a roller
coaster ride, and I am lucky to have a great wife and
family willing to accompany me. Since Linda and I got
married in 1996, this move to the Quad Cities area will
be our ninth, and we're looking forward to staying put
for a while."
He and his wife have two children in college. Their
daughter, Gabrielle, is studying marine biology at the
University of Miami in Florida, while their son, Matt,
is at Western Michigan University in the professional
pilot program.
Ménard also is a private pilot, a defenseman on
a local recreational hockey team and enjoys the
occasional round of golf. q

To learn more about Elliott Aviation, visit
elliottaviation.com.
http://elliottaviation.com
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