Jim Blessing

Jim has spent his entire career working in the field of aviation. He has been a private pilot since 1988 and earned his B.S. in Aviation from Florida Institute of Technology. He started his career with a startup aircraft operator, eventually growing to the position of Chief Financial Officer. The company, STI Aviation, operated three divisions; airline background investigations, an FAA Part 145 repair facility, and aviation-centered government contracting. Eventually the third division became the bulk of the company’s focus given the growing movement to outsource niche government services. As a result, his experience included supporting Department of Defense and United Nations projects in Canada, Africa, the Caribbean and South America, along with DoD projects domestically. STI Aviation evolved through multiple iterations, eventually being absorbed into AAR Corp.

Jim joined AirFleet in 1999, and in 2019 he was appointed President of AirFleet, responsible for strategic planning and overseeing all functions of the company. Jim is a proud lifetime member of AOPA, EAA, and the Seaplane Pilots’ Association. He served for 9 years on the Board of Directors of the National Aircraft Finance Association (NAFA), with four terms as President. He also serves as Chair of the NAFA Education Committee and a Director for the NAFA Foundation, and is a Director and Officer for Alpha Eta Rho’s national office (a 97-year old aviation association with over 65,000 alumni). Aviation is a family pastime – his wife, Cathy is also a pilot, holding instrument and seaplane ratings.

Favorite Airplane: The F4 Super-Corsair is an airplane I’ve always wanted to fly – Over 3,000hp in that engine! I’d place the P-38 Lightning as a close 2nd.
Best Aviation Moment: Attending my first airshow in Newburgh, New York back in 1986 – it totally opened my eyes to aviation. The runner-up was flying a Piper Vagabond (tail-dragger) in and out of a grass strip near my home in Connecticut.
Words I live by: Carpe Diem – Seize the Day.
Where I got my start: I interned in Airport Planning & Design (airport architecture) before deciding to take a more entrepreneurial business track. My first aviation job was with STI Aviation – started as a niche government contractor in 1992 and I worked my way up through business development and then the finance group. I was employee number 3 and today it is owned by a publicly traded defense contractor.
Outside of the office: Rooting for the Red Sox, enjoying a nice glass of wine with my wife Cathy, reading, cooking (BBQ), and enjoying time with friends and family.