Mike Nichols [Guest Author]
Mike Nichols is NBAA's vice president, operational excellence & professional development. In this position, he directs NBAA's programs, policy positions and educational efforts related to tax, regulatory, finance and risk management issues. Nichols also manages NBAA's Operations Service Group, which provides technical and flight operations information to NBAA Members, and is responsible for expanding NBAA's educational efforts via on-demand education technologies. Nichols joined NBAA's staff in June 2003 as manager, tax & finance issues, and was subsequently promoted to vice president, operations, education & economics. He serves as the staff liaison to the NBAA Tax Committee and the NBAA FAR Part 135 Committee. Nichols is a primary contact on aircraft operations and ownership issues, and as an active participant on the Operations Working Group of the FAA's Parts 135/125 Aviation Rulemaking Committee, Nichols influenced the technical and operational regulations affecting NBAA's Member Companies. He currently represents charter operators and fractional programs on the FAA-Industry Operations Specifications (OpSpec) Working Group. Passionate about general aviation and its future, Nichols represents NBAA on the Transportation Research Board's Business Aviation Subcommittee. Nichols is a graduate of Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in international business with a minor in German. Nichols completed an internship for a company located near Osnabrück, Germany and studied abroad for a semester at Buckinghamshire College in Chalfont St. Giles, England. Nichols is an active instrument-rated private pilot. He is a member of the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association and American Society of Association Executives. Mike can be reached at mnichols@nbaa.org. This guest author's views are entirely his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc.