The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has announced the addition of Kate Fraser and Charlie Precourt to the association’s Board of Directors.
“NBAA is honored to have the diversity of experience and knowledge that Kate and Charlie bring to our board, which will help inform and enhance NBAA’s programs and operations,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “As both an aviation young professional (YoPro) and an urban air mobility (UAM) pioneer, Kate brings fresh ideas and future vision to our organization. Charlie, as a propulsion expert and former astronaut, brings to NBAA deep aviation systems and aerospace experience. We welcome them both to our board and look forward to their contributions.”
Fraser is head of safety for Joby Aviation, a California-based company that is a pioneer in the development of novel aircraft enabled by electric propulsion. Joby also has been working on an aircraft that would enable a vertiport-based transportation service that saves people an hour a day in their day-to-day travel, with zero emissions.
Before joining Joby, Fraser was Uber’s head of aviation policy, working with regulators and policymakers worldwide to make urban air mobility a reality.
Previously, Fraser spent three years with the FAA’s Office of Accident Investigation and Prevention, collaborating with industry partners to reduce the fatal accident rate. There, she represented the U.S. and the Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) in Europe and South America, and was program manager of the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee (GAJSC).
A commercial pilot and certified flight instructor, Fraser holds a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical technology from Kansas State University, and a master of human factors in aerospace from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. In 2019, she was honored as one of the NBAA’s Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40 recipients.
Precourt is the vice president and general manager of the Propulsion Systems Division at Orbital ATK. A veteran of four space flights and member of the Astronaut Hall of Fame, Precourt held several management positions within the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), including deputy program manager for the International Space Station, chief of the Astronaut Corps and director of operations for NASA at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia.
The veteran aviator and astronaut retired as an Air Force colonel in 2000. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, with a degree in aeronautical engineering. Precourt was an F-15 pilot, instructor, and flight commander, and a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School. He also serves as vice chairman of the Board of Directors for the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA).
You can learn more about NBAA’s Board of Directors here: NBAA
