Virgin America Names Mark Bianchi Senior Vice President of Technical Operations

SAN FRANCISCO, March 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin America today announces the appointment of Mark Bianchi as the airline's Senior Vice President of Technical Operations.  An industry veteran with more than 27 years of hands on experience in air carrier operations, line and base maintenance, fleet management, regulatory compliance and quality assurance, Bianchi will oversee the growing airline's technical operations.

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Bianchi most recently served as Vice President / General Manager at MRO Standard Aero's Los Angeles International Airport facility.  Prior to that, he served as Executive and Senior Vice President of Aircraft Maintenance for NetJets from 2006-2010, where he oversaw a fleet of 425 aircraft and more than 500 employees.  Bianchi first joined NetJets in 2004, and during his time there led new efficiency efforts that resulted in improved maintenance durations and reliability.

Bianchi's experience also spans an 18-year tenure at US Airways, where he held positions in maintenance control, fleet management and line and base maintenance.  Bianchi ultimately served as Senior Manager/Director of Regulatory Compliance and Quality Assurance for US Airways and US Airways Express.  In this position, he also served as the company's Federal Aviation Administration liaison on maintenance regulatory issues.

Bianchi began his career in aviation on the front line as a mechanic and lead mechanic for Butler Aviation, Midway Airlines and Piedmont Airlines.  He holds an Associate's Degree in Applied Sciences from the College of Aeronautics in New York and is a licensed A & P mechanic and General Electric Six Sigma Green belt.

EDITORS NOTE: Virgin America is a U.S. owned, controlled and operated airline.  It is an entirely separate company from Virgin Atlantic. Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group is a minority share investor in Virgin America.

About Virgin America: Virgin America is a new airline that offers guests attractive fares and innovative features aimed at reinventing air travel. In just over three years flying, Virgin America was named "Best Domestic Airline" in the Conde Nast Traveler 2008, 2009 and 2010 Readers' Choice Awards and "Best Domestic Airline" in Travel + Leisure's 2008, 2009 and 2010 World's Best Awards. Since its August 2007 launch, the California-based Virgin America has experienced major growth – expanding to multiple destinations across North America, creating 1,900 new jobs and welcoming over 11 million guests. In January 2011, the airline ordered 60 new Airbus A320 aircraft for delivery starting in 2013, including 30 of the A320neo aircraft – the first commercial order for the new eco-efficient engine option. With that growth and growth from other sources, Virgin America's fleet will more than triple in size – from its current 38 aircraft to 111 aircraft by 2019.  The airline's current base of operations is San Francisco International Airport's (SFO) International Terminal.  In April 2011, the airline will grow to become an anchor tenant at SFO's new Terminal 2, which is anticipated to be the first LEED-Gold certified airport terminal in the United States.  For more: www.virginamerica.com

SOURCE Virgin America