By David O'Maley, Sr.
President, Embraer Jet Operators Association

Let me begin by thanking all our members, their guests, and, very importantly, our sponsors and program participants for their attendance, support, and the tremendous effort that went into making our 2026 Annual Conference a record-breaking success. I would also like to extend a special and heartfelt thank you to CAE Lake Nona Training Center and its staff for hosting our event and for making their outstanding facility and simulator experiences available to our participants.

What this entire experience clearly demonstrates is that many people and organizations came together to make this event enjoyable, entertaining, and valuable for those who attended. It was also financially successful, which is tremendously important because, without that element, EJOA would not have the resources necessary to carry out its mission.

Please allow me to take you through EJOA’s last several years and share some thoughts about our organization, its history, circumstances, mission, and future.

Chartered in 2008, EJOA originated as the Phenom Pilots and Owners Association and was founded primarily by Phenom 100 owners who were concerned about the long-term viability of their aircraft. After all, there were fewer than 50 aircraft in service at the time, and the Phenom 300 was still brand new. Those who were involved in those early days would likely agree that advocacy was the central purpose for which the Association was created.

Advocacy has always been the Association’s primary focus. Combined with enthusiasm for what proved to be a truly special aircraft, the Phenom, along with a shared love of flying and the enjoyment of spending time with like-minded individuals, that mission led to growth and a rich 15-year history.

With the benefit of hindsight, one can see that we were not especially well organized or staffed for the first several years. We had only a very part-time executive director at the time and, frankly, little organizational structure or relevant experience.

As time progressed, the Phenoms proved worthy of our original faith. Then, in the mid-2010’s, the Legacy 450/500 arrived (which ultimately evolved into the Praetor 500/600). With their introduction, corporate flight departments increasingly recognized and embraced both the Phenoms and Praetors.

Around the mid-2010’s, several important developments occurred:

• Association leadership changed, and I became President.
• We immediately relocated the Association to Ohio, although it legally remains a Florida corporation, and established a formal office at Lunken Airport.
• We hired a full-time Executive Director who brought extensive aviation experience, though no prior association management experience. Later, we moved in the opposite direction, engaging an Executive Director with substantial nonprofit management experience but limited aviation background, in belief those skills would serve a member association well.
• We changed the name and charter of the organization to the Embraer Jet Operators Association (EJOA) and formally welcomed the Legacy and Praetor product lines into the Association.
• We also made the decision to amend our bylaws. Previously, membership was limited to only those with a direct ownership interest in an Embraer aircraft. The revised bylaws provided for official membership for organizations and businesses that actively support our owners and operators. Our founders believed the Association should remain focused on those directly involved with Embraer aircraft and those with a vested interest in the success of the product line, rather than others whose interests were not specifically aligned with ours.
• During this period, we received significant support from Embraer as our OEM, totaling approximately $100,000 annually. Embraer also actively participated in and attended our annual meetings.
• Thereafter, EJOA and Embraer jointly decided to hold our respective meetings—EJOA and EOC—in conjunction with one another. In practice, this meant the meetings were held sequentially at the same location, but in partnership. The thought was that our members and customers would appreciate having only one trip to make and that the resulting efficiencies would be well received. The arrangement worked exceptionally well for several years and proved particularly beneficial during the pandemic. Over time, however, its effectiveness appeared to diminish somewhat.
• Finally, in 2025, Embraer elected to significantly modify its worldwide meeting strategy by moving to an every-other-year format. As a result, for the first time in many years, EJOA was entirely responsible for hosting its own annual meeting in Orlando this spring. From our perspective, this proved advantageous. The independent format provided greater flexibility in planning, and the meeting itself generated substantial financial benefits. In fact, our 2026 Annual Conference was, by a considerable margin, the most profitable in the Association’s history. Profitability of our annual meeting is important as a funding source to enable the Association to continue and build on its programs for the benefit of our members.

So, David, why the history lesson? 

The answer is that we have reached a point where change is in the wind. Circumstances evolve—some developments have been positive for EJOA, while others have presented new challenges.

For example, moving to an independent annual meeting has been very beneficial for EJOA. At the same time, Embraer has significantly reduced its level of support and funding as it continues to evolve the way it interacts with and supports its customers. This is entirely appropriate and to be expected.

However, EJOA is not a part of Embraer—we are an independent organization. As such, we are ultimately better served by not being dependent upon another party to determine our destiny. That said, learning to stand on our own is neither easy nor guaranteed. Think of it much like our own families: at some point, each generation must stand on its own. It is neither good nor bad—it simply is.

Factually, EJOA's website, particularly our online forum, has performed less than optimally in recent years (and that is going to change). We have also lost some members to Embraer's Corporate Flight Department advisory group, which serves a role somewhat similar to what the Phenom Pilots and Owners Association provided in its earliest years.

Another factor is that the percentage of owner-pilots who formed the core of the original Association has steadily declined. Perhaps this is simply the natural aging of that population—I can certainly relate, as I will be turning 80 in July and am still current and flying the Praetor 600. At the same time, the growth of professionally managed and professionally flown fleets has changed the landscape considerably. Organizations such as NetJets, Flexjet, Wheels Up, AirSprint, Airshare, and others now collectively operate hundreds of Embraer aircraft. That reality inevitably impacts the composition and needs of an owner-focused association.

Whatever the reasons, organizations, like the people they serve, evolve over time—and they should.

What has not changed is EJOA's mission: to improve the experience of owning and operating an Embraer jet; to help make that experience safer, more efficient, and, where possible, less expensive; and to create greater value for our members.

One relatively new initiative, and one of which I am particularly proud, is the addition of Neil Singer as EJOA's dedicated Safety Director. Neil has been a tremendous success at our meetings. He combines deep knowledge with a unique ability to teach and communicate complex topics in an engaging and practical way. His articles and written contributions have been outstanding, and he has only just begun developing what is intended to become an extensive library of safety-focused operational videos and educational resources.

We also maintain a highly valuable discount affiliation with CAMP. If you do not already utilize a professional aircraft maintenance record-keeping system, you should seriously consider doing so. Quite frankly, the CAMP discount alone exceeds the cost of EJOA membership. If that math does not make sense to you, I am not sure what else to say. The return on investment is undeniable.

I would also like to recognize CAE Lake Nona (formerly SIMCOM) and Mr. Brian Goodsite, Operations Leader. Their support of EJOA has been extraordinary. They hosted us in 2025 and 2026 and have once again stepped forward to host us in 2027. They have provided a first-class facility, access to both Praetor and Phenom simulators, a magnificent amphitheater, and catering—all at no cost to EJOA. In addition, they have extended discounts for simulator-based training to our members. Thank you, CAE Lake Nona and Brian, for your continued partnership and generosity.

The bottom line is this:

• EJOA is solvent, but it does not have meaningful surplus reserves. Our cash flow projections indicate that we should be in good shape well into 2027, with our future thereafter depending primarily upon attendance and the success of the March 2027 EJOA Annual Conference, as well as future annual meetings.
• As announced elsewhere in this issue, CAE Lake Nona will once again host our 2027 Annual Meeting, and we will again be utilizing the well-received Wave Hotel. I encourage you to review Jamie's article and conference announcement for additional details.
• Neil Singer will again be a centerpiece of what I believe will be an outstanding event.
• Chris Weber has also announced the formation of a charitable foundation to support EJOA's efforts in advancing safety in the broadest sense. To that end, we have engaged an experienced law firm to establish the entity and secure IRS recognition as a 501(c)(3) organization, allowing your contributions to be tax deductible. We believe this initiative has the potential to make a meaningful and lasting impact.
• Our Board of Directors positions are currently full, although there will be expected—and healthy—turnover as we move forward. As with any successful organization, we must continually cultivate new leadership and new ideas. I encourage each of you to consider how you might support EJOA and become more involved in its future.
• I have served as President of EJOA for the past eight years through a period of tremendous change, and I hope my efforts have helped the Association grow and mature. We are unquestionably in a different place today than we were when Keith Christensen asked me to succeed him. With that in mind, I plan to retire from my role as President in the coming weeks. Given that I will turn 80 on Bastille Day, it seems like the right time.
• I have greatly enjoyed working with our Board of Directors and with the many individuals who have contributed to the Association's success over the years. That includes several members of my team at OnFlight, who would probably describe themselves as somewhere between volunteers and conscripts. Nevertheless, they have consistently embraced the mission and stepped forward to take on whatever assignment was needed, never with the slightest reservation. Whatever we have accomplished has always been a collective effort, and I am particularly grateful to Nicole Raje, David Crockett, and Rocky Coppola for their commitment and support along the way.
• I have also valued the close relationships I have developed with our long-serving directors, Jay Obernolte and Gary James, as well as our newer directors, Chris Weber and Lance Ferguson. I consider each of them a friend. While I am stepping away from the presidency, I intend to remain on the Board for a period of time so that I may continue to provide whatever perspective, counsel, and support may be helpful to the Board and to future leadership.
• Finally, I would like to thank a few individuals at Embraer who have been especially supportive of EJOA over the years. Michael Amalfitano, Marsha Woelber, and Doug Davidson have consistently gone above and beyond on behalf of the Association. Whenever I called—almost without exception—I heard back from them that same day or the next. Sometimes they were halfway around the world, yet they always demonstrated genuine care and support for EJOA and its members. For that, I am deeply grateful.

Thank you for the fulfilling opportunity to serve this remarkable organization.

David O'Maley, Sr.

Thank you to all of our members and supporters. This truly is a remarkable community of people who share a passion for aviation and, in particular, for Embraer aircraft. It has been an honor to be part of it.