Fast Five: Peter J. Bunce, President and CEO, GAMA,
Washington, D.C.
A U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, Peter Bunce flew F-15s
and A-10s domestically and abroad. He was given increasingly important
assignments, one of the last being command of a large attack and command-control
air operation at Davis-Monthan AFB. An International Affairs Fellow at Harvard,
he was then moved to Washington, D.C., where he oversaw budget legislation for
the service. After retiring as a colonel, Bunce was named to his current
position in GAMA. His wife, Patty, is an occupational therapist; twin daughters
Megan and Ashley are college freshmen; and son Justin, 22, is recovering from
serious wounds received in 2004 while on patrol with the Marines in Iraq.
1) What things have surprised you since taking over GAMA?
Bunce: The breadth of things at play that can jeopardize the
recovery of our industry. There are the obvious, like potential user fees and
reduction in FAA aircraft certification services, but then there are the
unexpected, such as export controls on commercial off-the-shelf equipment, and
frivolous liability suits that have a chilling effect on new product
development. The standardization of regulations for fractional operations in
Europe is also a pressing issue.
2) Flying used to be a regular part of your life. Do you get
to aviate now?
Bunce: A friend has a Decathlon at Potomac Airport— even
though that's within the Washington ADIZ, I get to go up from time to time. I
have to fly upside down regularly to get my gyros caged properly.
3) Have you ever been to an NBAA Convention?
Bunce: I went to EBACE this year, but this will be my first
NBAA Convention, and I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be a great show.
I'll get to see a lot of my members in action and expect to review some important
issues. We're ready to give any support we can to Ed [Bolen, NBAA president].
It's not easy to move a show like that at the last minute.
4) What is the likelihood that GAMA and NBAA will merge?
Bunce: Not much in the foreseeable future. We're joined at
the hip on most issues— sometimes Ed is lead and we fly wing; on others it's
reversed. Still we have separate concerns, so I feel there's strength in having
two separate organizations.
5) How is your son doing?
Bunce: He's in a rehab hospital in Virginia. The IED
[improvised explosive device] that got him was in a wall, so when it went off,
shrapnel struck him in the head and above and below his body armor. Thankfully,
it missed his spinal cord. One piece could have taken off a leg, but he had a
camera in his pocket and that took the hit. (I have a special affection for
Sony as a result.) He's lost his spleen. It will be a long road back, but he is
one tough Marine.
