Boeing

Boeing Air Traffic Management today named Francisco Escarti, vice president, Business Development -- Europe, and Tim Neale, director, Communications.

Escarti will be responsible for developing and implementing sales strategies and negotiating business agreements in the region. Escarti's appointment is the second international position filled this year, reflecting the business unit's focus on global air traffic solutions. In February, Air Traffic Management named Beth Keck, vice president, Business Development, Asia.

"We are pleased that Mr. Escarti has joined our team to lead European sales activities, including developing an in-depth understanding of customer requirements," said John Hayhurst, Boeing senior vice president and president, Air Traffic Management. Escarti, who has considerable experience in European aviation and air traffic services, will have an office in Madrid and in Brussels, Belgium.

According to Hayhurst, Escarti provides valuable insight from three important perspectives -- that of an airline operator, an industry supplier and a regulatory agency.

In 1985, Escarti became general director of Iberia Airlines, where he was involved in creating three new airline operations for charter, regional and cargo services. He also introduced a yield management system for the Iberia Group, negotiated fleet acquisitions, and helped develop the worldwide reservation system, AMADEUS.

Early in his career, Escarti worked as an engineer in the United States where he gained experience in air traffic control systems and radar data processing. In 1975 he returned to Spain and joined CESELSA (later INDRA), a diversified engineering group. He established a small department for air traffic systems, which has since grown into a respected provider of air traffic control solutions in Europe.

Escarti drew on his extensive industry experience in 1992 when he founded Services Improvement, a consulting company to civil aviation authorities, airports and air navigation service providers.

His election to the EUROCONTROL Performance Review Commission provides Escarti with a regulatory perspective. This group provides independent evaluation of the European air traffic control system.

"Mr. Escarti is an expert in the complex issues of air traffic management, and well respected in this industry," said Hayhurst. "He brings to our team a vision for air traffic systems of the future and his ability to influence results in dynamic environments," Hayhurst said.

Also joining Air Traffic Management is Tim Neale, who most recently served as Aviation Safety Communications manager in Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Neale came to Boeing in 1996, and served for four years as the company spokesman on international trade issues. Later, as Aviation Safety Communications manager, he became a spokesman on safety, product quality and engineering issues. Significant accomplishments at Boeing include helping to create "Airplanes 101," a program designed to educate the media on aircraft design, production and maintenance, and the Aviation Safety Alliance, a similar, industry-wide media education effort. In partnership with six major U.S. exporters, Neale also helped manage the U.S.-China Education Foundation, an education initiative designed to foster normal trade relations with China.

Prior to joining Boeing, Neale was director of communications for the Air Transport Association. The ATA represents major U.S. airlines in Washington, D.C. Among his key achievements at the ATA, Neale wrote "The Airline Handbook," a recognized media guide to the airline industry.

In the 12 years prior to joining the ATA, Neale was a reporter and editor for the Journal of Commerce and other publications; at the Journal of Commerce, he covered the maritime industry in New York City before moving to Washington, D.C., where he covered aviation.

"Tim's extensive experience educating the media on the aviation industry will be an enormous asset in his new role with Air Traffic Management," said Hayhurst.

A native of New York, Neale holds a bachelor's degree in government from Georgetown University and a master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. He will be located at the Air Traffic Management offices in McLean, Va.