June 15, 2016
NBAA recently honored Guy Viselé, a Belgian attorney, pilot, FBO manager and consultant to the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), with its prestigious Silk Scarf Award for his significant contributions to the industry over more than four decades.
Viselé’s distinguished career was capped by his work on behalf of business aviation before the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as it developed a first-ever CO2 emissions standard for aircraft.
Viselé earned his law degree in Belgium in 1968. In 1974, he was certified as a pilot while commercial director for Young Cargo. In 1977, he joined Abelag Aviation, and soon managed the company’s FBO at Brussels Airport, eventually becoming Abelag’s executive vice president. A lieutenant colonel in the Belgian Air Force, Viselé also served as external communications advisor to the Belgian air traffic control services provider, Belgocontrol. In addition, Viselé has been a longtime legal and environmental advisor to EBAA.
Viselé was present at the founding of the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) 35 years ago. “He was the IBAC representative on the ICAO Committee on Environmental Protection,” said IBAC Director General Kurt Edwards. “Guy led the IBAC delegation.”
Over the past three years, his work on behalf of business aviation has helped create the first-ever standard for carbon dioxide emissions by aircraft. ICAO will endeavor to ratify the standard at its triennial conference later this year.
“It was a very sensitive issue,” Edwards explained. “It was highly technical. His skills in understanding both business aviation manufacturing and operations gave him the ability to communicate the unique nature of business aircraft and their relatively small contributions to the aviation industry’s overall carbon footprint.” The results, he said, were “significant, substantive and groundbreaking.”
About the Award
In an effort to honor outstanding business aviation community members and inspire future aviators, the NBAA Silk Scarf Award is given to individuals for special contributions to the business aviation community during their careers. Learn more and view past award recipients: NBAA Silk Scarf Award.
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.