<p><img alt="WW - 2015028 - Arthur Smith" src="/getasset/d2dd5227-cf1d-4d3e-9b56-39faf7f848de/" /></p>
<p>Arthur White had the opportunity to lead a management buy-out at a small European airline subsidiary. He now plans to turn the soon-to-be Superjet 100 operator into a profitable and growing brand in its own right.</p>
<p><img alt="Arthur Smith - WW 20150428" src="/getasset/b9089789-26d0-4c81-a36e-3466689ef247/" style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px; width: 250px; height: 206px; margin: 0px 10px; float: left;" /></p>
<div><strong>How did your career in the aviation industry begin?</strong></div>
<p><em>Like a lot of young lads, I was very interested in aircraft and always wanted to be a pilot. I was fortunate enough to go through pilot training and qualify as a commercial pilot by the age of 20. I’ve flown over 14,500h with a variety of airlines, and have also trained as an instructor and examiner. I then progressed to flight and safety management, where I gained a lot of experience in managing industry relationships. Then came the opportunity to invest in VLM Airlines. </em></p>
<p><strong>Tell us about your current role </strong></p>
<p><em>My role as chief executive and majority shareholder came about through a very unusual situation, as the airline was previously owned by Air France-KLM. </em></p>
<p><em>When the parent group decided to sell CityJet, of which VLM had been a part, I saw a chance for a management buy-out and the opportunity to rebuild VLM Airlines into a successful mediumsized regional airline. Starting up what is effectively a new airline is far more inspiring than closing<br />
one down.</em></p>
<p><strong>What challenges does a small to medium-sized airline face within a consolidating market like Europe?</strong></p>
<p><em>There are three functions or elements you have to focus on to build a successful business: cost control, revenue generation and staying liquid. A lot of the cost control was done before I bought the company. Revenue generation is key, and starting new scheduled services – while keeping<br />
as much aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI) and charter presence as we can – means we are actively generating revenue. Also, starting from a position of not having significant debt means we can grow and expand without having to look for financial investment. </em></p>
<p><strong>Why did you select the Sukhoi SuperJet 100?</strong></p>
<p><em>We selected the SSJ100 LR for its passenger comfort, flexibility in short-to medium-range destinations and low operating costs. We looked at a number of aircraft types in the 100-seat category and the SSJ100 LR won hands<br />
down. It is a wide aircraft that can seat five abreast and has the capability for a full business class configuration.</em></p>
<p><strong>What does your working week look like?</strong></p>
<p><em>Horrendous is the word that comes to mind! It’s only been a few months since I bought the airline and it has been a transitional year. A standard week starts early on a Monday morning and generally runs until late on Friday afternoon, with the occasional call and email at the weekend. </em></p>
<p><em>I’m a strong believer in a chief executive being present at the company headquarters and making sure your presence is felt on a day-today basis. However, I do have to visit airports and suppliers,<br />
which often results in one or two days out of the office each week.</em></p>
<p><strong>What do you enjoy most about your job?</strong></p>
<p><em>The creative element – it allows me to see that in the next 12-18 months, the company can be transformed from having been part of a large international air group to becoming a credible regional airline. The other thing I enjoy is the growing confidence of the people who work at VLM Airlines. They are starting to believe in the bright future I see for<br />
the airline. </em></p>
<p><strong>What is your vision for VLM over the next five years?</strong></p>
<p><em>I would like VLM Airlines to be highly profitable because, at the end of the day, that’s why we’re all in business. I also anticipate having a fleet that is a mix of jet and turboprop aircraft used across our three markets. Lastly, I would like to see growth in the number of aircraft in the fleet, with some 100-seat jets, along with a fleet of around 10 turboprops.</em></p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; word-wrap: break-word; margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.1999998092651px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 21.2799987792969px; color: rgb(77, 77, 77);"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; word-wrap: break-word; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; word-wrap: break-word; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Looking for Airline vacancies? Check out our listings online by <a href="http://jobs.flightglobal.com/jobs/aviation-and-airlines?intcmp=FGJOB-careers_hub-working_week">CLICKING HERE</a>.</strong></em></p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; word-wrap: break-word; margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.1999998092651px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 21.2799987792969px; color: rgb(77, 77, 77);">If you would like to feature in Working Week, or you know someone who does, email your pitch to <span style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; word-wrap: break-word; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6;"><strong><a href="mailto:kate.sarsfield@flightglobal.com?subject=Working%20Week%20Submission">kate.sarsfield@flightglobal.com</a></strong>.</span></p>
<p>Arthur White had the opportunity to lead a management buy-out at a small European airline subsidiary. He now plans to turn the soon-to-be Superjet 100 operator into a profitable and growing brand in its own right.</p>
<p><img alt="Arthur Smith - WW 20150428" src="/getasset/b9089789-26d0-4c81-a36e-3466689ef247/" style="line-height: 20.7999992370605px; width: 250px; height: 206px; margin: 0px 10px; float: left;" /></p>
<div><strong>How did your career in the aviation industry begin?</strong></div>
<p><em>Like a lot of young lads, I was very interested in aircraft and always wanted to be a pilot. I was fortunate enough to go through pilot training and qualify as a commercial pilot by the age of 20. I’ve flown over 14,500h with a variety of airlines, and have also trained as an instructor and examiner. I then progressed to flight and safety management, where I gained a lot of experience in managing industry relationships. Then came the opportunity to invest in VLM Airlines. </em></p>
<p><strong>Tell us about your current role </strong></p>
<p><em>My role as chief executive and majority shareholder came about through a very unusual situation, as the airline was previously owned by Air France-KLM. </em></p>
<p><em>When the parent group decided to sell CityJet, of which VLM had been a part, I saw a chance for a management buy-out and the opportunity to rebuild VLM Airlines into a successful mediumsized regional airline. Starting up what is effectively a new airline is far more inspiring than closing<br />
one down.</em></p>
<p><strong>What challenges does a small to medium-sized airline face within a consolidating market like Europe?</strong></p>
<p><em>There are three functions or elements you have to focus on to build a successful business: cost control, revenue generation and staying liquid. A lot of the cost control was done before I bought the company. Revenue generation is key, and starting new scheduled services – while keeping<br />
as much aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI) and charter presence as we can – means we are actively generating revenue. Also, starting from a position of not having significant debt means we can grow and expand without having to look for financial investment. </em></p>
<p><strong>Why did you select the Sukhoi SuperJet 100?</strong></p>
<p><em>We selected the SSJ100 LR for its passenger comfort, flexibility in short-to medium-range destinations and low operating costs. We looked at a number of aircraft types in the 100-seat category and the SSJ100 LR won hands<br />
down. It is a wide aircraft that can seat five abreast and has the capability for a full business class configuration.</em></p>
<p><strong>What does your working week look like?</strong></p>
<p><em>Horrendous is the word that comes to mind! It’s only been a few months since I bought the airline and it has been a transitional year. A standard week starts early on a Monday morning and generally runs until late on Friday afternoon, with the occasional call and email at the weekend. </em></p>
<p><em>I’m a strong believer in a chief executive being present at the company headquarters and making sure your presence is felt on a day-today basis. However, I do have to visit airports and suppliers,<br />
which often results in one or two days out of the office each week.</em></p>
<p><strong>What do you enjoy most about your job?</strong></p>
<p><em>The creative element – it allows me to see that in the next 12-18 months, the company can be transformed from having been part of a large international air group to becoming a credible regional airline. The other thing I enjoy is the growing confidence of the people who work at VLM Airlines. They are starting to believe in the bright future I see for<br />
the airline. </em></p>
<p><strong>What is your vision for VLM over the next five years?</strong></p>
<p><em>I would like VLM Airlines to be highly profitable because, at the end of the day, that’s why we’re all in business. I also anticipate having a fleet that is a mix of jet and turboprop aircraft used across our three markets. Lastly, I would like to see growth in the number of aircraft in the fleet, with some 100-seat jets, along with a fleet of around 10 turboprops.</em></p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; word-wrap: break-word; margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.1999998092651px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 21.2799987792969px; color: rgb(77, 77, 77);"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; word-wrap: break-word; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; word-wrap: break-word; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Looking for Airline vacancies? Check out our listings online by <a href="http://jobs.flightglobal.com/jobs/aviation-and-airlines?intcmp=FGJOB-careers_hub-working_week">CLICKING HERE</a>.</strong></em></p>
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; word-wrap: break-word; margin: 0px 0px 0.8em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15.1999998092651px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 21.2799987792969px; color: rgb(77, 77, 77);">If you would like to feature in Working Week, or you know someone who does, email your pitch to <span style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; word-wrap: break-word; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.6;"><strong><a href="mailto:kate.sarsfield@flightglobal.com?subject=Working%20Week%20Submission">kate.sarsfield@flightglobal.com</a></strong>.</span></p>