Board of Directors

John Roper

John began building and flying radio control airplanes at the age of 11.  He received his pilot’s license at the age of 18.  While studying for his Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Kansas, he bought a Cessna 150 and started the KU flying club where he began teaching and generating interest in civil aircraft.  John then went on to earn his Air Transport Pilot license, Multi Engine Instructor, Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics certificate and holds an FAA Inspection Authorization.  John also has earned an MBA from Dowling College in Aviation Administration

John has accumulated almost 4,000 hrs of flight time ranging from small aircraft to corporate jets to competition aerobatics.  John has always had a desire to push the envelope of technology in small aircraft.  While at Kansas University, he worked to develop separate surface stability augmentation systems, worked with Cessna and Honeywell during the development of display technology for the Cessna Citation X.  Most importantly, he was part of a team working under a NASA program for the development of the Advanced General Aviation Transport.  The aircraft designed by his team went on to become the basis for the NASA AGATE program which concluded studies in 2001.

John was Director of Engineering for Adaptive Propulsion Systems (APS) where he was responsible for the development of an advanced engineering department to develop next generation piston engine technology for the military.  While at APS, John completed his Six Sigma Black Belt training and implemented lean methods.  John then went on to work as a consultant and engineer for Proxy Aviation where he was involved in the design and development of UAV airframe modifications for the incorporation of sensors and weapons packages. John has been a member of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and sat on committees responsible for the certification and operational requirements of UAVs.

Most recently, John has been with Signature Flight Support where he was operations manager at the West Palm Beach facility which saw typical daily operations of over 100 aircraft per day.  John returned to his Kansas City Roots in 2010 as Director of Maintenance for the new Signature TechnicAir Aircraft Maintenance facilities at both Kansas City Downtown airport and New Century Air Center where he worked on turn around strategies.

Ron Pye

The son of a pilot and a flight attendant, Ron grew up surrounded by aviation.  He began his career with Eastern Airlines, holding several positions in sales and operations.  In 1995 he helped start up two Part 121 passenger air carriers, Eastern Metro in Atlanta, GA and Puerto Rico.   After Eastern closed their doors, Ron worked with Fairchild Aerospace Corporation, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of Jet Air Craft based in Germany and San Antonio, TX, again starting up another 121 air carrier, Yute Air in Alaska.   During his tenure at Corporate Airlines, he negotiated a capacity purchase agreement with TWA that would allow the airline to continue flying as an American Connection carrier after American Airlines acquired TWA.  He returned to Alaska to be the Director of Marketing for Evergreen Airline, and then moved back to Fairchild Corporation in 2001 where he became the Vice President of Marketing. 

In 2004, Ron became Director of Marketing & Sales for Pemco World Air Services, a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO), which was based in Dothan, Alabama, focusing on cargo conversions.  When joining Southern California Aviation (SCA) in 2006 as Vice President Sales & Marketing, he created a strategy for this 145 Repair Station by expanding the facility’s capabilities, which had been known only for the handling of transitional aircraft.  From there, Ron moved to be Vice President at Pacific Aviation Group (PAG), the sister company of SCA and a subsidiary of Pratt and Whitney.  The company stored, maintained and distributed over 50,000 parts, along with new and used engines under his marketing plan.  

Honored to be elected to the Foundation Board for ISTAT in 2012, an organization he continues to work with to this day, Ron has a unique background of having worked with air carriers, OEM, and MRO companies.   As a Senior Vice President of New Business Development with Jet Midwest since 2012, Ron continues to find new opportunities, including working with Next Gen Aero Support, manufacturer of engine stands, and the Airline History Museum.

Ellen Dolinar

For more than 28 years, Ellen has held a variety of safety and compliance-related positions within the aviation industry. Starting as a flight attendant on a Brazilia 120 with Jetstream International, now known as PSA Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines. Her next destination was Chautauqua Airlines as a recruiter, which has evolved into Republic Airlines as it is known today. In the Safety department she became the company's first Manager of IEP and continued expanding her knowledge, eventually overseeing the regulatory compliance areas of OSHA, Dangerous Goods, Environmental, and Emergency Response, interfacing with all the various codeshare partnerships in these areas throughout the years.

Currently employed with a major U.S. carrier, Ms. Dolinar serves in the role of Emergency Response Consultant where she brings her vast experience to the table. 

As a survivor of uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC), Ellen was honored to be selected by the National Cancer Institute as a member of the Uterine Task Force from 2017 to 2024. She continues to fulfill her promise to a friend, who ultimately passed away from cervical cancer, to do whatever necessary in helping spread the word to support finding a cure for gynecologic cancers.

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