Management Team
TMSaero is fostered and founded by the Industries most sought after and desired aviation professionals. Our professional staff and Engineers mostly come with more then 30+ years of individual experience with airline, freighter, commercial, corporate, regional, military, MRO facilities, and engine operators around the globe.
TMSaero is quickly growing our team, with each one devising the expertise that is in concert with our worldwide alliance group of professionals and staff that specialize in the GE, P&W, IAE, Garrett, and Rolls Royce engine types to meet the growing demand of our valued clients.
Our management team combined with over 150 years of aviation experience, provides SOLUTIONS and customized programs to maximize the objectives of the asset owner.
Konrad Walter has 40 years of experience in the aircraft and engine maintenance, sales, and leasing industry. In his early career he used his A&P license to learn the business from the ground up as a service technician for several Miami area service companies and Eastern Airlines.
He progressed to management responsibilities at Greenwich Air Service and GE Engine Service. His entrepreneurial spirit then led him to be a founding partner and President of Patriot Aviation Services in 1998.
This was followed in 2002 by being founding partner and President of Complete Turbine Service. Under his guidance this company quickly developed a worldwide reputation as a cost-effective, quality organization for Field Service and Hospital Repairs of large commercial jet engines. Konrad sold his interest in the company in 2010 and assisted the new owner in developing a world class, full service engine MRO organization now known as CTS Engines where he served as President and COO.
Konrad has since founded “TAF” Taking Aviation Forward, LLC, as the President and CEO. Konrad has quickly fostered several aviation related business ventures and partnerships alike with those such as; Turbine Management Solutions, LLC “TMSaero”, Aeronautical Support International, LLC “ASIaero”, Cloud Investment Partners “CIP”, RESION, LLC, and AP&M, LLC.
Konrad continues to give freely of his personal time to many aviation related organizations. He is Past President (97/98) and current member of the Board of Directors of the Greater Miami Aviation Association (GMAA), and Chairman of the Broward College Aviation Advisory Committee. He is also involved and a member of ISTAT. He currently serves on the ISTAT Foundation Scholarship Committee, as well as a Foundation Scholarship Ambassador for Florida. Throughout his career he has received several achievement awards such as the GMAA’s prestigious Corporate Achievement Award for “outstanding contributions to Florida and the Aviation Industry”. Most recent award received October 2019, ‘Lifetime Achievement Award”, during the GMAA Wright Brothers Memorial Award Gala. This award is given to an individual who has dedicated their entire professional life to the Aviation industry. The award recognizes a constant demonstration of perseverance, integrity, leadership and mentorship. The achiever is recognized by his peers as someone who has personally contributed his time and effort to promote and elevate the status of our industry.
Konrad Walter Lifetime Achievement Award Video
Jon Heinemann is a TMSaero Partner/GM/VP and oversees engineering, technical advisors, while overseeing and assisting with technical development, business development, engine fleet management, workscope development, shop visit management, onsite aircraft management, etc.
Jon Heinemann’s aviation career includes over three decades of hands-on aviation maintenance and management on several commercial, and regional jets, such as Boeing, Airbus, McDonnel Douglas, ERJ and CRJs, etc. His experience also includes every type of Turbine engine/APUs installed on these various airframe types. Jon’s duties during these times included working as a manager/site leader/and business owner, which included Turbine Engine MRO services with leading independent MROs such as CTS Engines. This included Field Service for both Airframe/Turbine engines/APUs around the world, including borescope and boro-blending experience. Jon is very astute when dealing with various governmental rules and logistics while managing his technical crews to be there on time every time.
Jon vast knowledge of airframe/turbine engine maintenance, also includes lease return inspections, letter checks, technical records management, Management of transition process, Pre-redelivery aircraft and records inspections, including Pre-redelivery advice and guidance. As a seasoned aviation professional Jon and our team of experts have experience working with many regulatory authorities, including demonstration flights and operational checks. His career and contacts developed provide our client with direct access to a full suite of FAA DAR and EASA and other services.
Licenses and Training include, but not limited to: Airframe & Powerplant FAA License, avionics certificate; B727-100, -200, B737-200, -300, -400, -700, -800, -MAX, B747-100, -200, -300, -400, B757-200, B767-200, -300ER, A300-600B4, A310, A320, A321NEO, A330, A340, DC9-30, DC10-30, MD83, MD11, KC10, GE CF6-50, -80, CF34-3, -8, -10, CFM56-3, -5, -7, CFM LEAP-1B, Pratt & Whitney JT8D-15, -17, -217, -219 JT9D-7, PW2000, PW4000, PW1000G GTF, V2500-A1, V2500-A5 Rolls Royce RB211-524, -535, etc.
Jon graduated from Texas State Technical College with a degree in Applied Science for Aviation Maintenance Management & Certificate of Avionics.
Jim McMillen’s 50+ year career in aviation has covered all aspects of jet propulsion from design, development, operation, and maintenance to buy, sell, and lease. He has worked with 3 different engine manufacturers (Rolls Royce, GE and CFM International), 3 different airlines (Eastern, National, and Pan Am) and he was President of the JT8D overhaul facility, AeroThrust, for 20 years. In addition, since his retirement from AeroThrust he has served as Chairman of TES in Wales and CTS in Florida guiding those companies to successful transitions to new ownership through improved performance.
Jim has a B.S In Aeronautical Engineering from Penn State and an M.S. in Flight Transportation Management from M.I.T. He is the recipient of the Greater Miami Aviation Association’s prestigious Wright Brothers Memorial Award and is Past President of ISTAT.
Jim’s vast experience and expertise provides an additional dimension to TMS Aero’s offerings to include business management advisory services.
Doug Elder‘s career includes almost five decades of hands on aviation maintenance. He started with Eastern Airlines in 1968, and his duties included Airline operations, MRO management, build services, technical foreman – providing workscope and on-sight technical oversight for RB211-535E4 engines at the Rolls Royce overhaul facility In Montreal Quebec Canada and in Derby England. Recently, Doug Elder was Director of Engineering for CTS engines for both the engine shop and testing since 2007. Among his many talents and expertise, Doug has designed and fabricated tooling for the overhaul of the CF6-50, CF6-80A, and 80C2 engines. Doug’s career included seven years as the Director of PowerPlants for PACE @ Express.net. Responsible for all aspects of managing Engine and APU operation and training for a startup airline operating a fleet of A-300 and B-727 Aircraft, Doug’s career included time with World Airways responsible for all aspects of managing the P&W 4000 and CF6-50 engines and TSCP700 APUs on World’s Fleet of MD11 and DC10-30 aircraft. In the 90s, Doug also was with Carnival Air Lines as Mgr. Engines and APUs – responsible for all aspects of on-wing maintenance for Carnival’s CF6-50, CFM56, and JT8D engines, as well as GTCP85 and TSCP700 APUs.
Licenses and Training include: Airframe & Powerplant FAA License, GE90 777, GE CF6-6/45/50/80, MD11 Aircraft Systems, P&W4000 Powerplant, Engine Boroscope, RB211-535E4 Line Maintenance – Rolls Royce Derby, RB211-535E4 Differences (757) – Rolls Royce, Garrett APU, GTCP331 GTCP700, 757 Avionics Systems – EAL 757-8 – Boeing, etc.
Doug is TMSaero’s Engineering and Technical Advisor, overseeing and assisting with technical development, engine fleet management, engineering, workscope development, shop visit management, etc.
Ken Qualls is known worldwide for the high quality of personal care and attention given to clients aviation requirements and safety needs. Whether it is an aircraft acquisition, marketing an aircraft sale, or flight department restructure, Ken Qualls is personally recognized as one of the industry’s leading experts for Corporate and Airline flight department management and reorganization, best safety practices and analysis; as well as technological and operational requirements of today’s expanding corporate and major international airline fleets.
With an aviation career that spans 50 years, Ken has served as pilot, instructor, and flight department manager / chief pilot for several domestic and international corporations, private flight departments, and major air carriers. Ken served as Assistant Director of Operations for China Airlines in Taipei, Taiwan during the 1990s, where he introduced higher training and operational standards for the B747-400, B747-200, B737-700, Airbus, and MD11 aircraft. While at China Airlines Captain Qualls was a Senior Captain and Senior Instructor Captain on the newly acquired B747-400 aircraft. Ken also monitored the training of all ab initio pilot trainees for China Airlines while they attended the University of North Dakota flight Training Program.
Ken is a seasoned aviator with over 30,000 + hours of accident and incident free flight experience (airline and corporate combined). Ken holds type ratings and is Captain / Test Pilot qualified on many of the larger Boeing transport aircraft including the Boeing 747-400, 747-100/200, 747SP, 757-200, 767- 200/300/300ER/400ER, 737-200 thru 737-900 and the B737 BBJ series.
He has been recruited for personal consultation (flight operations and aircraft acquisitions) by three U.S. Presidents; several CEOs and CFOs of Fortune 100 Corporations; foreign corporations in Asia, India, Mexico, Brazil, Europe and the Middle East; and several individual aircraft owners and operators, saving them millions of dollars with his safety, security, and financial programs.
Ken has had the honor of being chosen as the Senior Captain for President Gerald Ford’s world “farewell tour”. Ken has also acted as personal pilot for former President George Bush, former President Ronald Reagan, Dr. Henry Kissinger, and several other United States Officials.
Ken earned his Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan where he excelled as a concert clarinetist. Ken recently completed his online residency MBA in International Business and Finance from the University of Wales in Cardiff, UK, through association with Robert Kennedy University in Zurich, Switzerland.
Ken’s vast experience and expertise provides an additional dimension to TMSaero’s offerings to include across the board Airline and Flight operation advisory services.
Christian Travert started his Engineering career back in 1983. After several engineering and creative career projects under his belt, in 2002 he engineered and built the Travertson Truck, all aluminum with an assembly according to aircraft technology. In 2003, the following year, he developed new products for the U.S. Military and World police as Chief Design Engineer such as armored trucks.
Christian values resourcefulness and timely innovation, delivering not only fast results to our client’s problems, but durable solutions and know-how. Solutions that, when implemented, can yield major cost-savings and improved product differentiation.
Christian and TMSaero are comprised of engineering, manufacturing, and quality professionals dedicated to creating innovative solutions for the modern marketplace while designing advanced products which are easier to use, more affordable, and more functional than the products they are replacing.
Christian heads up research & development, testing, technical marketing, and consulting services worldwide combining in-house R&D resources and affiliations with our industry experts and alliance groups.
TMSaero has announced the addition of Stefan-Marian Parvu. Stefan is a graduate of Politehnica University of Bucharest with an Aviation/Propulsion Systems degree. Stefan studied Theory and Design of Turbomachinery, Aero Engines Aggregates and Installations, Thermal Science, and solid dynamic mechanic.
He went on to work as a Powerplant Engineer-CAMO department for Blue Air in Bucharest, Romania. Responsibilities included; Collect and analysis of the engine condition monitoring (ECM) reports for CFM56-3 and CFM56-7B engines; analyze the engine reliability, investigate exceedances and propose corrective actions; Elaborate engine shop induction workscopes for limited life parts replacement and/or performance restoration; Analyze type holder and supplementary type holder issued documents, airworthiness directives, service bulletins, service letters and recommend maintenance program revisions; Issue routine, non-routine, troubleshooting workcards; Support the correct implementation of the modifications in the prescribed time frame. Stefan training includes; Certificate of Training – Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance; Electrical Wiring Interconnect System (EWIS); Fuel Tank Safety Phase 2; Boeing 737-300/-400/-500 Type Rating B1.1 and B2; General familiarization with Boeing 737-300/-400/-500 aircraft type equipped with CFM56-3 engines. Aside from his Romanian language, Stefan is also fluent in English and French. With Stefan’s dynamic, creative, and analytical thinking, he creates solutions through his result oriented approach to issues. Stefan heads up our European division in both aircraft and engine advisory and consulting services.
TMSaero has added Erica Bauman to our Team of professional consultants. Erica is a Senior executive with 24 years of achievement spanning operations and strategy management in both the private & non-profit sectors. Proven record of identifying and executing strategies which align businesses for optimal performance and efficiency. Demonstrated capacity to analyze business processes, identify opportunities for greater efficiency, and execute strategies to grow profit margins. Accomplished driver of strategic improvement initiatives. Results-oriented leader with ability to build, coach, and mentor successful teams. Advanced data analytics experience. Proficient in in scripting, statistical, & data visualization languages. Familiar with multiple IDEs including Anaconda Distribution.
Specialties include:
- Change leadership
- Product development & solutions architecture
- Advanced data analytics: SQL, SAS, Python – including NumPy and pandas data structures & analysis tools, R, STATA, SPSS, AMOS Structural Equation Modeling
- Offshore operations management
- ISO 9001, ISO 13485, AS9100, AS9120 auditing, consulting & training
- Thermoplastic processing & tooling
- Regulatory compliance audits & technical specification development
- OSHA compliance expert
- Import/Export regulation compliance
