Sonnie Bates is CEO of WYVERN Ltd, the global leader in elevating safety and security for the aviation industry. He began his aviation career in the U.S. Air Force, where he served in various key leadership roles including Instructor Pilot, Flight Examiner, Flight Commander, Aircraft Maintenance Quality Assurance Evaluator, C-5 Galaxy Aircraft Commander, Boeing C-17 Safety Program Manager, and Director of Air Freight Operations.
Sonnie’s experience in business aviation includes Chief Pilot, Safety Manager, Captain on various types of business jet aircraft, and CAE Falcon 7X Pilot Training Program Manager. He also served as IS-BAO Program Director for the International Business Aviation Council. Sonnie is a published researcher focusing on safety culture and emotional intelligence. He is an accredited aviation safety auditor, has a doctorate degree in management, and serves on Flight Safety Foundation’s Business Aviation Committee and Learning from All Operations Working Group.