Meet the Team

Chief Executive Officer

Sonnie Bates

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, {Read More}


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.

Senior Vice President, Operations

Andrew Day

Andy joined WYVERN following numerous senior leadership roles in airline and private aviation.  Andy has more than 30 years of time spent in the aviation industry, from
small regional airlines to large Part 135 charter operations and almost {Read More}

everything in between.  During that time Andy was instrumental in leading these operators to become benchmarks in the industry, setting the standard for safety and dependability. Previously the CEO of a large global Part 135 charter operator, Andy brings this deep industry knowledge to the WYVERN team to further bolster the stable of aviation professionals at WYVERN.

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VP, Operations Support

Trent J. Corcia

Trent J. Corcia joined WYVERN following numerous senior leadership roles in the U.S. military, major airline, flight simulator training, and an owner-pilot association. For two years, Trent served as the CEO of Citation Jet Pilots Association {Read More}


(CJP), an owner-pilot association for Citation Jet owners and pilots where he led CJP’s efforts on advancing the safety culture including the Safe to Land (SM) initiative resulting in no accidents or incidents by CJP members. Before CJP, he worked almost a decade with FlightSafety International (FSI), where he led sales and marketing efforts to the owner/operator and single pilot segments of the general aviation (GA) industry as well as operational experience which included leading the FlightSafety Orlando Learning Center with 170+ employees.
Trent has an extensive background in aviation including leadership, marketing, communication, and tactical & strategic planning. He is well positioned to enhance the company’s strategic direction and strengthen our global presence. He embodies the passion for customer service and safety that WYVERN stands for. His leadership track record and in-depth understanding of the aviation marketplace make him an invaluable addition to our executive management team.
Corcia has more than 4,000 hours of military and GA flying time and holds an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) rating, with type ratings in the Cessna Citation C510 Mustang, Hawker 800XP, and Gulfstream GV. He currently flies his Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain, and lives in Orlando, Florida, with his wife, Michelle, and their four children.
Prior to WYVERN, CJP and FSI, Corcia held several strategic and operating positions with American Airlines. He is also a former U.S. Air Force C-130 instructor/evaluator navigator and mission commander. He graduated from Texas A&M University, SMU’s Cox School of Business and Harvard Business School.

VP, Administration

Patti Arnott

As VP of Administration, Patti provides leadership for the membership, accounting, and human resources areas.  She also directs the Marketing Team.  Patti earned a degree in Accounting and gained {Read More}


over twenty years of experience in the restaurant, manufacturing, and retail industries.

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Assistant VP, Risk Management Systems

Alec Blume

Alec has a BS in Aviation Management from Southern Illinois University, where he completed pilot certification through CFI and was captain, then coach, of Southern’s flight team.  Alec’s 7000 hours of pilot time include {Read More}

commercial flying in both airline and private environments with time and type certificates in a variety of jet aircraft. Other career pursuits have included serving as Director of Safety at a large, certificated carrier in the US, 20 years of web applications development experience, and management experience in industries outside of aviation. 

Assistant VP, Software Development Team

Devin Howes

Devin has a BS in Business Administration and a Minor in Information Systems from Slippery Rock University and an MBA in Aviation Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. In addition, he has received Certificates from the {Read More}

University of Southern California in Aviation Safety Management Systems and Remote Pilot Safety Management. Devin holds a Commercial / Instrument Rating and a Remote Pilot Certificate.

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Senior Manager, Safety Support

Kris Stewart

Prior to joining WYVERN, Kris was a Safety Director for a charter company in
Houston, TX. She also worked and retired from Southwest Airlines after two
decades in their People Department and as Safety Operations and Emergency Response Specialist. 

Operations Manager

Tyler Jappe

Tyler has a decade of aviation experience beginning in college, where he was enrolled
in and completed an FAA A&P program. At the same time, he trained for and attained his FAA Private Pilot’s License and has accrued several hundred hours of {Read More}

flight experience. Tyler spent several years as head of one of the largest flight schools in the Northeast, where he oversaw daily operations at one of their locations. His duties included aircraft and personnel management, maintaining a safe Part 91 training environment, and expanding the number of students, instructors, and planes at the school.

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Operations & Marketing Support Specialist

Andrew McNutt

Andrew McNutt has a BS in Digital Marketing from Bellevue College, complemented by a certificate in Data Analytics. Beginning his career in sales, Andrew dedicated himself to gaining a deep understanding of the customer journey {Read More}

and the impact of individual touchpoints, frequently creating competitive analyses of competitors to better understand how to sell more effectively.

As he transitioned into digital marketing, Andrew leveraged his sales experience to create more personalized and impactful campaigns. By creating an international team, Andrew could leverage automation for multiple businesses in the greater Seattle area, using his passion for data to drive decision-making and furthering his commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences.

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Audit Technical Manager

Emma Thornton

As a Contract Auditor, Emma conducts Mission Audits for WYVERN customers.
Before joining WYVERN Emma worked as Aviation Manager within a private organization and after 20 years of service, led the company through a {Read More}

change of operator process incorporating multiple regulatory frameworks. Emma joined WYVERN in 2018, following a 30 years career in aviation and obtaining a First Class Honors degree in Air Transport Management.

Safety Data Systems

Jacob Copeland III

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Ready to join our team?

WYVERN is always searching for highly-talented and motivated aviation professionals who share our passion for customer service—and who thrive in a progressive, energetic, and team-oriented environment.

Get in Touch