Stephen J. Fortune
Mr. Fortune has over 30 years experience in commercial aviation. Over the course of his career he has purchased, leased converted or sold many commercial aircraft types including the Boeing 727, 767, 747, Airbus A300 and A310, McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and numerous turboprop aircraft. Currently he advises investors, lessors and MRO’s on implementation and management of successful investments in the commercial aircraft and passenger-to-freighter aircraft markets
In 2009, he successfully sold six A300-600 aircraft under lease to American Airlines on behalf of Daimler Financial Services. During 2008, he established a 767-300ER freighter program for Q Aviation including a Boeing order for ten firm/ten option pax-to-freighter conversions.
Prior to Q Aviation, Mr. Fortune served as Executive Vice President of Intrepid Aviation Partners, where he successfully managed sale/leasebacks, forward sales, freighter conversions and operating leases for Airbus and Boeing aircraft types.
Previously, Mr. Fortune served as a Senior Director at MergeGlobal, a highly respected cargo consulting firm. While at MergeGlobal, he advised Atlas Air on the acquisition of new production 747-400 freighters, a key $1.5 billion investment milestone for the company.
In 1995, he co-founded and served as executive vice president of Gemini Air Cargo, a FAA Part 121 freight carrier. Mr. Fortune has also held management positions at Potomac Capital Investment, Saab Aircraft and Federal Express.
He is a past President of ISTAT and the past Chairman of the ISTAT Foundation. Mr. Fortune is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Air Transportation Masters Program and a retired US Naval Aviator.