John Binder

Born in Hungary in 1945, John Binder’s family moved to Canada in 1949. They settled in Medicine Hat, Alberta and John attended a local grade school before heading to Medicine Hat High School. He graduated in 1963 and enrolled a year later in the Aircraft Mechanical Engineering Aviation program at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (CAHF, 1990). He landed his first job, as an apprentice AME, at Field Aviation that same year. With Field, John carried out all sorts of work, including the hasty disassembly and salvage of a DeHavilland DHC-3 Otter from Cape Sparbo on the north shore of Devon Island, Northwest Territories. Over about two days, John and George Stevenson (an AME) raced to dismantle and prep the plane for transport. “We’re usually not that rushed,” he said at the time, “but when you’re that far north the weather can change quickly. We wanted to finish before it could sock us in.”

Having completed his apprenticeship, John worked next for a series of companies – AMOCO, Banff Oil Ltd, and Great Northern Airways. He found a more permanent home in 1970 as a Flight Engineer with Panarctic Oils Ltd. Working as an engineer on multiple aircraft types, he gained experience over the next six years across Canada’s northern and arctic regions. John did well at Panarctic and went on to perform increasingly senior roles including the management of the Twin Otter Flight Operations program.

Next came a new venture: Western Avionics. Based in Calgary, Alberta, it began in 1976, when John, deciding to take a more hands on approach to business, purchased and amalgamated three small avionics repair shops. The company evolved under his leadership into a major aviation presence in Calgary that provided avionics and maintenance services to a variety of customers including airlines, other service providers, and OEMs. His vision and drive led to significant growth over the course of the next 20 years. From its operation in Hangar 4 at the Calgary airport, the company moved into the Esso Hangar and, when this proved not to be enough space, it purchased both Hangar 3 and Hangar 60 to house its expanded operations.

Although initially heavily focused on avionics, Western Avionics also performed maintenance work (heavy checks and paint) for a variety of clients, such as Air Transat (return to service of the 727-200s) and in support of Field Aviation. In recognizing a growing need for aircraft maintenance operations, John began to consider expanding his business and in August 1996 he and a group of partners formed Avmax Group Inc., with John serving as President. Through the firm’s heavy maintenance centre in Calgary, regional aircraft and operators now had a new option for major repair and overhaul services. Avmax’s first major contract was with DeHavilland providing major retrofit and maintenance support on over 20 white tail aircraft. Large maintenance contracts with major airlines in Canada, the United States, and Europe soon formed the mainstay of the company’s operations, making Calgary a maintenance repair operations hub.

Business was good and Avmax did well, growing as the aviation industry’s maintenance needs increased. In 2006, two decades after opening its Calgary facility, John established a second heavy maintenance center in Great Falls, Montana. Two years later the company added high-quality aircraft painting and interior refurbishment to its services. A third heavy maintenance centre opened in Jacksonville, Florida in 2010.

John and Avmax were able to expand the company’s maintenance, repair, and overhaul offerings in part because of the success of his broader investments in the industry. In the early 2000s, the aviation world was in a bad way following the terror attacks of 11 September 2001, and there was little confidence that the situation would improve. John did not agree and, seeing an opportunity for further growth, he invested heavily at great personal financial risk in the purchase of several DHC Dash 8s for another new venture: Avmax Aircraft Leasing Inc., which was established in 2003. In short order, Avmax grew to hold the largest private Dash 8 fleet in the world, as the new division provided customers aircraft for both sale and lease. After partnering with Werklund Capital Corporation in 2007, Avmax’s leasing business expanded further internationally, with Avmax International Aircraft Leasing Inc. acquiring and leasing regional aircraft to customers around the world. By 2019, when John sold his ownership in the company, the fleet had reached nearly 200 aircraft.

Alongside its leasing division, Avmax also formed its own airline in 2003, Westpoint Airlines (re-named Regional 1 Airlines in 2004), which offered both national and international aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance (ACMI) services. Under John’s leadership, Regional 1’s aircraft have been employed around the world, often by providing start-up regional airlines the means to begin operations. In addition to being the first Canadian company to lease a Dash 8 in Russia, Regional 1 has also fulfilled contracts with the United Nations in both Pakistan and Afghanistan, where it flew humanitarian flights as part of the World Food Programme.

2010 was another big year for Avmax. In addition to opening its Jacksonville heavy maintenance facility, John’s company established two other divisions. In Calgary, an entirely new business – Avmax Spares, which offers global aftermarket support (another Spares location was added in Jacksonville in 2014). And in Montreal, P.Q., a dedicated interiors operation – Avmax Executive Interiors. These new divisions helped to cement Avmax’s reputation as a ‘one-stop-shop’ for aviation needs.

Throughout his career, John has demonstrated an ability to recognize opportunity to expand Avmax. True to form, and building on his success with the new spares division, in 2011 he launched Avmax Spares East Africa Ltd., in Nairobi, Kenya, which broadened the company’s spares support to include its Avmax Leasing customers and other regional aircraft operators. John has also invested in various airlines, including working closely with the Republic of Chad to establish Avmax Chad S.A.R.L., a charter airline growing aviation services in north-central Africa. Under his guidance, these airlines operated domestically and worldwide with a variety of clients, such as the United Nations on humanitarian missions, Air Canada under capacity purchase agreements, with the British Columbia government providing medical evacuation services, with major oil and gas and mining companies providing workforce transportation services, and as general scheduled airlines connecting remote communities to major hubs. His airline investments continue to date.

Between 2013 and 2019, John continued to oversee the addition of new services to Avmax while gradually lessening his involvement with the company. He began the latter after inking a share purchase agreement with Sunward Intelligent Equipment in 2015 to start divesting his share of Avmax. Over this same period, through the creation of Regional Express Aviation Ltd., Avmax invested in regional carrier Air Georgian – an Air Canada capacity purchase partner. Then, in 2016, the company established an engine division in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to service regional aircraft engines and to sell and lease parts for regional aircraft. Three years later, John completed his divestment of his interest in Avmax, although he remains Chairman Emeritus of the Avmax Group of Companies.

Over his long career in aviation, John’s commitment to aviation remained steadfast. While building a small avionics shop into a global company, he continually fostered the growth of the industry more generally, both locally and internationally. Thousands have worked for the various iterations of Avmax and throughout John has worked to invest in their skills and training, with many current and former employees going on to great heights themselves. Indeed, John's dedication to supporting education and development is reflected in his establishment of the Canadian Airline Professional Development Academy (CAPDA) and the Emerging Leaders program. Through these initiatives, he provided advanced training and career opportunities for aspiring aviation professionals. His companies also offer internships and hands-on experience to students from institutions like SAIT, CDI College, and Reeves College. John’s contributions to the field have been recognized with the 2010 Max Ward trophy and by Ernst & Young in 2011 with its Entrepreneur of the Year award.

John’s quiet generosity to his wider community is extensive. He has donated his time and resources to many causes, from the Canadian Red Cross and the Canadian Mental Health Association to the Canada Food Bank and the Salvation Army. He has been similarly supportive of aviation causes beyond Avmax, including giving to Calgary’s Hangar Flight Museum to assist with the restoration of its CF-100 aircraft. And no summary of his achievements and contributions to aviation would be complete without mention that in 1999 he and several partners invested in the Airdrie Airpark. Now the sole owners of this historic aerodrome, built originally as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, it is home to the Airdrie Flying Club, a not-for-profit organization devoted to supporting general aviation.

A father of three children – Russell, Cameron, and Sheri – and a grandfather to six, over the course of his career John not only built a successful business empire but also fostered a passion for aviation within his family. Many of his descendants have followed in his footsteps, excelling as Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, taking to the skies training as pilots, or by contributing their expertise in various aviation-related roles. They are a reminder that John’s vision and entrepreneurial spirit, perseverance, and a dedication to excellence and generosity has advanced not only aviation but also numerous lives in the industry. As he continues to provide thoughtful insight and support to the next generation of aviation leaders, John Binder’s influence remains a guiding force and a remarkable example of Canadian aviation leadership.