Tom Verbruggen

About

Tom brings over 25 years of hands-on aviation experience to Aviatize — spanning maintenance management, airline flight operations, safety & compliance, and aviation entrepreneurship.

A graduate of Sabena Flight Academy with an ATPL(A) and a Master of Science in Aviation Mechanics from Erasmushogeschool Brussels, Tom's career began in aircraft maintenance at Sabena Technics before transitioning to flight operations. As a former Line Training Captain on the Falcon 900LX at Luxaviation and a pilot on medical repatriation missions at Luxembourg Air Ambulance, he brings real cockpit experience to every product decision. Today, Tom continues to fly as an active line pilot on the Falcon 900LX.

Beyond flying, Tom has served as a nominated Safety & Compliance Manager approved by Maltese aviation authorities, setting up SMS systems, leading AOC and CAMO approval processes, and conducting audits across multiple organizations. He is a certified Lead Auditor ISO 9001 and holds qualifications in Compliance Monitoring and Auditing from JAATO.

As co-founder of Aviatize, Tom's unique combination of maintenance, flight operations, safety management, and entrepreneurial experience ensures the platform addresses the real-world challenges that aviation operators face daily. His contributions to the Aviatize blog cover critical operational topics — from CFI recruitment and retention strategies to the practical economics of flight school profitability.

Articles by Tom