Lojze Žumer is a leader of GIO pilot group. In his long and rich career he flew to many European, Asian and north African local airports.
Because of his experience and professional work he became real legend for his co-workers in company GIO.
He has been flying for 23 years. He was always working on top positions in business aviation companies – Iskra, Smelt and now in GIO. His main task is arranging crews for flights. That means that every pilot flies approximately equal number of hours monthly. He takes care of preparing flights, schooling of pilots and that the aircrafts are technically impeccable. He says that he has a lot of administrative work. Of course he has been also flying but not for commercial intentions.


From engineer of electro technology to pilot
At first he had been working as an engineer of electro technology. During his studies he was visiting the airport in Polje where he also started to fly. He made the decision in 1967 when he attained the license for power plane in Ljubljana aero club. He flew with planes Aero 3, Kurir and Ibis 180. Then he got the license for professional pilot and learned instrumental flying on Moravia L-210.

He flew 1.200 hours with government Cessna
In 1977 Lojze Žumer left director position in Iskra and became a professional pilot. He flew about 1.200 with government Cessna. Then he went back to Iskra where he flew with Cessna conquest. Then he continued his career in Smelt and now in GIO business aviation.

Work of pilot demands the whole person
“Work of a leader and work of a pilot always demands the whole person. Especially in business aviation where the timetable is really full. I was not at home for more days,” he says. “For such profession it is necessary that the family understands you.”

He was realizing most hidden airports
Because above all business planes fly on destinations that the client wishes he realized many European, Asian and African local airports. In 80’s and 90’s he often came across the problems at local aircraft authorities, especially in eastern Europe and Russia where they still weren’t using English for communicating of air traffic control. “When I flew to former Soviet Union I almost always had to land in Moscow where they assigned me a navigator and then he was communicating with their air traffic control. Also their navigation devices were different of those that we used. I realized airports that were mostly in administration of army and weren’t written down on maps that we used. Without the help of a local navigator flying in that part of the world was almost impossible for us. But now things became better.”
Lojze Žumer says that he will insist in aviation as long as they’ll need his knowledge and experiences. It’s true that it would be difficult to find someone in Slovenia with more knowledge and experiences.

Business planes lands on special terminals at airports
Business aviation is expression for business flights with smaller, comfortable and fast aircrafts and the client chooses where to go, says Danica Šprah from GIO. Businessman can start his travel with the plane whenever he wants and finish it whenever he wants. During the traveling he can change the time of return. The advantage of business flights is that there are special terminals for business planes on all airports, where boundary and customs formalities are shortened per minimum. Some big cities have also special airports for business planes. For example: in London Beggin Hill and Le Bourget in Paris.

Businesspeople of companies which know how to appreciate time, comfort and advantages, that this kind of transport offers them, is flying with us, says Danica Šprah from company GIO Business aviation.