Francesco Banal is an Italian national. After his University education in Polytechnic of Turin in 1972 (degree in Aeronautical Engineering) he started his professional career at Agusta as a Flight Test Engineer. Eight years later he became Head of the Civil Certification Department. He was mainly in charge of the newly established civil certification department, especially for type certification of civil helicopters and for the related rulemaking activity in international committees.

In 1989 he joined the Italian operator Air Europe, first as Technical Director for Engineering and Maintenance until 2000 and after a short period in the same position in Air One, as Quality Manager. His responsibilities included the management of the company’s quality system approved by the Italian aviation authority in accordance with national regulations and Joint Aviation Requirements (JARs). In 2002 Francesco Banal was Quality Manager at Volare Airlines and responsible for Flight, Ground and Flight Crew Training Operations, as well as for the Engineering and Maintenance Organisations.