Who is Bruce Lunardi from Airborn and what is their importance?

At seventeen or eighteen years of age, Bruce is as handsome as a matinee star. His jacket collar sports junior sailmaker insignias on each corner and stamped right into the fabric is a small steering wheel in gold. His father, Otto Lunardi owns the Aurora and several other airships. As a result, when Bruce fails to adequately establish himself as the heir apparent to his father's fortune, his father consigns him to the Aurora for a two year period. Otto promises Bruce that if after two years he hasn't carved out a niche for himself on the Aurora, he will allow him to pursue any other business opportunity of his choice.

When Bruce comes aboard the Aurora, he discovers how his presence usurped the position that was promised to Matt. Though he apologizes, he is unable to change the circumstances. After the Aurora is attacked by pirates and crash lands, Bruce is assigned to help Matt find Kate who had gone in search of the Cloud Cat they had seen the day before. When they find her, she has already discovered its nest and in an effort to photograph it, Bruce is attacked and bitten. The wound is deep and becomes infected over night, but it doesn't stop Bruce from helping Matt and Kate to regain control of the Aurora after pirates take her over. Bruce is shot and killed when he is caught shutting off the fuel to the engines to stop the pirates from returning to the island for reinforcements.