Jet Blast

The Jet Blast team had their first repeat guest!!! We were able to work some time in with Jessie Naor of Grandview Aviation before she took off for a couple of events, including speaking at CJI London. When we first talked to Jessie way back in July of 2020 (why does that feel like a hundred years ago????) she was in the early stages of her industry involvement as an advocate for safe and legal charter operations. Since we had our first conversation, there were big changes at Grandview and she is now on the Board of Directors for NATA and the Executive Committee Vice Chair for the Air Charter Safety Foundation.

It was great to catch up with Jessie on all the changes at Grandview as well as how her path is taking her from advocate to icon as Nathan has now christened her.

We didn't have any goat talk this week, but Andy did get a haircut, so that was pretty big news. And Lee got out of going ice fishing again.

Jessie Naor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessienaor

Grandview Aviation: https://fygv.com

NATA: https://www.nata.aero

Air Charter Safety Foundation:https://www.acsf.aero

Business aviation is booming, and the hype around different players has garnered interest everywhere, including private equity, SPACs, and venture capital, to name a few. In this episode, we had the opportunity to chat with Michael Riegel and gain insight into the current state of the business aviation industry, what the influxes of cash will mean, and how to interpret the data to look past the hype.

Unfortunately, Nathan’s airplanes got in the way this week, so Andy and Lee were on their own. After some goat and island talk, Michael dove in to give his perspective and answer questions a few underlying questions about financial health. You won’t find Michael on all the social media platforms, but he shares his thoughts and analysis on LinkedIn. Give him a follow and ask questions; the discussions in his comments are some of the best!

Michael Riegel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-riegel-mba-msc-fraes-963109b/

When we think about business & private aviation, we usually think about luxury and convenience, it is the go-to perception and the most obvious, but it is so much more. On this episode Nathan, Andy, and Lee got talk to Sarah Kiehl and Stephen Burgess of Fireside Partners and we talked about how business aviation is an integral piece in stepping up when the unimaginable happens. Sarah and Stephen are part of the Air SOS team that helps people and organizations manage the logistics of bringing someone back home when they pass. 

We discussed the logistics and what it takes, but so much of it is encompassed in empathy, compassion, and a dedication to dignity for all parties. This discussion got a little deep, but these are the tough subjects that we need to think about. If you are managing people who are traveling and flying all over the world, you MUST have a plan and/or a contact for these types of situations. Do you address it in your ERP? Do you have a list of contacts to start moving and to help with the complexities of a tragedy?

As always it is the people that make our conversations educational and enjoyable and Sarah and Stephen are some of the best! We did take some time to talk about their volunteer work and causes that are very important to them and you can find the links below. Now you know, we did have to touch on Andy and his goats, but Stephen did say he could work out special plans if necessary. And if you didn't make the connection, Sarah is the mojo behind the legend that is Andy Kiehl. 😉

Fireside Partners Worldwide Emergency Response Specialists: https://firesideteam.com/

Sara Kiehl on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-kiehl-9674981a2/

Stephen Burgess on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-burgess/

The one and only Erika Armstrong joined us for a casual conversation on all things aviation. If you don't know Erika, you must follow her on LinkedIn. Some of the best aviation content, a great combination of candor, conversation, evaluation, and fun from an exceptional pilot and true professional. We can cover so many topics with Erika; of course, we touched on her aviation story, her book, "A Chick in the Cockpit," training, the pilot shortage, and a few other things. We will undoubtedly have to have her back.

One takeaway from our conversation on pilot training and, of course, life, in general, is "don't focus on what has failed, focus on what is working."  We know how we can apply that to our personal and professional lives, but it is probably Andy's approach with his goats too; he is certainly not focusing on the failures.

Erika Armstrong on LInkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/achickinthecockpitb727/

Get a copy of "A Chick in the Cockpit": https://www.amazon.com/Chick-Cockpit-My-Life-Air/dp/1933016140

Taking a look at the big picture takes SMS (Safety Management System) beyond the paper and becomes a culture, our guest Tim Wade, Director of Environmental, Health, & Safety, at Constant Aviation takes us through their experience of becoming one of the first MRO's to be recognized by the FAA as having a single and integrated SMS and why it's working. Tim hits the high points of what makes a good SMS and how it needs to fit the people, not making the people fit the paper. Change the way people think and don't add extra work that doesn't make sense.

Tim and the team at Constant are always available to help out the aviation industry and are very generous with their time and expertise. Be sure and reach out if you have questions. Tim did point out that he isn't sure about the safety regulations in the ag industry, so Andy is probably alone in dealing with his goats.

Tim Wade on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/twade889/ 

Constant Aviation: https://www.constantaviation.com/

A constant in aviation is that it is always changing and how flight departments operate is no exception. This episode we spoke to Andy Nixon's hero, the legend himself, Andy Kiehl with EJM. A graduate of the aviation program at Purdue University, Mr. Kiehl (easier to call him Mr, than Andy Nixon 😊), he started as an intern and worked his way up to his current position as one of their VP's of Fleet Maintenance. Our discussion centered around what does a management company do and what you should look for, what you should ask about when considering a management company, and some red flags. As always our discussions go in different directions and Mr. Kiehl also dove into how company culture drives how they operate and what it has meant to him and his career.

Mr. Andrew "Andy" Kiehl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-kiehl-5b07136/

Executive Jet Management (EJM): https://www.executivejetmanagement.com/s/

After about a 6-month hiatus that saw all kinds of changes, including Lee joining Nathan and the team at Thoroughbred, we thought highlighting Jenny Showalter was a perfect opportunity for us to get back in the game. Jenny was born into business aviation and quickly realized that this was where she wanted to be. This year the stars aligned, and she was able to combine her passion for helping people with her love of the industry when she launched her new business Showalter Business Aviation Career Coaching. We had a great time discussing what led her to start her own business and a frank discussion on mental health and challenges pilots can face as they balance self-care with disclosures during a medical.

As a founding member of CFBAA, Jenny also gave us the scoop on the 2023 CFBAA Business Aviation Day; mark your calendars for April 14th! Check out these highlights from the 2022 event to get yourself ready for next year!

Jenny Showalter LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennyshowalter/

Showalter Business Aviation Career Coaching: https://www.showalter.com/

Central Florida Business Aviation Association: https://cfbaa.org/

Season 2 Episode 19 - Your hosts spent time together talking about experiences and observations from this year's NBAA BACE. This conversation includes a discussion around the evolution of the industry and hypothesizing about where the hosts feel like the industry will go in time. If you attended BACE we would love to hear your experiences and observations compared to previous years. We appreciate your feedback and support!

Season 2 Episode 18 - Your hosts took a little life break but we are back at it with our first repeat guest, Jordan Scales. If you don't know Jordan you should connect with him on LinkedIn - we have included a link below. Jordan is one of the many YoPros that define our industry today and will certainly be a defining leader in business aviation for years to come. Listen in to learn about how Jordan is giving back and creating real and meaningful pathways for students to business aviation. One way his through his new foundation - The Conduit. You will want to follow Jordan because there are big things on the horizon for the work Jordan is doing. Also, another big way Jordan gives back is through active participation in Auburn University's Aviation Day which is coming up November 9th through the 11th. This event is chocked full of great content, static displays, and meaningful networking. If you want to learn how you or your company can support Auburn Aviation Day reach out to Jordan on LinkedIn.

Jordan Scales - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanscales/

Season 2 episode 17 Innovation has been a hallmark throughout the career of this week's guest, Darrell Frey. Listen as Nathan, Lee, and Andy chat with Darrell Frey, President of New World Aviation and Senior Vice President of Journey Aviation, about his aviation story. Darrell has been on the front lines of creating many services that owners and operators of business aircraft now expect. The Jet Blast team feels like we all as an industry owe Darrell a debt of gratitude for his contributions. Check out the links below to learn more about Darrell and his businesses.

Darrell Frey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrell-frey-6105b335/

New World Aviation: https://newworldaviation.com

Journey Aviation: https://journeyflight.com