Availability isn’t just having parts. It’s having a system that removes friction.

Speed is usually the result of removing bottlenecks, organized so urgent requests don’t get stuck in between steps. It comes from fewer handoffs, not bigger heroics. It comes through process, capability, and coordination designed to deliver the same quality under pressure.

Every operation has two realities: the daily workload and the unexpected problems. The difference is whether your operation can handle both without slowing down.

In this episode, Sami Maalouf explains how Etihad Engineering builds that kind of one-stop shop model: integrated hangar capability, back shops and component support, engineering (Part 21), training (Part 147), and logistics positioned to support global operators.

And while structure creates speed, transparency reduces second-guessing. And second-guessing costs time. In MRO, trust and clarity often determine how quickly work moves forward.

In this conversation, we cover:

- What a one-stop shop really means and how it reduces friction

- Logistics as a competitive advantage (free zone + freighters on site)

- How Part 21 engineering support and Part 147 training strengthen execution

- Why OEM partnerships expand repair pathways and credibility

- Why trust, transparency, and flexibility still matter at the end of the day Get ready for new episodes of our podcast every other Friday. 

Learn more about our sponsor, Jet Midwest, at jetmidwest.com.

Jet Midwest is a global, multifaceted aircraft service provider. Since

1997, it has specialized in providing exceptional value to the

commercial aviation industry through complete nose-to-tail product

support solutions for passenger and cargo aircraft.

Hope is closer than you might imagine. And sometimes, the biggest impact you can make is to simply keep pushing forward.

Years ago, Craig Ferguson was deeply impacted by the loss of a close friend, Russell, to mental health struggles. That loss stayed with him. Craig chose to honor his friend by creating momentum in the opposite direction. Toward help. Toward conversation. Toward support that reaches people before it’s too late.

Today, Craig is walking 3,000 miles from Los Angeles to Boston in his kilt to raise awareness and funding for SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health). This trek is a tribute, a fundraiser, and a reminder. Support exists. Asking for help is strength. And none of us are meant to carry this alone.

And this week, Jet Midwest was given the opportunity to walk alongside him. We wanted to use our Nose to Tail platform and resources to give Craig additional support on his journey, and to help more people discover the cause behind the miles.

In this episode, we check in with Craig at the halfway mark as he walks through Kansas City, and hear what keeps him moving - physically, mentally, and emotionally.

It’s not about pushing through alone. It’s about moving forward with help.

If you’re struggling, we hope Craig’s journey opens a pathway to find support. If you’re moved by his mission, we ask that you walk with him — and help him reach more people.

Ways you can help

To donate: thetartantrek.co.uk

To follow Craig’s journey: Instagram: CraigFerguson_one (links are in his bio)

(If this resonates, share it with someone. And check in on someone.)

In this conversation, we cover:

- Why Craig started walking for mental health, and the story behind Russell

- What it’s like to keep going day after day, and keeping your mind steady

- The route so far and reaching Kansas City at the halfway mark

- Craig’s fundraising progress and how to donate / support

- Craig’s closing message to listeners: donate, follow, and get behind the cause



Please like, follow, and subscribe. Get ready for new episodes of our podcast every other Friday. 

Learn more about our sponsor, Jet Midwest, at jetmidwest.com.

Jet Midwest is a global, multifaceted aircraft service provider. Since

1997, it has specialized in providing exceptional value to the

commercial aviation industry through complete nose-to-tail product

support solutions for passenger and cargo aircraft.

What looks like speed is usually preparation.

In the MRO world, the outcomes customers rely on (turn time, quality, communication, reliability) are built long before the part arrives. They come from training, standards, repeatable execution, and the behind-the-scenes discipline most people never see.

Host Patrick Kraus (COO & Managing Director, Jet Midwest) sits down with Brandon Allen, Director of MRO Services and Accountable Manager, for a Meet the Experts conversation on what it takes to build a shop that can deliver under unpredictable constraints, especially when parts are hard to source, and timelines keep tightening.

Brandon shares how teams are developed, how new repair capability gets built, and why doing it right is the only way speed becomes sustainable.

In this conversation, we cover:

+ Brandon’s role in MRO services

+ How high-performing teams are built: hiring, training, and shop culture

+ The behind-the-scenes work people don’t see (inspection, documentation, coordination, shipping)

+ How new repair and inspection capability gets built (and scaled)

+ Parts availability pressure and how repair and internal inventory keep the work moving

+ Continuous improvement in action

+ What Brandon is most excited to tackle next, and why it matters for customers.

Please like, subscribe, and follow for more. Get ready for new episodes of our podcast every other Friday. 

Learn more about our sponsor, Jet Midwest, at jetmidwest.com.

Jet Midwest is a global, multifaceted aircraft service provider. Since

1997, it has specialized in providing exceptional value to the

commercial aviation industry through complete nose-to-tail product

support solutions for passenger and cargo aircraft.

In today’s engine market, access and lead time matter as much as parts.

What keeps programs moving is rarely one big move. It’s a series of disciplined decisions. Choosing the right path early.

Keeping records clean.

And reducing delays before they compound.

This episode launches Meet the Experts, a Nose to Tail series featuring the specialists inside Jet Midwest. Host Patrick Kraus (COO & Managing Director, Jet Midwest) sits down with Rick Tobey (Director of Engine Programs, Jet Midwest) to walk through how engine decisions actually get made, and what experienced teams do to keep work moving when timelines tighten.

This episode covers:

+ Why engine shortages continue to impact the market

+ How lead times are changing the way decisions get made

+ What DER repairs are and why they matter more than ever

+ The balance between OEM, PMA, and alternative repair strategies

+ How relationships with repair shops influence outcomes

+ What has changed in the engine market since COVID

+ Where additive manufacturing and new technology may play a role

This is a look at the reality behind engine programs. The constraints. The decisions. And the people working through them every day.



If you work in aviation, you know there is no single path to a solution. Get ready for new episodes of our podcast every other Friday. 

Learn more about our sponsor, Jet Midwest, at jetmidwest.com.

Jet Midwest is a global, multifaceted aircraft service provider. Since

1997, it has specialized in providing exceptional value to the

commercial aviation industry through complete nose-to-tail product

support solutions for passenger and cargo aircraft.

Speed is a tool. But trust is the advantage.

Speed can win a moment. Trust wins the relationship. And relationships are what people return to when the stakes are real.

That thread runs throughout this conversation: the extra effort, the follow-through, and the decisions that earn confidence over time.

Host Patrick Kraus (COO & Managing Director, Jet Midwest) sits down with Delphine Kennedy of DBK Aero to trace her path from early days around MRO work in France to building her own brokerage in the UK, and what she’s learned about leadership, relationships, and solving problems when time is the constraint.

Delphine shares how mentors shaped her approach, why she champions women in aviation, and what changes have helped the industry become more welcoming over the last two decades. She also breaks down how DBK launched during COVID, why she created the Smart Revenue Partner (SRP) program, and how AI-enabled quoting supports a small team without replacing the human side that makes the aftermarket work.

In this conversation, we cover:

• How Delphine’s early MRO exposure and AOG desk experience shaped her career

• The leadership lessons that carried from employee to entrepreneur

• What the industry can do to attract and retain more women across every level

• Aftermarket vs OEM pace, process, and decision making during AOG moments

• What SRP stands for and why Delphine built the Smart Revenue Partner program

• How AI supports 24 7 quoting while relationships still drive the outcome

• Trade show culture, building community, and why aviation stays a family

Thank you for listening to Nose to Tail. Please like and subscribe to our channel. Get ready for new episodes of our podcast every other Friday. 

Learn more about our sponsor, Jet Midwest, at jetmidwest.com.

Jet Midwest is a global, multifaceted aircraft service provider. Since

1997, it has specialized in providing exceptional value to the

commercial aviation industry through complete nose-to-tail product

support solutions for passenger and cargo aircraft.

A strong MRO brand isn’t about visuals. It’s the alignment between culture, message, and customer experience.

When those three match, trust comes faster, decisions get easier, and the market remembers you for the right reasons.

Host Patrick Kraus (COO & Managing Director, Jet Midwest) sits down with Michaela Preusser, Brand Designer and Strategist, to unpack what “branding” really means in technical industries like aviation MRO, and why the best brand work starts long before anyone touches a logo.

Michaela shares how early work in aviation and MRO led her to focus on helping technical organizations articulate who they are with clarity and confidence. So the way they show up matches the quality of the work they deliver.

In this conversation, we cover:

+ What branding actually is (and what it isn’t) in technical industries

+ Why strong brands win trust regardless of company size

+ The strategy work most teams skip—and why it costs them later

+ Why internal rollout and team buy-in determine whether a rebrand succeeds

+ Michaela’s co-creation approach and why she often presents one fully developed concept

+ How guidelines & workshops turn a brand into something teams can use consistently Get ready for new episodes of our podcast every other Friday. 

Learn more about our sponsor, Jet Midwest, at jetmidwest.com.

Jet Midwest is a global, multifaceted aircraft service provider. Since

1997, it has specialized in providing exceptional value to the

commercial aviation industry through complete nose-to-tail product

support solutions for passenger and cargo aircraft.

In this episode of Nose to Tail, host Patrick Kraus, Managing Director & COO of Jet Midwest, sits down with Milton Aguilera, President/Owner at STAR, to hear how his aviation career started in shipping and receiving and evolved into sales, leadership, and eventually launching his own repair station.

We talk about learning the business through mentors, making the jump from parts to component level MRO, and what it takes to grow capabilities while navigating today’s supply chain constraints. Milton also shares how he approaches hiring and training, and why strong customer service continues to shape the work.

Please like, subscribe, and follow along for future episodes.

Get ready for new episodes of our podcast every other Friday. 

Learn more about our sponsor, Jet Midwest, at jetmidwest.com.

Jet Midwest is a global, multifaceted aircraft service provider. Since

1997, it has specialized in providing exceptional value to the

commercial aviation industry through complete nose-to-tail product

support solutions for passenger and cargo aircraft.

In this episode of Nose to Tail, host Patrick Kraus, Managing Director and COO at Jet Midwest, speaks with Bill Wilson, Retired Airline Pilot Captain, about his path through military and commercial aviation.

Bill reflects on entering aviation through ROTC, flying the KC 135 with the US Air Force, and his time at American Airlines. The conversation explores differences between military and airline flying, changes in pilot training, and how technology has influenced the cockpit over time.

Listen to the full episode and subscribe for more. Get ready for new episodes of our podcast every other Friday. 

Learn more about our sponsor, Jet Midwest, at jetmidwest.com.

Jet Midwest is a global, multifaceted aircraft service provider. Since

1997, it has specialized in providing exceptional value to the

commercial aviation industry through complete nose-to-tail product

support solutions for passenger and cargo aircraft.

Join host Patrick Kraus, Managing Director and COO at Jet Midwest, and his guest Mark Robinson, Group President at Jet Midwest, as they dive into the intricacies of aviation lifecycle solutions, market, shares, and more.

In this episode, they discuss the impact of real estate investments on aviation, and the evolving strategies of major players like Airbus and Boeing. Mark touches on how the industry has embraced technology and data to stay ahead. He shares strategies behind effective fleet management and pricing, explores airline interior innovations, and discusses the impact of engine supply chain issues. They also reflect on the growth and development at Jet Midwest and the importance of leadership in navigating the ever-changing aviation landscape.

Tune in for an insightful discussion and expert opinions on the future of aviation. Get ready for new episodes of our podcast every other Friday. 

Learn more about our sponsor, Jet Midwest, at jetmidwest.com.

Jet Midwest is a global, multifaceted aircraft service provider. Since

1997, it has specialized in providing exceptional value to the

commercial aviation industry through complete nose-to-tail product

support solutions for passenger and cargo aircraft.

In this episode of Nose to Tail, host Patrick Kraus, Managing Director and COO of Jet Midwest, engages in an insightful conversation with Reinaldo Barroso, Managing Partner from Lift Aerospace.

They discuss Reinaldo’s journey from high school to co-founding Lift, the challenges of starting an aviation business, and the strategic approach to part sourcing. Reinaldo shares his experiences and successes in the aviation industry along with the significance of providing exceptional customer service.

Tune in to learn more. Get ready for new episodes of our podcast every other Friday. 

Learn more about our sponsor, Jet Midwest, at jetmidwest.com.

Jet Midwest is a global, multifaceted aircraft service provider. Since

1997, it has specialized in providing exceptional value to the

commercial aviation industry through complete nose-to-tail product

support solutions for passenger and cargo aircraft.