Digitization is changing how private aviation sells, books, and delivers service. The hard part is doing it without losing the human touch. In this live NBAA conversation, FlyHouse’s Jason Firestone and Roddie Hoyle sit down with Portia Jensen-Corsetti of Portside to map the real work behind click-to-book, from cleaner data and schedule visibility to pricing logic and operator buy-in.

They walk through what truly blocks automation today, where AI and APIs help, and why operators still need a named human on every trip to handle exceptions, AOG moments, and concierge-level requests. The goal is a seamless marketplace that lifts small operators too, not just the majors.

Inside this episode

✦ Keeping “client intimacy” while moving bookings into an app

✦ Broker knowledge turned into front-end guardrails that prevent seat and luggage surprises

✦ Back-end reality for operators: seat maps, lav seats, pets, and other gotchas that must be structured as data

✦ Why auto-pricing stalls: FBO fee files, special event fees, and inconsistent inputs

✦ A practical automation path: filter spam RFPs, pre-build quotes, and let humans verify and send

✦ Schedule truth vs optimism: crew medicals, maintenance slips, and dentist-appointment conflicts

✦ Implementation that sticks: internal champions, retraining cycles, and security comfort with cloud systems

✦ Why UX and brand will decide which apps win once everyone has one

✦ The DoorDash lesson: service recovery and ease of transaction keep users on platform

✦ How marketplaces can spotlight mom-and-pop operators and create new demand

Whether you run a two-aircraft certificate or a national fleet, this is a blueprint for scaling with tech while staying personal where it counts.

Sponsored By:

Charter Flight Support — Coverage that protects your mission when a mechanical stops your aircraft and helps you source backup lift fast. charterflightsupport.com

Video Valet — Up to 1.2M movies, shows, and magazines onboard with no Wi-Fi needed. Mention Iron Bird to get one custom iPad free. videovalet.io

✈️ The Iron Bird Podcast brings real conversations from the cockpit, boardroom, and hangar to the people who care about doing private aviation right.

Catch every episode at flyironbird.com.