Jamie Walker, executive chairman of Jetlink, recently returned to a more active role after a 2-year break. Jetlink focuses on a local market approach, with private terminals or partnerships in over 20 locations. They have found success in acquiring and integrating smaller local charter operators. However, they have struggled with illegal charter competition in some markets. Walker emphasises Jetlink's commitment to safety and quality, and their plans to continue growing their dome...

The challenges of attracting talent to the business aviation industry have not gone away. Especially for roles like pilots and mechanics. Neil believes there may be a shortage of talent but there is also a shortage of attracting talent. Retaining talent, especially mechanics, can be difficult due to compensation differences compared to commercial aviation. Providing career development opportunities and making employees feel valued are important. There are cultural differences between business...

Join us this week with Mark Hardman, the founder of the business aviation company RightJet. Mark and Alasdair discuss the company's growth over the past 5 years, including expanding their showroom presence in the UAE and focusing on providing a full suite of services - from aircraft sales and charter to management. Mark shares his extensive background in the industry, having started in aviation 40 years ago at Stansted Airport. He talks about the evolution of business aviation, particularly i...

"It's a relationship business" Ted Farid, Chairman at Jet HQ spoke to us this week about his 50+ year career in the business aviation industry. Ted touches upon the dramatic technological and global changes that the industry has undergone over his career, from the early days of Blackberries to today's ubiquitous connectivity. Evolution of aircraft design, shifting from engineer-focused to more customer-centric as business jets became viewed as "office in the air". Finally, Ted ref...

Anthony Tivnan, from Magellan Jets, discussed the company's aviation solutions, including on-demand charter, jet cards, aircraft sales and management, and a new fractional programme. Magellan has invested heavily in technology and AI to improve efficiency and the customer experience, such as integrating the Stellar platform, developing internal AI expertise, and automating various processes. Tivnan emphasised the importance of change management and education when implementing AI, ...

Stewart Lapayowker, founder of Lapayowker Jet Counsel, fell into aviation law early in his legal career when a partner at his law firm asked him to handle a private jet transaction. This meant that he had to learn the industry from scratch. To prevent this happening to others, he has just published his first book: Buying a private jet? What you don't know'. His advice for first-time private jet buyers is to assemble the right team of experts and not try to handle the process themselves....

Fabian Bello, CEO of Journey Aviation and author of 'Remade in America', shares his personal story of immigrating to the US from Cuba as a child and the journey that led him to a successful career in business aviation. He discusses the challenges and rewards of running an aircraft management company, navigating the complex relationships with aircraft owners, brokers and passengers. Bello also reflects on the importance of managing expectations and being transparent with clients. A...

This CJI podcast episode welcomes Phil Winters, Vice President of Western Aircraft and Chair of the International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA). Phil discusses IADA's role in setting standards for aircraft transactions, the evolution of the single-engine turboprop market, and the challenges facing aircraft manufacturers and dealers, including tariffs on Swiss-made aircraft. He shares his personal journey into aviation and aircraft sales, as well as insights on the difference...

In this episode, David Dixon reflects on his remarkable 50-year career in aviation, which began with selling small piston aircraft in Africa before transitioning to business jets, including a 33-year tenure at Bombardier. He explores the evolution of the business jet market, highlighting the distinct challenges and opportunities in Asia compared to North America and Europe, where infrastructure limitations and cultural nuances significantly influence sales strategies. Dixon contr...

Craig Picken is an executive recruiter, ICF-trained executive coach, writer, and speaker who specialises in the business aviation and aerospace industry. With over 400 executive-level searches completed since 2008, he focuses on placing senior leadership, sales, and operations talent with top OEMs, aircraft operators, financial institutions, and MRO providers. Craig is unique in the industry - he has flown aircraft, sold them, and successfully run profit-and-loss operations in aviation busine...

In this episode, Dustin Cordier - founder of Step Zero, a coaching platform for business owners - shares how he helps leaders grow their businesses with intention, clarity, and long-term purpose. Drawing from his background in the Air Force, banking, and aircraft sales, Cordier now focuses on supporting family-owned and entrepreneurial companies, especially within the aviation industry. He talks about the importance of planning for the future - whether that means preparing to pass a business ...

The Corporate Jet Investor podcast features Ben Shirazi, founder and owner of Smart Jets, who shares his extensive experience in the business aviation industry. Ben discusses his early start in the family business, selling his first aircraft before turning 18, and the evolution of his ventures - Smart Jets for aircraft brokerage and VIP Completions for cabin retrofitting. He emphasises the importance of trust, value-driven acquisitions, and the increasing demand for advanced connectivity and ...

In this episode of the Corporate Jet Investor podcast, Alasdair Whyte chats with Garrett Jerde, founder of JetHQ, about his unexpected journey from aspiring airline pilot to launching one of business aviation’s fastest-growing brokerages. Garrett explains how an internship at Raytheon Aircraft ignited his passion for corporate aviation, leading him around the world - delivering aircraft, navigating economic turbulence, and ultimately founding JetHQ in Dubai at the age of 28. He discusse...

This recorded Corporate Jet Investor Town Hall session dives into bonus depreciation for business aircraft, featuring insights from tax and aviation experts Ryan D’Amour (MySky), Angel Hook (Hook & Christensen), and David Shannon (Lewis Brisbois). The panel explains how the 100% first-year tax deduction works, emphasising that it should only factor into purchases when the aircraft is truly needed for business—not as a standalone incentive. Key considerations include strict IRS compliance ...

Brad Harris, president and CEO, Dallas Jet explains how he puts "make offer" on listings to make potential buyers contact his firm and start communicating. In this interview, he explains how he started selling jets, why he loves building relationships and why AI will aid, but never take over aircraft sales. Harris also explains how Shawn Dinning - now senior partner at Dallas Jet - got his job.

Jason Zilberbrand, president of VREF the aircraft valuation company, believes the pre-owned aircraft market is changing . He sees demand slowing, financing getting harder, high interest rates, and rising operational costs and geo-political uncertainty hitting values. Zilberbrand also delves into his personal path from promoting punk concerts in college to working at JSSI, the company his father launched, launching a brokerage, and eventually acquiring VREF.

Luiz Sandler, the founder of Jet Match, takes us through the complexities of doing deals in Brazil (the world's second largest business jet market). Sandler started his business aviation career at Embraer and also sold new aircraft for Gulfstream. He never thought he would end up as a salesperson and warns that it is a tough business: "Life is more about dealing with frustration than dealing with success." Sandler discusses: the differences between selling new and pre-owned aircraft; how sell...

Alireza Ittihadieh founded Freestream Aircraft 33 years ago. In this open podcast he criticises rival aircraft brokers for undervaluing their expertise. "The dealer side is still rewarding but today, unfortunately, broking has become nothing more than a commodity," he says. "Today some companies treat you like you are providing toilet paper to the company." Ittihadieh now focuses on dealing large business jets - buying them and then making a margin when you sell them on. He believes that ther...

The recent changes in trade tariffs have sparked significant discussion in the aviation industry, particularly regarding cross-border aircraft transactions. In this insightful panel discussion, industry experts break down the implications of these new tariffs and what they mean for buyers, sellers, and operators. Key Discussion Points: Are Canadian aircraft now exempt or facing new challenges?How will tariffs be applied to European-made aircraft, and what are the compliance requirements?Could...