The Aerospace Executive Podcast

We live in a society that teaches that there’s only two paths, win or lose. But the path to success isn’t that simple, and one key ingredient of success is learning from failure. The truth is, there’s no such thing as failure. As Nelson Mandela so famously quoted, “I either win, or I learn.” Even when things don’t seem to be working out, we’re learning valuable lessons. To succeed in business and...

The world we once knew no longer exists, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. We can now rethink and reaffirm our values as business leaders.  But are we changing or transitioning? There is a difference! Whichever it is we’re doing, communicating who we serve and what we stand for is the key to success.   Michael Alan Tate, author of Roll Up Your Sleeves, returns and discusses what it takes to...

It may be an act of God, but is force majeure a realistic path to go down? Mark Ditto, Vedder Price Shareholder and Attorney, explains how stakeholders are responding to this and other pertinent legal issues in our current commercial aviation reality.   At the end of the day, we’ve got to look to the future. If we use force majeure as a reason not to pay bills, it puts us in a precarious position...

Airlines and Dinosaurs… Fighting off extinction! How does the industry rebuild? With so much uncertainty, it will be difficult to plan a way forward, but it’s not all doom and gloom – people WILL want to travel again. We just have to figure out how to stay afloat until demand fully returns.  Leasing industry veteran and CEO / Chief Investment Officer at Warbird Capital LLC, Nick Pastushan joins me...

COVID brought CHAOS! It will also bring out two groups of people – those who will use it as a chance to grow and those who will bury their heads in the sand. I find it ironic that most of the opportunity comes during times of uncertainty…How many new businesses were started during the great recession? How many millions were minted during the Savings & Loan crisis? How many took advantage of a rece...

What makes a Navy SEAL a Navy Seal? Why did 25% of my Officer Candidate School classmates quit training in the first week? Why does your top sales exec produce exponentially better results than your bottom one? It can be summed up in one word – GRIT! Those who talk about the dream and those who actually accomplish it. People with grit have the determination to get things done, no matter the circum...

In the wake of COVID-19 it is time to look forward and use the pandemic as an opportunity to improve. How can we use AI to take aviation forward and shape the future? Neil Sahota, author of Own the AI Revolution, returns to the show to share how to rebuild the aviation industry.     The aviation industry as we know it has changed: we have to start changing the way we think about business.  -Neil S...

What should leaders be doing NOW to ensure the future of aviation? Competing or Cooperating? On this episode, transformational CEO Hooman Yazhari shares how leaders should respond to the looming economic crisis.   Like it or not, people are scared of getting into aircrafts at the moment. We have to work together as an industry to think of how to make them feel reassured. -Hooman Yazhari   Takeaway...

Leaders must find ways to push their teams through change and chaos to deliver outstanding results, but how do you do so when the world changes in an instant? Brigadier General William C. ‘Bill’ David (US Army ret.) shares how to execute change, lead teams and manage expectations in rapidly changing environments.   Stay calm if you can, talk to your customers and talk to your employees. -Bill Davi...

Neil Sohata, author of Own the AI Revolution, discusses this controversial topic and how it will affect Aviation. Will AI ever replace us and should we feel threatened? Listen to Neil’s vision to find out…   There’s no need to feel threatened by AI: it’s meant to enhance our capabilities, not replace them. -Neil Sahota   Takeaways + Tactics  AI will transform the aircraft manufacturing process Air...

Ageing aircraft and engines can present unique challenges for aircraft owners, but massive opportunities for those who can support them cost effectively. Marc Drobny, President of StandardAero Business Aviation, is seeing opportunities to drive his business forward by offering creative solutions to his customers.  Long-term, Covid-19 is going to be a stimulus for business aviation. This will chang...

Urban Air Mobility is the hot topic in aviation. But what will it entail?  On this episode, Peter Schmidt, Co-Founder of Transcend Air Corporation, and Mark Ozenick, CEO of Rotorcraft Newco, discuss what will define Urban Mobility, the technologies required and how Transcend’s Vy400 aircraft design will change market dynamics. The right aircraft lets us break through the barriers of congestions ch...

Urban Air Mobility is the hot topic in aviation. But what will it entail?  On this episode, Peter Schmidt, Co-Founder of Transcend Air Corporation, and Mark Ozenick, CEO of Rotorcraft Newco, discuss what will define Urban Mobility, the technologies required and how Transcend’s Vy400 aircraft design will change market dynamics. The right aircraft lets us break through the barriers of congestions ch...

Hooman Yazhari is Vice Chairman at Bristow Group and a BOD member with Voyager Aviation as well. During his relatively short career, he has led four companies through very challenging times, including two complete restructurings. His experience and compassion create a great playbook for current and future business leaders. In this episode, we discuss the short and medium-term challenges the aviati...

What is the next frontier in air travel? How can we make long-haul flights more bearable for passengers and what are the risks of not using sustainable fuels in the future? Business Aviation expert Richard Emery shares his views on the future of business aviation.  The next frontier in aviation is definitely speed. That’s what we should be looking into. -Richard Emery Takeaways + Tactics  The next...

The COVID-19 epidemic is a bit like a hurricane.  Let’s get through it together.   Panicking is more dangerous than hunkering down. -Craig Picken  Takeaways + Tactics Hurricanes are scary, but they do pass and life will return to normal.  Focusing on one metric or putting your eggs in one basket is never a good thing.    Airlines are parking airplanes and doing limited maintenance of Safety of Fli...

A deep look into industry trends will help anticipate that which is yet to come.  Brian Foley, Forbes contributor and founder of AvStrategies, shares his expert insights on how business aviation will move forward in 2020 and beyond.  The winners in business aviation will be those with new, innovative products. -Brian Foley   Takeaways + Tactics  Innovation is vital. To be a winner tomorrow, compan...

The business aviation space saw a slight decrease in transactions in the past year, but there are still ample opportunities in the market. Don Dwyer, Managing Partner at Guardian Jet, shares why he’s bullish on business aircraft sales.    Don’t panic about major changes in the industry just yet. Carbon footprint-related changes in the industry won’t be our reality for some time. -Don Dwyer   Takea...

The new challenge in Business Aviation is catering to a new generation of aircraft owners and flyers. On this episode, FBO Director of Sales for Fontainebleau Aviation, Anthony Banome shares his thoughts on keeping the FBO flourishing in the future. Focus on speeding up your responsiveness- younger owners are typically pretty savvy with communication and response time. -Anthony Banome Takeaways +...

It’s the end of New Year Resolution Season. How are yours coming along?  On this episode, we talk about eliminating resolutions and substituting them with small, actionable habits and routines that get results.   Tie your goals to a metric- it gives you something more concrete to work on. -Matt Johnson   Takeaways + Tactics  Resolutions are thoughts and wishes, while habits are action. Create simp...

The abrupt dismissal of Boeing CEO, Dennis Muilenburg, proves that all jobs have a shelf life. How can we extend ours and is there any risk in having conversations with other industry players? On this episode, we share the power of networking and how to make our career opportunities unlimited. Go to conferences, and pay your way if need be. See what’s out there and learn something. -Craig Picken  ...

Creating a better team, with a clear vision, is like riding a bike. It’s a simple matter of ensuring everyone gets a smooth and comfortable ride. Rich Allen, author, speaker and business advisor at Tour de Profit, Rich Allen, shares why building a business is like riding a bike. If any function of a bike goes down, it becomes unrideable. No part is more important than another - whether on a bicycl...

Negotiations can be uncomfortable, difficult and even contentious. Former Hostage Negotiator Derek Gaunt, author of “Ego, Authority, Failure”, teaches business leaders to gain trust and negotiate evenly when emotions are running high.  Every difficult conversation is a guided discovery process. -Derek Gaunt   Takeaways + Tactics  A negotiation is nothing more than a difficult conversation. Discomf...

Peak performance is what gets us to the next level, but it doesn’t come easy. What do peak performers have in common? David Butler, Performance Coach, World-Class Athlete and experienced business leader, discusses what it takes for us to reach our goals.  Part of mental toughness is understanding that there’s a long-term benefit and a short-term pain in getting what you want to achieve. -David But...

Transitioning to a leadership role can be overwhelming. Are you mentally prepared for the task? President of Ordinary Hero Coaching Jason Roncoroni shares best practices to transition into bigger roles. People who adapt will thrive, and those who don’t will be left behind. -Craig Picken   Takeaways + Tactics  Stop attaching identity (title) to positions. To thrive, we have to become our most authe...