Flight departments are no longer operating in the environment they were built for.

It used to be a CEO-aligned function. 

Now it's often pushed deeper into the organization. Reporting to leaders who may not even use the aircraft, competing for budget, and forced to justify its existence like any other business unit. 

At the same time, the expectations placed on aviation directors have expanded dramatically. The problem? Most were never developed for that role.

When we began shaping The Business Aviation Book: Leading Operational Excellence, it became clear that before you can teach operational excellence, you have to redefine the role itself. That's why Steve's perspective didn't just fit into the book; it became Chapter One.

Today, Steve Brechter of Greystone Advisors breaks down why so many leaders are struggling to adapt. He outlines the competencies that now define success and the leadership gaps quietly reshaping the industry.

What You'll Discover in This Episode

• Why the aviation director role has moved away from the CEO, and how that changes everything about influence, budget, and survival

• The critical mistake of promoting top technical performers into leadership roles without developing business capability

• The five competencies modern aviation leaders actually need (and why most are missing at least two)

• How financial fluency, not flight hours, has become a defining leadership advantage

• Why flight departments are shutting down, and how weak internal "marketing" is often the real cause

• The overlooked importance of presence inside the corporate office (and why "two offices" is now essential)

• The difference between training and development, and why this gap is quietly driving turnover, frustration, and leadership failure 

Guest Bio

Steve Brechter is a Senior Advisor, Operations at Gray Stone Advisors, where he helps organizations improve performance through operational excellence, leadership development, and strategic transformation. With a career spanning over four decades, Steve has held senior leadership roles across business aviation and industrial sectors, including serving as Chief Operating Officer of NetJets and leading United Technologies' corporate flight operation, UTFlight, to become the first in the world to achieve ISO9000 certification. He began his career at United Technologies Corporation, rising through engineering, manufacturing, and executive leadership roles, including VP of Quality and Environmental Health & Safety. Steve holds both an MS in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he was named a Distinguished Alumnus, and continues to serve on multiple nonprofit boards. Learn more or connect with Steve via Greystone Advisors' website or professional networks. 

About Your Host

Dr. Chris Broyhill is the industry's most respected authority on business aviation compensation. An industry veteran with over 43 years of aviation experience, Dr. Broyhill has led several scientific research projects on personnel retention, compensation, and leadership for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) since 2017.

Dr. Chris holds a Ph.D. in Aviation and has published two books that feature the results of his work. He's also an outstanding graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons School, an NBAA Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) Fellow, and a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP).

Resources

Get the Data, Win the Negotiation, Stay in the Business You Love. To get your compensation report, visit AirCompCalculator.com. We have a range of options for different scenarios and budgets, from validating a specific job offer, to packages for entire departments.

Check out this episode on our website, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more leaders in business aviation. Thank you!

Flight departments are stretched thin.

Aviation Directors spend more time fighting fires than leading.

Organizations are going through massive shifts in culture and reporting structure.

When Mike and I looked at this landscape, we knew something was missing. A resource needed to be created. So we split the workload in half and rolled up our sleeves.

Two years later, we realized we'd made a fundamental mistake…a leadership mistake. 

Today Mike Nichols joins us to share the genesis of The Business Aviation Book: Leading Operational Excellence, the shift that unlocked the completion of the book, and  how we aimed the book at the key challenges facing modern flight departments.

What You'll Discover in This Episode

• The real reason aviation directors spend their days firefighting instead of leading…and why even the largest flight departments are structured almost to prevent great leadership 

• The most limiting mindset a flight department leader can have… and the broader framework the industry desperately needs to adopt

• Why Mike walked away from a Senior VP role he loved at the peak of his career…and the uncomfortable question he asked himself that drove him to take drastic action

• Why the "Chairman's Chariot" era is over… and what it means for every flight department leader who still thinks job security comes from the corner office upstairs

• The uncomfortable truth about how most Aviation Directors got their role…and how this directly leads to the leadership crisis we're facing

• How the industry's most important annual leadership conference can deliver lots of inspiration, yet very little change…and what actually has to happen for leadership development to stick

• Why Mike Nichols believes some flight departments should close…and how the role of some flight departments may radically shift in the coming years

Guest Bio

Mike Nichols (CAM, CAE, IOM) is the founder of Flieger Strategies, a consulting company serving non-profit organizations, private/business aviation companies, and aircraft owners/operators. Flieger's primary client is the Piper M-Class Owners & Pilots Association (PMOPA) and the PMOPA Safety & Education Foundation where Mike serves as CEO. Nichols was a senior executive at National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) where he worked for 18 years. During his tenure at NBAA, Nichols advocated for the business aviation industry on FAA rule making committees, effectively preventing the implementation of onerous regulations while facilitating those that enhance safety and operations (among many other accomplishments). He is also an active instrument-rated private pilot and owns a Grumman Tiger aircraft. Connect with Mike on LinkedIn.

About Your Host

Dr. Chris Broyhill is the industry's most respected authority on business aviation compensation. An industry veteran with over 43 years of aviation experience, Dr. Broyhill has led several scientific research projects on personnel retention, compensation, and leadership for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) since 2017.

Dr. Chris holds a Ph.D. in Aviation and has published two books that feature the results of his work. He's also an outstanding graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons School, an NBAA Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) Fellow, and a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP).

Resources

Get the Data, Win the Negotiation, Stay in the Business You Love. To get your compensation report, visit AirCompCalculator.com. We have a range of options for different scenarios and budgets, from validating a specific job offer, to packages for entire departments.

Check out this episode on our website, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more leaders in business aviation. Thank you!

A Vietnam-era fighter pilot who landed in a mud pit.

A 34-chapter encyclopedia of business aviation wisdom. 

A new data-driven method for analyzing flight department compensation.

It took all those factors…and years of flight department leadership…to create one epiphany. A breakthrough insight into business aviation's current crisis.

I'm your host, Dr. Chris Broyhill. In this first episode, I break down this quiet crisis and how I created The Flight Department Show to address it. 

Through stories, anecdotes, and real-world data, I hope you'll see the crisis the way I do…as an opportunity. By leveling up our skills in one key area, we can get ourselves and our people paid fairly, create a culture of belonging, and stay in the business we all love.

Here's what You'll Discover in This Episode

• What a Vietnam-era fighter pilot who landed in a mud pit taught me about leadership…and why you've almost certainly never met a business aviation leader you'd "follow into war"

• The missing ingredient to getting paid fairly…so you can stay in the business you love

• The overlooked factors that drive retention…or drive good people out of your flight department

• The hidden downside of flying for the airlines…and why moving into business aviation was one of my best decisions

• The most dangerous words a flight department leader can say to themselves

• The "Leadership Lab" hiding inside the military…that exposed the same deficiencies our industry suffers from today

• How a one-question LinkedIn poll revealed an uncomfortable truth about business aviation leadership

• The conversation most flight department leaders are too uncomfortable to have…and the skills it takes to have the conversation and win

About Your Host

Dr. Chris Broyhill is the industry's most respected authority on business aviation compensation. An industry veteran with over 43 years of aviation experience, Dr. Broyhill has led several scientific research projects on personnel retention, compensation, and leadership for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) since 2017.

Dr. Chris holds a Ph.D. in Aviation and has published two books that feature the results of his work. He's also an outstanding graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons School, an NBAA Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) Fellow, and a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP).

Resources

Get the Data, Win the Negotiation, Stay in the Business You Love. To get your compensation report, visit AirCompCalculator.com. We have a range of options for different scenarios and budgets, from validating a specific job offer, to packages for entire departments.

Check out this episode on our website, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more leaders in business aviation. Thank you!

The only business aviation show that will make you a better leader…so you make more money, get your people treated fairly, and stay in the business you love.

We have a leadership crisis in business aviation. But through conversations with Aviation Directors, leaders and experts, you'll come away with practical, actionable steps to become the leader you were meant to be.

From inside secrets to managing up your internal reporting executive…and simple steps to handle change more effectively…to powerful insights to setting a culture of belonging in your flight dept.

You'll also learn how to uncover hidden pay raises… avoid dinner-table mistakes that make you look irresponsible to your partner or spouse… and how to walk into your next comp review armed with an approach HR respects and responds to.

This show has one mission - make you a better Business Aviation Leader. Because when you're a better leader, you're better equipped to stay in the business you love.

About Your Host

Dr. Chris Broyhill is the industry's most respected authority on business aviation compensation. An industry veteran with over 43 years of aviation experience, Dr. Broyhill has led several scientific research projects on personnel retention, compensation, and leadership for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) since 2017.

Dr. Chris holds a Ph.D. in Aviation and has published two books that feature the results of his work. He's also an outstanding graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons School, an NBAA Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) Fellow, and a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP).

For years, business aviation has relied on familiar hiring patterns: the known network, the same backgrounds, the same assumptions about who is "qualified," and the same narrow definitions of merit.

But in an industry facing real talent pressure, that approach is becoming harder to defend.

The conversation around diversity often becomes politicized before the real business issue gets addressed. Jennifer Pickerel of Aviation Personnel International brings the discussion back to where it belongs: culture, fit, readiness, and varied perspectives. 

Jennifer was the right person to write one of the most important and difficult chapters in The Business Aviation Book: Leading Operational Excellence.

Her point is that many flight departments talk about standards, but few have clearly defined what those standards actually are.

If "best person for the job" only means the person who looks most familiar on paper, leaders may be missing capable candidates, importing cultural problems, and creating teams with dangerous blind spots.

In this episode, Jennifer explains why diverse thinking is not a slogan; it is an operational advantage. She also breaks down what flight departments need to do before bringing different backgrounds into the room.

What You'll Discover in This Episode

• Why "best person for the job" is often more subjective than aviation leaders realize

• How narrow hiring filters can create groupthink, even inside technically excellent flight departments

• Why cultural fit should not be confused with hiring people who already feel familiar

• The hidden risk of relying too heavily on friends-and-family networks when filling aviation roles

• Why non-pilot leaders may bring valuable advantages to director-level roles traditionally held by pilots

• How departments can unintentionally set diverse hires up to fail when the team has not been prepared for change

• Why business aviation's lack of transparency is making the talent crisis harder to solve

Guest Bio

Jennifer Pickerel is President of Aviation Personnel International, the longest-running business aviation recruitment and HR workforce solutions firm serving corporate and private aviation. With more than 20 years in business aviation, Jennifer brings deep expertise in talent identification, workforce strategy, leadership development, organisational wellness, culture, retention, and employee experience. At API, she works closely with aviation directors, corporate HR teams, reporting executives, and high-net-worth flight departments to help organisations identify the right talent, strengthen team health, and build cultures that support safety, trust, and long-term performance. A recognised thought leader in business aviation, Jennifer frequently speaks and writes on hiring trends, inclusion, retention, and organisational health. Connect with her on LinkedIn or learn more at API Aviation. 

About Your Host

Dr. Chris Broyhill is the industry's most respected authority on business aviation compensation. An industry veteran with over 43 years of aviation experience, Dr. Broyhill has led several scientific research projects on personnel retention, compensation, and leadership for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) since 2017.

Dr. Chris holds a Ph.D. in Aviation and has published two books that feature the results of his work. He's also an outstanding graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons School, an NBAA Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) Fellow, and a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP).

Resources

Get the Data, Win the Negotiation, Stay in the Business You Love. To get your compensation report, visit AirCompCalculator.com. We have a range of options for different scenarios and budgets, from validating a specific job offer, to packages for entire departments.

Check out this episode on our website, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more leaders in business aviation. Thank you!

Most leadership roles in business aviation aren't earned; they're inherited.

The best pilot becomes the chief pilot. The strongest technician becomes the manager.
And suddenly, someone trained to execute is expected to lead.

But leadership isn't an extension of technical skill. It's a completely different discipline.

As flight departments evolve into true business units, accountable for performance, talent, and strategic value, the cracks in that assumption are starting to show. 

Teams are harder to manage, expectations are higher, and the cost of weak leadership is no longer just internal friction; it's turnover, inefficiency, and lost credibility at the executive level.

In this conversation, Matt Gray and Jamie Stember, both contributors to The Business Aviation Book, where they authored the chapter on management theories, break down why management theory still matters and what most leaders misunderstand about their role. 

What You'll Discover in This Episode

• Why leadership and management are fundamentally different disciplines, and why confusing them creates hidden failure points

• The real reason technical experts struggle when promoted into leadership roles

• How modern flight departments are shifting from "luxury function" to accountable business units, and what that demands from leaders

• Why one-size-fits-all leadership fails, and how effective leaders adapt to individual motivations inside the same team

• The overlooked role of incentives - what people say they want vs. what actually drives their behavior

• The real driver behind talent loss (it's not compensation) 

• Why self-awareness and feedback are the foundation of effective leadership

Guests Bio

Matt Gray is the Assistant Chief Pilot at The Hershey Company, where he brings decades of experience across business aviation operations and leadership. With a career spanning nearly 30 years in aviation, including time in airline, charter, and corporate environments, Matt has built a reputation for bridging technical expertise with people-focused leadership. He currently serves as Chair of the NBAA Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) Governing Board and is a CAM Fellow, reflecting his deep commitment to advancing leadership standards within the industry. 

Jamie Stember is a seasoned business aviation leader, pilot, and asset manager with more than three decades of experience in the industry. A former Director of Aviation, Jamie spent 20 years leading an in-house flight department, overseeing aircraft operations, team development, budgeting, and strategic transportation solutions. Today, he is part of the team at Eagle Aircraft and Transportation Management, where he helps deliver tailored aviation solutions for ultra-high-net-worth clients. Jamie is a Fellow of the NBAA Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) program and has served in leadership roles at the industry level, including as Chair of the CAM Governing Board.

About Your Host

Dr. Chris Broyhill is the industry's most respected authority on business aviation compensation. An industry veteran with over 43 years of aviation experience, Dr. Broyhill has led several scientific research projects on personnel retention, compensation, and leadership for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) since 2017.

Dr. Chris holds a Ph.D. in Aviation and has published two books that feature the results of his work. He's also an outstanding graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons School, an NBAA Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) Fellow, and a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP).

Resources

Get the Data, Win the Negotiation, Stay in the Business You Love. To get your compensation report, visit AirCompCalculator.com. We have a range of options for different scenarios and budgets, from validating a specific job offer, to packages for entire departments.

Check out this episode on our website, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more leaders in business aviation. Thank you!