Explore every episode of the podcast Private Jet Podcast

show notes coming soon

We're back after a whirlwind Fall.  Enjoy this episode on defending your company's use of business jet(s) to create value. More show notes coming soon.  -Tom

This episode discusses the pilot shortage problem and helps answer the question,  “How do I keep my pilots(s)?” We’ll hack through the hearsay and discuss five data points that can drive your pilot retention up, or down… so you can decide how to manage pilot retention in your flight operation. […]

The AIRR Act – H.R.2997 is a bill designed to reauthorize Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funding, which runs out September 30th, 2017. But, it contains language for privatizing air traffic control (ATC) by handing the ATC current system to a non-for-profit corporate entity, empowered with taxing authority and overseen by […]

Your private aviation risk-return factor, including financial, legal, and safety, will be based on contractual agreements between you and your aviation provider including charter, membership, fractional and full ownership. The documents behind your business jet travels will contain familiar language, foreign language, and fine print that defines every detail down […]

Almost every business aviation user has chartered (rented) aircraft to meet their on-demand travel needs. But, until recently, finding available charter aircraft and the associated trip cost was a painful process that took too much time. First we needed to know who provided private aircraft. Then, we had to call […]

Accessing private aviation to support your business or family travel goals can be accomplished via four main methods:  ownership, charter, club, and private jet card.  Each method meets a market need with the jet card being one of the industry’s latest innovations. But, what is the jet card? And, what […]

Free Report:  Falcon 2000S vs. Challenger 350 Cost Analysis. When you utilize business aviation, chartering, leasing, or buying into a business aircraft, you’ll need to decide which aircraft matches or exceeds your expectations. Choosing the wrong aircraft means inevitable frustration.  It feels like work managing the asset.  Choosing the right […]

To make smart business aircraft decisions, you’ll need real-time, comprehensive industry intelligence.  Data!  For aircraft principles, partners, and passengers… this data helps you determine how to move your asset on the chess board. In this episode, Paul Cardarelli from JetNet, the world leader in aviation market intelligence since 1988, joins […]

What’s it cost?  This is almost always the first question in business aviation. But, it’s the wrong first question. Instead, first ask “what costs are important?”  This is quality planning discussed in episode 47.  Identifying the important costs (metrics) first means straighter path, less surprises, better quality control later. To […]

All industries… small and large, local and global, succeed or struggle based on quality. This is most evident in manufacturing… think Toyota vs. American car manufacturers. But, other sectors center on quality, too… from healthcare to energy to technology to transportation:  the “good vs. great” differentiator is always quality, revealed in […]

Get the right people on the bus, in the right seats.  First “who,” then “what.”  This is classic “Good to Great” thinking for business… and business aviation. With the right people flying, maintaining, and administering your private aviation activities, risk goes down, value goes up.  Think, maximum ROI. But, how do […]

Today, we’re discussing threats and errors inside business aviation operations that can eat away safety margin and expose private jet principals and passengers to unnecessary risk. To help us, we’re joined by author, speaker, and aviation safety advocate, Shannon Forest.  He’s here to identify and handle these sometimes silent threats/errors […]

Show notes to be posted soon.

The multitude of unseen duties that keep your business aviation assets operating safely, smoothly, and on budget require peoples' bandwidth. But, as more and more bandwidth is utilized, team capacity is consumed and risk rises. Not good. To help your operation manage this “too much to do” risk factor, I'll […]

This episode kids off the “Summer of Safety” series… shows that reveal the return-on-investment through a risk mitigation lens. Think: $1 safety investment for $5 safety equity. We'll translate training costs into the real-life benefit you get, cover what crew/staff training course are “bare minimum” vs. “best-practice,” and show why those […]

With business aircraft, the pre-purchase inspection is an important due-diligence tool: revealing risk and uncovering value.  Here, the details, the data, and decades of front-line experience drives smart spending decisions. Our expert today, Don Sebastian, knows the pre-by ecosystem intimately and today he’s sharing his specific pre-purchase pointers gathered over […]

I grew up waterskiing on a shallow inland lake with smooth water and boats motoring about freely. It looked perfect, and it was… if you knew where NOT to go. See, some parts of the lake were littered with submerged tree stumps. You couldn’t see these tree stumps. But, you […]

Business aviation is a competitive-advantage tool. And like any tool, business aviation requires mental and monetary investments to leverage time so users can maximize productivity and potential (at work and at home). Decoding the  financial framework that funds owning/operating a business aircraft (charter, fractional, full ownership) helps keep costs within […]

The airplane is the most visible aspect of business aviation. And, accessing the airplane via charter, fractional ownership, or full ownership is where you’ll make the largest financial investments via acquisition and/or operating costs and management structure. Understanding your options here will reduce your investment risk and maximize the product/service […]

Business aviation is a force multiplier… save time, produce more, reach prospects, keep customers, gain marketshare, increase earnings, grow profits; strategically, securely, safely. THIS is business aviation, an industry that annually contributes $150B to the US economy, employs 1.2MM people, links rural areas to unlimited opportunity, and delivers humanitarian aid […]

  Reality check: bad things can happen to good business aviation flight departments. From single-owner planes to management company aircraft to Fortune-sized corporate jet fleets, accidents and disasters do happen. IF an accident or disaster occurs, how do we deliver care and compassion for the people affected and preserve the […]

Communicating clearly reduces operational and safety headwinds in business aviation. So, today we're covering communication skills you can implement right away to manage your aviation assets faster, leaner, and safer no matter what chair you sit in; pilot, passenger, owner, or operator. To teach us better communication for business aviation, Jodie Brown from […]

The saying goes, “Good judgement comes from experience… and experience comes from bad judgement.” As a business aviation owner or operator, you expect your team to have both good judgement AND experience. Both protect your interests. However, mistake moments will happen. Pilots miss a required check. Maintenance Technicians miss a […]

Aircraft maintenance logbooks document all activity related to work performed on your jet. From calibrating components to removing and replacing parts, aircraft maintenance logbooks can reveal either proper or poor aircraft management practices. When logbooks are managed right, your jet’s value is maintained (you keep more money). When done wrong, […]

In life, business, and business aviation, change is the one constant. In this episode you'll learn how change affects safety and spend in business aviation, all based on the famous text, “Who Moved My Cheese.” This book is a must-supply, must-review tool for your team. Here's why: Old beliefs do […]

What if their were a tool that could identify and manage risks and inefficiencies in your business aviation ventures? We’re talking about the SMS, or Safety Management System.  And, here to help us better understand the benefits of an SMS is Dr. BJ Goodheart. SMS Expertise Dr. Goodheart brings 20 years […]

Owners and operators of business aviation expect the financials of their private aircraft to be aligned with IRS, FAA, and possibly SEC rules.  But, for directors and chief pilots… meeting this expectation is easier said than done. To help us today, Ryan DeMoor joins the show to continue sharing his […]

After a break for vacation and initial training, we're back with new episodes on reducing risk and increasing value in business aviation. Improving The Numbers What if we could improve the financials of owning and operating business aircraft simply by accounting for the asset in a more strategic manner… with […]

Clear communication in business aviation can lower costs and add extra value for an owner or operator. From safety and service to schedules, staffing, and organization setup, better communication leads to better results for everyone. Unfortunately, not everyone communicates effectively. We’ve all experienced it… poor communication leading to poor performance. […]

The right culture is the key to safety, service, and continuous success for an aviation unit. But, creating the right culture isn’t easy. It takes some training, plenty of time, and tons of trust between team members. The results can be amazing: improved attitudes, clearer communication, efficient collaboration, along with […]

In this episode, we're on site in sunny Scottsdale, AZ to cover a common question: “How important is aircraft appearance to private jet owners and operators?” Jim Mathiasch of Jet Clean 360 talks today about how vital aircraft appearance is to protecting value (the dollars invested) and providing a more […]

When we think of business and corporate aircraft, we imagine luxury, comfort, quality, and tomorrow’s technology, today… all delivered in working order, on time, on or below budget. These images refer specifically to the private jet cabin.  And, when it’s done correctly, passengers have a travel experience that surpasses all […]

A business aircraft represents one of the largest risk exposures for private aircraft owners and operators. This risk can be mitigated using industry best practices. But, sometimes incidents, accidents, and old fashioned bad luck still show up. When they do, having a bullet proof business aviation insurance strategy in place […]

In my business aviation career, I’ve personally noticed a link between more risk and having the wrong people involved in an owner’s or operator’s business aviation assets.  Yet, we know from business, academia, and real-world reports… that keeping A-players promotes and produces a higher ROI.  In business aviation that equates […]

During my time in business aviation, I’ve personally noticed a link between more risk and an organizational culture that does not value developing, motivating, and managing aviation talent. People development is a key element supporting the business and life success behind principals that own or travel on private aircraft. Yet, […]

In my business aviation career, I've personally noticed the link between more risk and the wrong people. What's odd is that the people who can afford business aviation usually achieved such ability because they were experts at finding the right people to run things (their ventures, businesses, products, services, fortunes). […]

In this episode, we're talking people. Specifically how well your people in aviation work together (or don’t) to protect you, your interests, and your asset(s). Do they collaborate?  Or, are they divided?  How do you know?  And, what can you do to ensure synergy among your crewmembers? Since your airplane […]

Commuting between Los Angeles to San Francisco can be a real hassle… unless you're a SurfAir Member! Today, CEO Wade Eyerly joins the show to share how his company SurfAir is helping Californians save time, grow relationships, drive their business's economic engines, and still be home in time for little […]

In this episode Randy Brooks from APS Training joins us to talk about an important topic, reducing risk in your private aviation travel in the area of loss-of-control (LOC-I) flight. What is LOC-I flight? Simply put, loss-of-control (LOC-I) flight is the current #1 cause of aviation accidents. It occurs when an airplane […]

In this episode, you’ll learn why attitude in business aviation matters more than excellent equipment, top technology, and superior systems. And, we’ll cover the 3 attitude aspects responsible for more safety and more savings in your private jet ventures. Attitude Obstacles As important as attitude is in business and business […]

If you own or operate a business aircraft, then you've likely been approached about placing your private jet on charter. Essentially, charter is renting your entire aircraft to another party. But, the associated additional flight time from charter also adds hours to your airframe, wear and tear to your airplane, […]

Today Chris Doerr from Fairway Aviation talks to us about the Aircraft Cost Calculator.  This tool helps private aircraft owners and operators determine actual costs of aviation before jumping in, or during operation (for financial forecasting and budgeting) of a private aircraft. Chris discusses Why knowing aircraft costs before going […]

Believe it or not, a private / business jet is a business. And, that business's main product is time. It creates more time. More time equals more value in your life and in your business. So, to get maximum return from your “time business” (your jet)… that jet needs to be […]

Today you’ll learn 3 support systems your jet needs to make enjoying your private travels safer, simpler, and smoother… with less risk and more value.  I’ll cover them because I just don’t see all 3 of these support systems inside of many private jet operations. So, the principals, partners, and […]

Should you own your private jet (vs. charter, lease, or jet card access)? Find out in this episode where you'll learn the three factors to consider when considering jet ownership. Private Jet Ownership – Why? The first factor is actually a question. It goes like this: “What's important about owning […]

In this episode, kind of our series on how to get access to a private jet, we’re going to talk to the people listening who own or lease a jet already and are considering charting that jet to other people.  You’ll learn the pros and cons to making your jet […]

In this episode you'll learn about leasing a jet, or part of a jet, through fractional ownership and jet cards.  Robert James joins us to add perspective and expertise that will save you money and simplify the correct questions to ask when moving from the charter / rental private jet […]

Few people have the resources to fly privately. It's an exclusive club, for sure. But for some emerging entrepreneurs and rising-star business executives, the barriers to entry for private jet travel have lowered, significantly. Today, one can rent a jet for a reasonable cost. But why rent? And, how exactly […]

In this episode you'll learn three simple safety solutions you can use to reduce risk and increase safety for you, your people or family, and your private jet. Safety success in aviation is often compared to links in a chain. When all the links in a safety chain stay connected, […]