Business Aviation Magazine Issue 38 - Summer 2026

SUMMER 2026

Corporate Aviation Icon KENN RICCI PRINCIPAL OF DIRECTIONAL AVIATION CAPITAL & CHAIRMAN

FLEXJET

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LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

SUMMER 2026

Great leaders rarely reveal

Corporate Aviation Icon

A

KENN RICCI PRINCIPAL OF DIRECTIONAL AVIATION CAPITAL & CHAIRMAN

FLEXJET

their next move s my interview with our cover star, Kenn Ricci, drew to a close, I asked another question: “What is still unfinished?” He paused before replying, “I do not want to hand my competitors a roadmap, but there is a lot more to do.”

It was a memorable answer. Three days after we had submitted our cover feature for approval, Flexjet announced the acquisition of The Jet Business, with its founder, Steve Varsano, taking the role of President.

Suddenly, Kenn’s words carried even greater significance. www.bizavltd.com

Nasim Raja CHAIR Max Raja PUBLISHER & CEO Ashley Rose Legrand EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENT Noel Barton CREATIVE DIRECTOR Roger Baker BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Elle Smith SALES EXECUTIVE Zayn Raja SALES EXECUTIVE Jane Stanbury GLOBAL LUXURY CORRESPONDENT Audrey Van Winkle-Nordby EVENTS COORDINATOR • www.bizavltd.com • For all enquiries, please contact Max Raja at max@bizavltd.com or on +44 (0)203 865 3736 Printed in the UK by Print Pro Consultancy Distributed by Seabourne logistics, Asendia, and Aeglobal

While this acquisition is not discussed in our cover story, it perfectly illustrates the philosophy that has defined Kenn Ricci’s career. Visionaries don’t simply respond to change, they anticipate it. They build for tomorrow while everyone else is still analysing today.

Steve Varsano is one of the most recognisable figures in global business aviation. His decision to establish The Jet Business showroom in London’s prestigious Hyde Park Corner transformed the way private aircraft were presented to prospective buyers. More than a brokerage, it became a destination that reflected the sophistication and exclusivity of the industry itself. Combined with his international reputation and unrivalled network of aircraft owners and buyers, Varsano has become one of the most influential names in aircraft sales.

For Flexjet, this is far more than a strategic acquisition. It strengthens the company’s position in Europe, adds exceptional expertise in aircraft sales and acquisitions, and further expands an ecosystem that now spans fractional ownership, aircraft management, charter services and whole aircraft ownership. It also reinforces Flexjet’s ability to oversee every stage of an aircraft’s lifecycle from acquisition to re-marketing, ensuring the fleet remains among the youngest and most desirable in the industry.

What impressed me most was not simply the announcement itself, but the timing. Having spent an hour discussing leadership, innovation and long-term vision with Kenn, this move felt like the perfect illustration of the man behind our cover. Even while reflecting on decades of achievement, he was already executing the next chapter.

That ability to remain relentlessly forward-looking is perhaps what separates industry leaders from industry icons.

Inside this issue, you will discover the story behind Kenn Ricci’s remarkable journey and the entrepreneurial mindset that has helped reshape modern private aviation. His achievements extend far beyond building successful companies; they have influenced the direction of an entire industry.

This edition is filled with exceptional features, exclusive interviews and insight from across the world of Business Aviation. Yet our cover story remains its defining feature. It offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from one of business aviation’s most respected entrepreneurs at a moment when his influence continues to grow.

When Kenn Ricci told me there was “a lot more to do,” he wasn’t making a headline. He was offering a glimpse into the mindset that has kept him at the forefront of private aviation for decades. The announcement that followed simply confirmed what our interview already revealed: the industry’s most influential leaders are always looking beyond the horizon.

MAX RAJA - Publisher & CEO, BizAv Media

BizAv Media Ltd is the holding company. Business Aviation Magazine, BizAv Yearbook, BizAv Events, BizAv Maintenance Conference and BizAv Connect are all subsidiaries of BizAv Media Ltd. BizAv Media Ltd. Copyright: © 2026. All rights reserved.

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CONTENTS

44

Summer issue 38 2026

60

Painting 22 with heart 66 30

52

10 Corporate Aviation Icon Kenn Ricci reflects on four decades of building aviation businesses in an in-depth conversation with BizAv Media’s Max Raja, sharing the lessons, decisions and values that have shaped his journey

22 Painting with heart Sabrina and Jorge Satler of Flex Aero Aircraft Painting and Interior, and Julie Voisin, of Sherwin-Williams Aerospace Coatings, discuss the aircraft painting business and a particular Falcon 900 project

30 Staking claim as a major player Nomad Aviation specialises in cabin interior upgrades, refurbishments and SATCOM upgrades.

Brigita Vildžiūnienė, Director of Sales for Nomad Technics, and Thomas Gierlich, CEO, on the collaboration with Action Aviation on a BBJ

Designing Sanctuary 38 Arctic Excellence Jarno Kivari, CEO of ScandiAvia, discusses building Northern Finland’s leading FBO and ground handling network across nine locations

44 From the Flight Deck to the Membership Roster Captain Rob Milner on his 10 years of service and becoming NICHOLAS AIR’s first Pilot Member

Charting his 72 own path 66 Gibraltar takes flight Lindy Castillo, Board Member of the Gibraltar Aircraft Registry, on how expertise gained through the Aruba and San Marino aircraft registries is positioning Gibraltar as a premium aircraft registry

72 Charting his own path

Elizabeth Harvey, founder and creative director of Elizabeth Harvey Design, on creating private aviation interiors that redefine luxury travel

Just three months into his career and the industry, Jack Woolley, inventory specialist, has been tasked with selling the parts of a Challenger 601 for Jubilee Aviation

60 The Boutique Advantage

78 A Culture Built to Last

Michael Holy, CEO of Aviation Academy Austria, on how a boutique training centre is raising the bar in professional pilot training

Chris Wright, Partner and CEO at Business Jet, on their exceptional team and first-class customer service

52 Designing Sanctuary

2

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PROFILE … KENN RICCI

Corporate Aviation Icon Kenn Ricci reflects on four decades of building aviation businesses in an in-depth conversation with BizAv Media’s Max Raja, sharing the lessons, decisions and values that have shaped his journey

Kenn Ricci breaking ground in Scottsdale, Arizona for one of the latest additions to the growing network of Flexjet-Exclusive Private Terminals

Kenn Ricci

Max Raja: Can you paint us a picture of what it was like for the child who grew into the man we see today?

Kenn Ricci: You know my father had a saying that he

A Life of Passion, Exploration, and Building Extraordinary Experiences

used to tell me. He would say “be passionate about what you do and compassionate about how you do it.” And so, the picture was I wanted to do something that I loved.

Few individuals have shaped private aviation as profoundly as Kenn Ricci. A visionary entrepreneur, investor, and pilot, Kenn Ricci has spent more than 40 years building industryleading aviation companies, pioneering innovation, and creating one of the world’s largest private aviation platforms.

Today, as Principal of Directional Aviation Capital and Chairman of Flexjet, he continues to influence the future of aviation on a global scale.

It is funny, my father was an undercover agent for the U.S. government, and he had a fake name. His fake name was Richard Dill. Do not ask me why they called an Italian, Chuck Ricci, Richard Dill. I thought his life was interesting and important.

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PROFILE … KENN RICCI

Mike Rossi (left) and Kenn Ricci (right) have been business par tners for more than 40 years

Kenn Ricci signing an agreement with Gulfstream for additional G700 and G500 aircraft And so, I decided that I wanted to do something that was interesting. That brought me into a love of travel and a love of exploration. I never thought the end game was to build a company like Flexjet. The end game was to find a vehicle to find new places and always keep life interesting by being able to see, explore and share.

a career. I was furloughed three times in two years from various companies including Northwest Orient Airlines.

So yeah, he was probably right to be worried. But, he never missed the opportunity to fly with me in everything from a Cherokee 140 to a Citation Jet.

Max Raja: Your father cried when you chose aviation over accounting. Did he ever tell you that he was proud?

Kenn Ricci: No (laughs). I think he was worried. In fact,

Max Raja: You went back to law school while running a growing aviation business. What were your concerns at the time?

Kenn Ricci: I had the benefit of a great relationship with

he convinced me to go to law school as a backup plan. So yeah, I think he was worried about me not being able to make

my dad and came to believe him that maybe aviation was not the way to go, so law school was a backup plan. At that time

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PROFILE … KENN RICCI

student loans with grants were available, and I talked my way into a grant so I could pocket the difference. Loans were low interest then. It was about survival. I was almost a year into law school before I started making a living flying. My first year I was attentive, the second 50/50, and the third a Hail Mary pass.

can make mistakes, you do not have to be perfect, but when you are original and genuine, people will work for you and believe in you.

Another time, after 9/11, he summarised in four words the key to being successful in politics: agree, defend, attack, and propose.

Max Raja: You flew Bill Clinton through his entire presidential campaign. Can you share some of the most memorable moments and the key lessons you took away?

Kenn Ricci: There were three people who had a really big

The third story was about the Middle East and his ideas surrounding why it was happening. When he was younger, his Aunt Sadie warned him not to run through her turnip patch, or she would shoot him in the ass with a BB gun. Of course he did it anyway, and he got shot in the ass. His point was that people know what is wrong and not in their interest, but they do it anyway. Emotion plays a huge effect in life. You cannot always expect rational behaviour.

influence in my life, and he was one of them. When I flew him, I was 33 and he was 43, the age gap seemed enormous at the time.

When you fly successful people, if you do not observe and learn you miss a great opportunity. He was a Rhodes Scholar, incredibly smart, and taught me a lot. I will share three quick stories.

Max Raja: You mentioned he is ten years older than you, yet he looks considerably older. How do you keep yourself in such great shape these days? Do you work out?

Kenn Ricci: I try to do a little something every day. It is

One of the first times I had lunch with him, he ordered a hamburger and sweet potato fries and immediately admitted his cholesterol was too high and he was too fat, but he loved sweet potato fries and cannot resist them. Later, as I got to know him better, I asked him about that unusual opening.

He said when you start a conversation with one of your faults, people trust you, they tend to think you want a deeper relationship. He taught me the power of being genuine. You

just my routine. It keeps my sanity. I work out alone, never with a trainer. It is meditative time first thing in the morning and sets my day. I swim, walk, do stair climbing. Even if I have been out late with a martini, I will at least do 10 minutes to not lose the routine.

Flexjet Headquarters

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PROFILE … KENN RICCI

Max Raja: You were forced to sell the Flight Options business, before you eventually bought it back, because of a shareholder roulette clause. Can you walk us through what that period was like and how it ultimately shaped your journey?

Kenn Ricci: It was horrible, one of the worst days of my life.

marry is the most important decision you will ever make. I tell college students to marry the happiest person they meet.

I wake up every day to someone who is just happy and that helps enormously. Running a business means not every day is perfect but having that positivity sets the tone.

I moved out of Cleveland because of it. When you are forced out you do not want the company to fail because your friends and vision are there, but you also do not want it to succeed too easily. My wife told me I was upset because I had lost my throne, my place to lead and have vision. She was exactly right.

Max Raja: You took your kids out of school for a year and went travelling with them. What did you learn that business could not teach you?

Kenn Ricci: I was always concerned that I was not being a good parent; I worked long days and was often away flying.

I felt I owed them dedicated time, so each child skipped 8th grade around age 13, and we homeschooled while taking around six three-week trips.

The crazy thing is I owned about 16 percent when it sold to Raytheon. When I bought it back, I had control. Those six years that I thought were horrible actually flipped in my favour.

I would never be where I am today without that transaction.

But you do not see that in the moment. You run through the turnip patch and get shot in the ass with a BB gun.

Kids learn from observation, not instruction. They saw me stay level-headed through travel chaos. They came back mature ahead of their peers. My middle son grew up in two minutes

Max Raja: There is a saying that behind every successful man there is a woman, and behind every unsuccessful man there are two. You being the former, how inspirational has your wife Pamela been?

Kenn Ricci: Choosing who to

“ When you fly successful people, if you do not observe and learn you miss a great opportunity.”

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PROFILE … KENN RICCI

in Moscow airport. I had lost track of him in the congestion of deplaning, and when I spotted him, he was in the immigration line, papers filled out, navigating his own international travel.

They never did stupid stuff. They would think, “I have been to North Korea. You think this is a problem?”

or it can be an inconvenience. The airline experience is like entering into a contract to be held in discomfort for hours in return for ending up in a different geography. Flexjet’s contract is to deliver a delightful experience so good that you want to do it again and end up using more hours.

Max Raja: Your son Kennedy now flies himself around the world. Does that feel like legacy or coincidence?

Kenn Ricci: That little pistol will not let me fly because I am

It starts with the people. Yes, we have unique interiors, private terminals and the most modern aircraft, but the real experience comes from the smile on the pilot’s face and the genuine care of the crew. That is why we invest so much in our employees and treat them like family.

not current in a single engine aircraft. He travels 300 days a year and loves it. He has been to more places than I have. A good part of that is in private aircraft. It is fun to watch him enjoy it.

Max Raja: Ninety-seven percent owner retention is impressive. Is that connected to the emphasis on people?

Kenn Ricci: Owners most often leave because they die

Max Raja: You are known for your generosity, including a $100 million dollar gift to Notre Dame University.

What drove that commitment?

Kenn Ricci: When I started accumulating wealth,

or get divorced. We don’t lose many to bad service, but a bad service experience is a kick in the gut for me. I personally receive notification when we disservice a client. I want us to get ahead of issues and ensure we are transparent with an issue. Our customers are successful because they can deal with problems; it is the unexpected followed by not being transparent that always exacerbates the problem.

I worried it would become the goal rather than the consequence. I needed to prove to myself that I had the courage to give away more than I could afford to show that money was not the focus of my life.

The bigger story few know is that I gave away $200,000 in 1989, which was 100 percent of my net worth. I did it on purpose to test myself. When I gave the hundred million, my net worth was about $300 million. Since then, it has more than tripled. There is something about karma. The more you give, the more you receive. That is just how I think.

Max Raja: Red Label is restricted to super-midsize and above. Is that a deliberate statement about who Flexjet is for?

Kenn Ricci: It comes down to three practical requirements: • First, since the Red Label Program has crews dedicated to each aircraft, teams are built around the aircraft.

Each aircraft has an aircraft commander who builds the team and there needs to be a pool of pilots to supply these teams. That means we need smaller aircraft like the Phenoms to find, curate, and grow the right crew before they ever touch a Red Label fleet.

Max Raja: You have mentioned exclusivity and experience as the two main points of focus for Flexjet.

What does one get with Flexjet that cannot be found elsewhere?

Kenn Ricci: Experience. Travelling can be an adventure,

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PROFILE … KENN RICCI

“ I wake up every day to someone who is just happy and that helps enormously. Running a business means not every day is perfect but having that positivity sets the tone.”

Kenn and Pam Ricci hosting an annual Chairman’s Club gathering in Anguilla for Flexjet aircraft Owners

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PROFILE … KENN RICCI

Flexjet CEO Michael Silvestro (left) and Chairman Kenn Ricci (right) review material selections for the artisan LXi interior of a new Gulfstream G700 • Second, the interiors. These custom fitouts run three to five million dollars, which simply does not pencil out below the super mid-size level, so that becomes the floor.

We owned Constant Aviation outside of Flexjet and we were looking for opportunities to grow it and be inquisitive. And I saw a memorandum about a maintenance company that was for sale.

They gave us the pitch deck and a management presentation.

• Third, we keep the fleet young, which means we need to be actively selling aircraft and replenishing with new orders.

That rules out types like the Challenger 300 and 350, which are no longer in production and cannot be refreshed.

In the deck, over five to six years they predicted that the hourly cost of maintenance would go to $300 an hour. And they were excited, saying this was going to be an amazing business going forward.

The Gulfstream G450 is in the same position, as we bring the G500s online, Red Label migrates out of the 450s and into the G500s. Over the next couple of years, the 450s rotate off the program and get sold down.

I kept thinking, are you kidding me? Flexjet is going to be paying $300 an hour for third party maintenance? That was the impetus for why I thought we needed to bring it in-house.

Max Raja: You clearly have an affinity for Gulfstream.

What sparked the billion-dollar transaction with Embraer?

Kenn Ricci: Exclusivity. If you are building a luxury

I did not fully see what has happened now, which is that access has become the bigger issue than cost. You cannot get into a shop, and a six-month inspection that used to take five days now takes three weeks. Minimising aircraft downtime is so important to an operator like Flexjet.

product, there needs to be desirability. So, having something only available at Flexjet is extremely important. I have exclusivity on the Praetor 600, a super-mid that crosses the Atlantic and is highly accepted. It works on both sides of the pond and is type rating efficient with the Praetor 500.

The same logic applies to our Gulfstream exclusivity on the G500 and G700. Big commitments to manufacturers secure exclusivity, which helps position Flexjet as truly luxurious.

So, I absolutely would do it again. We spent around $300 to $350 million building out the organisation, but with a billiondollar annual maintenance budget the savings are substantial, close to $200 million a year. It was well worth it.

Max Raja: You pay pilots well, from $185 thousand to $400 thousand. What is the reasoning?

Kenn Ricci: $185 thousand is for co-pilots. At the high-end

Max Raja: You built the largest in-house maintenance network in private aviation. At what cost and would you do it again?

Kenn Ricci: Absolutely. I do not know if you heard the

Red Label Commanders act like flight department managers.

Happy, well-paid pilots keep the planes running better. Customers want to know their pilots are compensated properly, and our commitment to our owners and to our pilots is to always be highly compensated to ensure that Flexjet is a career destination.

story, Max. Because Directional is an active investor in the aviation space, we often see different opportunities.

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PROFILE … KENN RICCI

PROFILE … KENN RICCI

Max Raja: Flexjet’s $800 million funding round led by LVMH backed L Catterton was historic. What did it unlock for Flexjet that you could not do alone?

Kenn Ricci: The biggest benefit was not the money. When the

Gulfstream, but their engineering fees are crazy, and if you want to make any change to an aircraft, it takes forever. That is bad for the industry in the long term.

pilots’ union was decertified in 2018, it opened the door to take Flexjet in a completely different direction. Up to that point, the model was simple, compete with NetJets on price. We changed that thinking entirely. Let NetJets be the Marriott; we would be the Four Seasons. Charge more, deliver a different experience.

There is not an unlimited budget for everyone buying these aircraft, and that has to catch up with itself eventually. The optimistic view, and the reason I keep bringing this up, is what happened in the airlines. The airlines do not have this problem anymore because companies started up specifically to compete with the manufacturers on parts and aftermarket solutions.

The vision was clear in our minds, but honestly, I am not sure the market believed it at first. From 2018 to 2024 I was preaching it, but it was not fully resonating. That changed when LVMH came in as a partner. Suddenly, the fact that we are a luxury brand became readily apparent to people. The relationship codified our vision, which was the number one benefit.

That is what I am trying to encourage here. Our industry is getting big enough, and the margins significant enough, that there is real space now for entrepreneurs coming in with PMA parts, windshields, aftermarket components. Fleet operators like us will gladly back them. I am actively trying to signal to entrepreneurs that the opportunity is here.

Number two was the opportunity to learn. If we are serious about the luxury space, we have a lot to absorb from people who do luxury so well, and I have already taken a great deal from that relationship.

The same goes for FBOs. Private equity has come in, and now it is just a constant stream of invented fees like event fees, timing fees, whatever the trick is that day. We used to think of FBOs as part of the delivery experience. Now every interaction is just, what are you going to charge me for today? I hear more and more resentment of FBOs in the industry, and that is not a sustainable position to be in. Someone will find a workaround, just like they always do. The OEMs and the FBOs both need to be careful; there are limits to how far you can push it.

Number three was the capital. It allowed us to go big into large cabin aircraft. G700s run around $80 million apiece; you need twelve to reach minimum service levels, and four or five need to be core fleet. That is a $300 to $400 million investment we were previously borrowing to make. So, it has allowed us to grow the G700 program quickly and more rapidly arrive at acceptable service levels.

Max Raja: Have you launched your own catering?

Kenn Ricci: We have fully launched this now and the numbers tell the story. 50 percent of our entire catering spend was just crew meals going through the FBO system.

That is gone. We do not purchase crew food through the system anymore; we handle it entirely ourselves through arrangements with Uber and DoorDash.

Today our leverage ratio sits at 1.9 to 1, our bonds trade well above par, and the financial stability of the company has changed considerably. Also, people who had been here for years and held stock finally got some liquidity too.

Max Raja: Is there still a significant backlog in fractional?

Kenn Ricci: Yes, except in light jets. A backlog is part

We essentially showed them a market that did not previously exist for them, and they have been fantastic. The cost is a fraction of what we were paying before. The flexibility is a big part of it too. If a pilot gets rerouted mid-trip, he just pulls up his iPad, orders to the new destination, and it is there in 30 minutes.

of luxury, waiting makes it more desirable. But this era of abundance will not last forever. Keep your paranoia up.

Max Raja: You have highlighted OEMs and private equity as threats. How serious are they?

Kenn Ricci: Look at the costing of things across the

Previously, you would be calling the FBO, chasing it down, and half the time it would not arrive in time anyway. Now, we cannot

board; OEM engineering fees are getting out of hand. I love

Gulfstream G700

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PROFILE … KENN RICCI

PROFILE … KENN RICCI

ask our owners to order via Uber, that is not luxury. But we can use it in the background. It is starting to give owners more selections and more options closer to departure in real time. On a flight today, we can ask owners if they would like food to take home when they land, whatever they want. The infrastructure is already there, we are just applying it in a way that fits the experience.

a deliberate approach to capturing our growing operational experience across these regions, and putting the tools in place to ensure an enterprise-wide sharing of knowledge.

Then there is the cabin experience. We’ve set out to make boarding a Flexjet aircraft feel like a five-star restaurant, but you can’t deliver that experience with one cabin attendant. In many cases we’ll staff multiple attendants, working in tandem, and that is a whole training evolution. We’re expanding beyond Red Label Academy’s foundational cabin server curriculum with a bolstered recurring training program, designed to continuously elevate precision and polish.

Max Raja: Your vision is to be the most affluent and respected player in private aviation. How do you maintain that position?

Kenn Ricci: Well, because I do not think we are there yet, we have to work harder and continue to raise our standards.

Comfort is the enemy of sustained excellence, so keeping us uncomfortable and challenging ourselves needs to be at the forefront. The best football teams in the world will tell you the same thing. Once you achieve a level of success, the competition shifts; we are competing against ourselves now.

Connectivity is another area. Starlink has been a game changer, with roughly 65 percent of our fleet now equipped.

As we achieve full fleet installation in the quarters ahead, I’ll feel a strong sense of relief knowing all our aircraft Owners, across every aircraft type from Phenoms to Gulfstreams, are treated to a connectivity solution aligned with the luxury experience in which they entrust us.

Next week we have our employee meeting, and I plan to set a really high bar. A couple of great years is a wonderful thing for the company, but affluence can cause a real big dip in the road if you are not careful. It takes leadership to avoid complacency.

And then beyond all of that, there is maintenance efficiency, department-level goals across the board, and the big open question of AI, where we lean in, where we exercise caution, and how do we integrate it in the most meaningful way possible. The list is long.

Max Raja: What is still unfinished?

Kenn Ricci: I do not want to hand my competitors a roadmap, but there is a lot more to do.

Max Raja: When will we see you in London next?

Kenn Ricci: For sure at Farnborough and our new Private

Conquering the world is a much bigger challenge than conquering North America. My charge to our team is to ensure the Flexjet experience is consistent regardless of continent, be it North America and Europe or Africa and Asia.

That isn’t something you can learn from a book, it comes from

Terminal grand opening in September. Let us grab a martini or dinner.

Max Raja: Sounds great, Kenn. That is a plan. |BAM

Gulfstream G650 - Riva Volare interior “ We’ve set out to make boarding a Flexjet aircraft feel like a five-star restaurant.”

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BARRY FINE & MARTIN GARDNER PROFILE … KENN RICCI

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PROFILE … FLEX AERO & SHERWIN-WILLIAMS AEROSPACE COATINGS

Painting with heart Sabrina and Jorge Satler of Flex Aero Aircraft Painting and Interior, and Julie Voisin, of Sherwin-Williams Aerospace Coatings, discuss the aircraft painting business, the pride they have in their workmanship, and a particular Falcon 900 project which will be gracing the July display of the annual ‘Gallery in the Sky’ 2026 calendar by Sherwin-Williams

F

lex Aero, based in DeLand, Florida, specialises in aircraft painting and interior refurbishment. Familyowned and operated, they put their heart into every project they undertake.

bigger one. Within a year and a half to two years, we started building our 12,000 square foot hangar and as of today we have 18,000 square feet between the two of them.

Working side by side as a family is amazing. We get to have a professional relationship and grow together, and we also get to accompany our daughter in adulthood. We are familyoriented so working here doesn’t feel like work. We take on every project with so much pride, to provide quality service, meet the clients’ deadlines, and build good relationships. We want to bring the client’s vision to life.

ARL: Tell us about the background and history of Flex Aero Aircraft Painting and Interior.

What’s the size and number of professionals within the organisation?

SS: My husband started working in a paint shop as a child at 12 years old. At 16 he was working full time. He later worked at Jet Aviation, Gulfstream and Stevens Aviation. I was in real estate. That’s when he said let’s join forces and do this together. We started Flex Aero in 2006 and it’s been a blessing ever since. When we started out, we grew so fast.

About a year and a half in we brought Layssa, our eldest daughter. It was the best. When we moved to DeLand we purchased a 6,000 square foot hangar with the land to build a

ARL: Have you been working with Sherwin-Williams for a long time?

JS: Yes, I’ve been using Sherwin-Williams since 1993.

That’s when I started painting, in West Palm Beach. I have a memory of working on a particular Gulfstream where we ran out of paint. My boss called Sherwin- Williams and they came

22

PROFILE … FLEX AERO & SHERWIN-WILLIAMS AEROSPACE COATINGS

“ We started Flex Aero in 2006 and it’s been a blessing ever since. When we started out, we grew so fast. About a year and a half in we brought Layssa, our eldest daughter.”

S a b r i na Sat l e r

Flex Aero Left to Right: Layssa Satler - General Manager Jorge Satler - President Sabrina Satler - CEO and delivered right away. That was my first introduction to them. It’s always been a great working partnership because they’re willing to work with our time needs and with lastminute requests. Whatever you need, they’re right there.

ARL: What is something unique about Flex Aero?

SS: At Flex Aero Painting, we have pride in quality. I like to say we are a small, big company. We don’t market ourselves at all. We have grown by word of mouth. More than 90 percent of our clients are repeat customers.

ARL: We noticed you have many followers on social media and are proficient in providing your audience with a lot of valuable video content. What led your team to embrace social media so actively?

SS: We started with our social media about a year ago.

We wanted to educate people about the whole process. We wanted to open doors and get more people interested in the

23

Julie Voisin - Market Segment Manager, Aerospace The Sherwin-Williams Company

PROFILE … FLEX AERO & SHERWIN-WILLIAMS AEROSPACE COATINGS

field. That was the whole idea behind it. To also get young kids into the business. For them to see it’s a good field they can get into and a valuable trade to learn.

“ We have definitely seen a huge growth in our business from social media. About a 25 percent increase, which is amazing.”

JV: Flex Aero has a really large social media presence. They are now at 12,000 followers, which is huge in this segment.

They may not be doing any marketing but what they’re doing is educating. They’re really going in depth about the steps and the time involved when painting an aircraft. And it’s really caught on. People just don’t think about all the prep involved and all of the small details that matter before you even apply the paint. They’re sharing some very valuable information.

They’ve really tapped into something unique and are showing off their skills while educating the audience at the same time.

S a brina S atle r

supplier to assist in making your aircraft painting a success? How would you describe the value of working with Sherwin-Williams?

SS: The quality of the material was excellent. We’ve worked with Sherwin-Willims since 1993; their service has always been great, and everything from their primers, basecoats and clear products, we use them on all our key projects.

ARL: Has the social media following supported your business growth and customer engagement?

SS: We have definitely seen a huge growth in our business from social media. About a 25 percent increase, which is amazing. So, for us, it was very surprising because it all started off as a simple idea.

ARL: You did a recent project on a Dassault Falcon 900, that’s highlighted in the July feature of SherwinWilliams’ annual calendar of amazing aircraft paint schemes. You used Sherwin-Williams new 850 Series SKYscapes Single-stage system, in Grey Gun color.

The completed project looks fantastic. Did SherwinWilliams help with bringing the design concept to life?

We are a one-stop shop. We are a full-service, family-owned and operated aircraft painting and interior refurbishment company with a facility that can fit up to a Gulfstream G650. As experienced professionals with over 30 years doing high quality interior and exterior aircraft painting as well as detailing, you can count on Flex Aero Painting, Inc. for superior service at fair price.

SS: With this design, the client already came with an idea of the design, so that aspect we did in house. Our daughter, Layssa, helped coordinate his idea of matching his boat and car finish with the aircraft. He also wanted a very specific green as an accent that we couldn’t quite find initially, but when we reviewed the Sherwin-Williams colour chart, it was right there. He had been looking for that colour for months.

So yes, Sherwin-Williams helped us greatly there.

ARL: You’ve done a recent project with new paint products in collaboration with your paint supplier Sherwin-Williams. What do they do as a coatings

24

PROFILE … FLEX AERO & SHERWIN-WILLIAMS AEROSPACE COATINGS

“ Sherwin-Williams offers a pretty extensive colour catalogue, but every day we get requests for something specific, and then we custom-create colours to support the client need.”

Julie Voisin

before they come to us, so they come to us with an idea. Or we will work with the scheme designers independently, so it’s a little of both worlds. I would say 80 percent of the clients already have a rendering.

ARL: Julie, can you tell us a little more about what makes Sherwin-Williams such a great supplier?

JV: Sherwin-Williams offers a pretty extensive colour catalogue, but every day we get requests for something specific, and then we custom-create colours to support the client need. The MRO is really our advocate, directing them to use our product. We’ve been in the aviation business for close to 90 years, and our high-performance coatings are on ships, bridges, automobiles, trucks, as well as airplanes. Our products in the aerospace field are really known for being premium. We provide that high quality product and service because of the technology required, and this customer base demands nothing less. The aircraft’s owner is spending millions and they want the utmost when it comes to performance and appearance, and we want to support them in that venture.

ARL: What was the response of the Falcon owner upon seeing the finished plane?

SS: Not only did he love the quality of the work and the timeframe, but after his friends saw the plane’s finish, we then secured an additional project on a G4. Also, the completion date of the project was actually his birthday, so he was able to have it finished for the celebration.

ARL: How many hours did you invest in the project?

JS: About 2,000 man-hours, which is about 6 weeks.

ARL: How many aircraft have you worked on over the course of the company’s history?

ARL: Does Sherwin-Williams have any specific tools to help the client in the beginning stages of their project?

SS: We recently completed our 600th aircraft at this location.

JV: Sherwin-Williams has an aircraft colour visualiser which is a digital representation where we’ve got more than a dozen different types of airframes, including business jets, where someone can go in and literally paint the plane themselves and try different colours, schemes, angles and accents.

ARL: Do clients always come to you with a design in mind that they want, do they have renderings and a plan or do they leave it up to you?

SS: There are a lot of clients that go to a scheme designer

26

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PROFILE … FLEX AERO & SHERWIN-WILLIAMS AEROSPACE COATINGS

ARL: Julie, how does the painting process differ for aerospace in comparison to other projects?

ARL: What’s ahead for Flex Aero?

SS: We want to give back to and grow our industry. So, the next step is the training course we are developing, where we will provide the education on how we do what we do.

We’re seeing a lot of people (painters and technicians) trying to transition from automotive to aviation, but they don’t know where to go and what to do. We are going to continue to provide education through our social media platform and also try to do two trainings a month, in-house and hands-on.

JV: That’s a good question. So, for example, with automobiles, you have stock colours. An OEM may have 12-15 colours for that model year, so all the paint shop is doing is supporting those colours that were determined by the manufacturer. In aerospace, it’s unlimited. The colour palette is endless. If they want it to match a car, a yacht, or a helicopter, we have to figure it out and support that. It’s much more custom-focused.

I would also say that the process is a little more difficult too because you’re painting a much larger surface area. Blending everything together perfectly and smoothly and the time it takes to do it. Also, the pot life of the paint –which is how long it lasts once you mix it all together – has to be taken into consideration when you’re working with a larger aircraft versus a vehicle.

We may even offer an internship and send the best of our trainees to Gulfstream and the big other companies. Aviation is a beautiful world, but it’s a small world as well. So big and so small at the same time. For us, it’s about living a legacy and passing on knowledge. We want to make a difference and open doors for others. To set them up for success. We want to give the opportunities that were given us. To pay it forward.

Finally, the technology of the aerospace coatings must meet the most demanding of conditions. For example, an aircraft is going to be sitting on a hot tarmac upwards of 125 degrees in Florida, and in less than 20 seconds it’s at minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit when it’s up in the air. You’ve got exposure to VOCs, potential corrosion with hydraulic fluid, and multiple cleaning substrates that it needs to resist – and the plane needs to look amazing for years and years.

For more information on Flex Aero go to:

https://flexaeropainting.com For more information on Sherwin-Williams Aerospace Coatings, go to: https://aerospace.sherwin.com |BAM

“ We want to give back to and grow our industry. So, the next step is the training course we are developing, where we will provide the education on how we do what we do.”

S a b r i na Sat l e r

28

Maintenance: technics@nomadtec.eu | Management & Charter: fly@nomadjet.eu NomadClasicCar.indd 1

www.nomadjet.com

01.07.24 20:15

PROFILE … NOMAD AVIATION

Staking claim as a

major player A privately owned maintenance company in Basel, Switzerland, Nomad Aviation specialises in cabin interior upgrades, refurbishments and SATCOM upgrades.

They’ve recently completed a large project in collaboration with Action Aviation on a BBJ that has demonstrated their proficiency. Ashley Rose Legrand talks to Brigita Vildžiūnienė, Director of Sales for Nomad Technics, and Thomas Gierlich, the company’s CEO, to find out more

30

PROFILE … NOMAD AVIATION

ARL: Thomas, can you tell us more about Nomad Aviation?

ARL: Which new projects have been keeping you busy?

TG: We have recently completed a big maintenance and refurbishment project on a BBJ, with Action Aviation. It was a big 12-year heavy maintenance check. What made it interesting is that we acted as a one stop shop for many things done on this aircraft. It was one of the first Gogo Galileo FDX SATCOM system installations in the world.

The installation went very smooth, and the system showed incredible connectivity speed during the check flight. We also did an interior refurbishment, including a new carpet and fully refurbished and reupholstered seats and divans.

The cabin monitors were replaced with larger, higher resolution monitors and the cabin entertainment system was upgraded with the addition of an app-based video on demand streaming system, designed specifically for the client. The whole lighting system in the aircraft was changed to multicolor LED mood lights which be controlled with an

TG: We perform maintenance on Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier Globals and Challengers and we work exclusively on private aircraft. We provide all scheduled maintenance services, cabin modifications, avionic modifications, upgrades and SATCOM installations.

We’re a small company in this industry and we want to stay there because we believe there’s a lot of value in a very personal customer focus. When clients come to Nomad they really come to a team that has a lot of experience and dedication to our business, working on many VIP and governmental aircraft. The craftsmanship and expertise speak for itself. Everyone takes a lot of pride in their work and there’s great attention to detail, safety and quality stand above all.

“ I am very pleased with the outcome of the project and the performance of all involved parties. This BBJ is a very important asset to Action Aviation and an important part of our AOC strategy.”

S h i v a m S a xe n a , Direc tor of Aircraf t Management & M a i n tenance, Ac t ion Av iat ion

31

PROFILE … NOMAD AVIATION

“ We’re happy people can see what we can do. That we’re capable of successfully carrying out something of this magnitude.”

fact quite complex, given the timeframe. We were given the opportunity to quote, and we showed — in a very short time — that we could handle it. One meeting after another, things came together. Our offer was the most competitive, with the most compelling package.

Th om as G ierlich , CEO, N o m a d Te ch n i c s

ARL: How was it getting the project underway?

BV: The project was interesting and challenging to put together, but I think that’s something that made us win because the client saw how quickly and efficiently we can do things. At Nomad we are a boutique company; small intentionally so that we can make decisions quickly. We are flexible and strive to accommodate the client in all ways. Our responsiveness, honesty and transparency built trust with the customer and we carried that on throughout the project.

They were involved in all the parts even in the quotation phrase. It was a collaborative effort.

app. We also installed a completely new app based moving map system to be displayed on the cabin monitors as well as personal devices.

ARL: How long did the project take?

TG: In total it took 5 months. It was a big complex project, and we accomplished it in a timely manner and within budget.

ARL: How did you come to procure this project?

ARL: Do you feel like this project further established you as a bigger player in the field? Are you doing more business now?

BV: We’re still relatively new to the market, and previously some clients may have doubted whether we could perform such a big and complex project. We had worked with Action Aviation before, but nothing on this scale. We did have an established relationship with the client, and they believed in us. We prepared the offer, which sounds simple but was in

TG: Yes, for sure. 100%. The goal is to do more projects like this. We’re happy people can see what we can do. That we’re capable of successfully carrying out something of this magnitude.

32

PROFILE … NOMAD AVIATION

ARL: What sets Nomad apart from the rest?

BV: It’s not necessarily our size. You can be a small company and still be inflexible, right? But it’s that we have that flexibility and transparency, that offers a sense of partnership when we work with customers. We want to build trust and work together with the customer, after all, we are all pursuing the same goal. These are the values that we cherish and that we use in approaching a project. From the sales process, during the project and all the way until delivery.

This is something we truly believe in.

ARL: You said there were many vendors that took part in this project. Who were they and what was that like?

TG: Yes, we did have many partners. Action Aviation is the owner and operator of the BBJ. Gogo supplied the Galileo FDX SATCOM system, and they were very supportive throughout the entire process. All seats and divans were reupholstered with a completely new design by AeroVisto, complemented by a new carpet supplied by Simrick. DPI Labs designed and supplied the upgrade to the cabin entertainment system,

which enables app-based video streaming services with very little interference with the original system. The DPI Labs server also hosts software by Airmont for LiveTV streaming, as well as the FlightPath moving map. The engineering and certification for the entire project was done by AIRHAWKE.

“ It’s that we have that flexibility and transparency, that offers a sense of partnership when we work with customers.”

B rigit a Vildž iū ni enė, Direc tor of S al es, Nomad Techni cs

34

PROFILE … NOMAD AVIATION

» Complete Interiors Engineering and Program Management • VVIP Completions • Regional Conversions • Business Jet Reconfigurations • Special Mission Interiors • Freighter Conversions » Integrated Monuments and Systems • Galleys • Lavatories • Cabinets • Sideledges • Liners • Partitions • Showers • Water and Waste • Oxygen and ECS » Primary Structural Modifications • Floorbeams and Seat Tracks • Frames and Stringers • Fuselage Skin Penetrations » Electrical and Avionics Systems » Connectivity (Starlink, GoGo, OneWeb) FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT OUR WEBSITE W W W. A I R H A W K E . C O M

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Phone: +1 204 559-5553 Email: rachel.vanderzwaag@airhawke.com

PROFILE … NOMAD AVIATION

ARL: Was there anything unique about this project?

TG: The SATCOM installation was the first in the world to have the Gogo Galileo FDX fuselage mounted antenna on the aft of the aircraft. Our team did a really good job with the installation; the antenna looks like it belongs to the airplane. When we tested the system in flight it exceeded our expectations in terms of connectivity speed and reliability.

BV: Another great part was the in-flight entertainment system. The airplane arrived to us with a functioning system with BlueRay capability. However, this is not up to par anymore when you think about the entertainment solutions we are used to in our everyday lives. So we upgraded the monitors to higher resolution and bigger size and added the DPI Labs AVOD. These units are implemented into the existing system and allow the passengers to stream video content using their favorite apps like Netflix or HBO max, just like they would do at home.

ARL: What does the future look like for Nomad Aviation?

not all about the numbers, this goes beyond profits. We want partners that come back time and again, to build a mutual relationship, for them to see us as their primary MRO.

TG: We want to keep our boutique feel with a strong customer focus while still doing these bigger projects. We are searching for partners in a real sense of the word. We want to collaborate with our clients as well as suppliers. We’re

We are grateful to Action Aviation and our partners that have entrusted us with such a large scale project. To allow us to work on this airplane. It has been a wonderful experience. |BAM

“ The BBJ project represents more than a normal cabin modification— it is a statement of precision, craftsmanship, and dedication. We are proud to have partnered with Action Aviation and Nomad Technics to create an interior that embodies excellence and elevates the passenger experience to a new level.”

C a r s te n M at t h i e s e n , Managing Direc tor, AeroVis to G roup

36

PROFILE … NOMAD AVIATION

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Never miss a moment. Connect with Sales@DPILabs.com

37

PROFILE … SCANDIAVIA

Arctic Excellence Jarno Kivari, CEO of ScandiAvia, discusses building Northern Finland's leading FBO and ground handling network across nine locations

Q

: Thank you for speaking with us today, Jarno. For readers unfamiliar with ScandiAvia, can you walk us through your origins, how the company was established, and the unique value you bring to business aviation operations in Northern Finland’s arctic surroundings?

challenges of the Arctic while delivering the same high standards of service found at major international business aviation hubs.

Today, we are proud to be the leading business aviation handling provider offering FBO-driven services at 9 locations in Finland. Our strength lies in combining deep local knowledge with flexibility, fast response times and a highly personalised approach. Whether an aircraft is arriving for a leisure trip, corporate visit, government mission or special operation, our goal is to make every turnaround smooth, efficient and stress-free.

JK: ScandiAvia was founded with a clear vision: to provide business aviation operators with a premium handling experience in Northern Finland. We saw a growing demand for a local partner that truly understands the unique operational

“ Whether an aircraft is arriving for a leisure trip, corporate visit, government mission or special operation, our goal is to make every turnaround smooth, efficient and stress-free.”

38

In A Class of Its Own M&N Aviation, based at Centennial Airport in Centennial, Colorado, is a boutique provider ȉnj٪ƲɫƤƲȬɅǛȉǾƇdzdzɬ٪ƲɫȬƲȯǛƲǾƤƲƫ‫ؙ‬٪ȮɍƇdzǛ˚٪Ʋƫ٪ƇǾƫ٪ƤƇǾƫǛƫ٪ȬȯǛɥƇɅƲ٪ƇɥǛƇɅǛȉǾ٪ȷƲȯɥǛƤƲȷ‫ؘ‬٪

When you engage M&N Aviation for your Private Aircraft Charter, you will have a controlled experience that is honest and candid, with factual and realistic cost and expectation setting ƇǾƫ٪ǼǛȷȷǛȉǾ٪ƇȬȬȯȉȬȯǛƇɅƲ٪ȯƲȷɍdzɅȷ‫ؘ‬٪

ãȉɍ٪ ɦǛdzdz٪ ˛٪ɬ٪ ȉǾ٪ ȉǾƲ٪ ȉnj٪ ȉɍȯ٪ ȉɦǾ٪ ǼƇǾƇǍƲƫ٪ ƇǛȯƤȯƇnjɅ٪ ȉȯ٪ ƇǾ٪ ƇǛȯƤȯƇnjɅ٪ ɅǕƇɅ٪ ǼƲƲɅȷ٪ ȉɍȯ٪ ȷɅȯǛǾǍƲǾɅ٪ ȯƲȮɍǛȯƲǼƲǾɅȷ٪ȬƲȯɅƇǛǾǛǾǍ٪Ʌȉ٪ȷƇnjƲɅɬ‫ؙ‬٪ȯƲǍɍdzƇɅȉȯɬ٪ƤȉǼȬdzǛƇǾƤƲ٪ƇǾƫ٪ǼǛȷȷǛȉǾ٪Ȭȯȉ˚٪dzƲ‫ؘ‬٪

Please contact us by phone at: ‫׀ֿׁ־ׇׇؘؘׅ־׀ׅ‬ Or e-mail us at: ƤǕƇȯɅƲȯ‫ہ‬ǼƇǾƫǾ‫ؘ‬ƇƲȯȉ

PROFILE … SCANDIAVIA

Q: You offer a comprehensive range of services as Northern Finland’s premier ground handling operator. Can you elaborate on how your aircraft handling and ramp services meet the demands of clients in challenging conditions?

specialised procedures, continuous staff training and close cooperation with airport authorities and service providers. Our team understands the local environment exceptionally well, whether it's extreme cold, heavy snowfall or rapidly changing weather conditions. We continuously assess operational risks and adapt accordingly without compromising efficiency.

JK: Operating in the Arctic requires planning, experience and attention to detail. Weather conditions can change rapidly, particularly during the winter season, so our team is trained to anticipate challenges rather than simply react to them.

Good planning, experienced personnel and strong communication allow us to deliver reliable operations even in demanding circumstances.

We provide FBO-driven services, including complete aircraft handling, ramp coordination, aircraft marshalling, dedicated de-icing, fuelling arrangements, baggage handling, and passenger and crew services.

Every operation is carefully planned in advance to minimise turnaround times while maintaining the highest safety standards.

Q: Can you tell us about the role sustainability plays in your operations and any eco-friendly practices you have implemented?

JK: Sustainability is becoming increasingly important across the aviation industry, and we believe every operator has a responsibility to contribute. We continuously look for ways to reduce waste, optimise resource use and improve operational efficiency. Digital documentation has reduced paper consumption, and careful operational planning helps minimise unnecessary vehicle movements on the apron.

Business aviation clients often have demanding schedules, and our role is to ensure they can operate confidently regardless of the season.

Q: Customs and immigration clearance, along with crew services, are critical for efficient operations. What steps are you taking to keep these processes seamless and valuable for clients with tight schedules?

As new technologies and more sustainable ground support solutions become available, we intend to adopt them wherever they provide both operational and environmental benefits. We see sustainability as an ongoing journey rather than a single initiative.

JK: Efficiency begins long before the aircraft lands. Our operations team works closely with customs, border authorities, airport stakeholders and flight crews to ensure all required documentation and procedures are prepared in advance.

Q: What sets ScandiAvia apart from other ground handling providers, particularly in how you personalise services and build long-term partnerships with operators?

For crews, we provide comprehensive support, from hotel and transportation arrangements to catering arrangements and local coordination. By acting as a single point of contact, we simplify the entire process and allow crews to focus on their operation while we handle the logistics. Our philosophy is simple: every minute saved on the ground adds value for our clients.

JK: Our greatest strength is our people and our approach to customer service. We don't believe in one-size-fits-all handling. Every operator has slightly different expectations, and we take the time to understand those requirements. Many of our clients return because they know they'll be working with familiar faces who understand their preferences and operational needs.

Q: Operating in Northern Finland presents distinctive environmental and logistical considerations. How does ScandiAvia balance the highest standards of safety, security, and efficiency in such conditions?

We see ourselves as a long-term partner rather than simply a service provider, and we believe trust is built through consistency, communication and attention to detail.

JK: Safety is always our highest priority. Arctic operations require

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PROFILE … SCANDIAVIA

Q: Can you share more about your team and the experience they bring to aircraft and passenger handling? How has that shaped your approach in this demanding yet breathtaking region?

Our focus is on continuously improving service quality, expanding our range of premium services and investing in our people. We also want to strengthen our partnerships with operators, brokers and international aviation stakeholders while maintaining the personalised service that defines ScandiAvia.

Growth is important, but maintaining our high standards is even more important.

JK: Our team combines extensive aviation expertise with strong local knowledge. Many of our employees have years of experience in ground handling, customer service and airport operations, giving them a deep understanding of business aviation requirements.

Q: How do you see them contributing to the wider industry?

JK: We believe independent operators like ScandiAvia play an important role in strengthening the overall business aviation network. By providing reliable, high-quality services in destinations that can present operational challenges, we help operators expand their capabilities with confidence.

Working in Northern Finland also means appreciating the unique character of the region. We are proud to introduce visitors to the warmth of Finnish hospitality while delivering professional service in an environment that is both demanding and incredibly beautiful. Our team's commitment, flexibility and positive attitude are among the reasons clients continue to choose ScandiAvia.

We also believe collaboration is essential. Working closely with airports, authorities, service providers and industry partners helps improve operational standards and enhances the overall customer experience.

Q: Looking ahead, what excites you most about ScandiAvia’s growth and what developments or expansions are you most focused on?

JK: We see significant opportunities as business aviation continues to grow across Northern Europe and Arctic destinations become increasingly attractive for both leisure and corporate travel.

Our ambition is not only to represent Northern Finland but also to demonstrate that smaller, specialised FBO´s can deliver world-class service while supporting the continued development of business aviation across the region.|BAM

“ We are proud to introduce visitors to the warmth of Finnish hospitality while delivering professional service in an environment that is both demanding and incredibly beautiful.”

42

PROFILE … SCANDIAVIA

43

PROFILE … NICHOLAS AIR

From the Flight Deck to the Membership Roster Captain Rob Milner joins BizAv Media’s Max Raja to discuss his 10 years of service and what it means to become NICHOLAS AIR’s first Pilot Member

W

hile career longevity is often recognised and rewarded by traditional means, NICHOLAS AIR recently announced an award for its most tenured pilots as bespoke as its own private aviation service. For its longest serving airmen it now offers a Jet Card so they too can experience the very service that they have been delivering to their Members.

For 10 years, Captain Robert “Rob” Milner has been one of the trusted professionals behind the NICHOLAS AIR experience and is the first recipient of this award. As a Phenom 300 Captain, Rob has spent his career delivering the consistency, preparation, and personalised service that Members have come to expect.

His aviation journey began in the United States Air Force, where he learned the discipline, accountability, and attention

“ It reflects the culture of this company, and the value leadership places on its people. It is a recognition I will never forget.”

Captain Rob Milner (right) with NICHOLAS AIR Founder and CEO,

Nicholas Correnti (left)

44

PROFILE … NICHOLAS AIR

TOTAL CONTROL. ZERO COMPROMISE. From dimmable windows to emerging features like smart glass, cabin sensing and more, Gentex is engineering technologies for the next generation of commercial and business aircraft.

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PROFILE … NICHOLAS AIR

“ I have spent years helping Members experience everything NICHOLAS AIR has to offer, so becoming a Member myself is incredibly meaningful.”

to detail that continue to shape his approach to flying today.

Following military service, Rob worked as a flight instructor before flying specialised civilian operations in the Cessna Caravan and later corporate aviation in the Pilatus PC-12.

We sat down with Captain Milner to discuss his journey, the evolution of NICHOLAS AIR, and what truly sets the company’s Jet Card program apart.

Max Raja: Rob, congratulations on ten years with NICHOLAS AIR. Looking back, what does this milestone mean to you?

Rob Milner: Thank you. It is incredibly humbling. When

In 2016, he joined NICHOLAS AIR as a PC-12 Captain.

As the fleet evolved, Rob progressed through the Phenom 100 and ultimately into the Phenom 300, where he serves today. Throughout every stage of that journey, he has remained committed to the principles that define both his career and the NICHOLAS AIR brand: safety, consistency, professionalism, and service.

I joined NICHOLAS AIR in 2016, I knew I was joining a company that was committed to doing things differently, but I could not have imagined how much the company would grow or how rewarding the experience would be. The past ten years have been filled with great people, incredible opportunities, and the privilege of serving our Members every day.

Now, in celebration of his tenth anniversary with the company, Rob has achieved a distinction no other pilot has held before. He has become the first NICHOLAS AIR pilot to be inaugurated as an official Member and receive his own personal Jet Card.

Max Raja: You recently became the first NICHOLAS AIR pilot to receive a personal Jet Card and become an official Member. What was your reaction?

Rob Milner: Honestly, I was surprised and honoured.

The milestone offers a unique perspective. After spending a decade of delivering the NICHOLAS AIR experience from the cockpit, he now can feel the same seamless experience as a Member.

I have spent years helping Members experience everything NICHOLAS AIR has to offer, so becoming a Member myself is incredibly meaningful. It reflects the culture of this

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PROFILE … NICHOLAS AIR

reliability. They know the aircraft will meet their standards, the crews will be professional, and the service will be delivered the same way every time. That’s incredibly valuable for people who rely on private aviation to support their businesses, families, and lifestyles.

Max Raja: NICHOLAS AIR’s motto is “It’s Not Private, It’s Personal.” How does that philosophy come to life?

Rob Milner: It’s reflected in everything we do. We take the time to understand our Members, their preferences, their schedules, and their expectations. The goal isn’t simply to provide transportation. It is to create a personalised experience that removes complexity from travel and allows Members to focus on what is important to them.

Max Raja: The Jet Card program offers several options.

What do you think Members appreciate most about that flexibility?

Rob Milner: Everyone travels differently. Some Members

“ Becoming a Member allows me to see things from the other side and appreciate the convenience, flexibility, and peace of mind our clients experience. It has reinforced my belief in what NICHOLAS AIR offers and why so many Members continue to choose us.”

value consistency within a specific aircraft category, while others want access across the fleet. The BLUE, RISE, LITE, and STEEL JET programs allow Members to choose a solution that fits their unique travel needs. That flexibility is one of the reasons our programs continue to resonate with so many people.

Max Raja: What do Members tell you they value most about flying with NICHOLAS AIR? Rob Milner: Simplicity and confidence. They appreciate

company, and the value leadership places on its people. It is a recognition I will never forget.

transparent pricing, access to a modern fleet, and the ability to travel on their schedule. More importantly, they know they can trust us. The details are handled before they ever arrive at the airport, which creates a seamless experience from start to finish.

Max Raja: What does becoming a Member allow you to appreciate from a different perspective?

Rob Milner: As pilots, we are focused on delivering the experience. We think about safety, logistics, service, and execution. Becoming a Member allows me to see things from the other side and appreciate the convenience, flexibility, and peace of mind our clients experience. It has reinforced my belief in what NICHOLAS AIR offers and why so many Members continue to choose us.

Max Raja: You have seen NICHOLAS AIR evolve over the past decade. What stands out most?

Rob Milner: The growth has been remarkable, but what impresses me the most is how our Founder and CEO, Nicholas Correnti, has maintained the culture. Even as we have expanded our fleet, facilities, and membership base, the focus remains the same: deliver exceptional service and build lasting relationships. That is not easy to do, and it is something I am proud to be part of.

Max Raja: There are many private aviation providers today. What makes the NICHOLAS AIR Jet Card program different?

Rob Milner: Ownership and control. NICHOLAS AIR owns and operates its aircraft, employs its pilots, and maintains operational control of every flight. That level of oversight creates consistency throughout the entire experience. Members know who they are flying with, who maintains the aircraft, and who is responsible for every aspect of the trip. That’s a major differentiator in our industry.

Max Raja: What role do the pilots play in creating the Member experience?

Rob Milner: Pilots are often the face of the company, but the experience starts long before we arrive at the aircraft.

Every successful trip is the result of an incredible team effort involving dispatch, maintenance, Member Services, operations, and the flight crew. What Members experience as effortless travel is the product of tremendous coordination and dedication behind the scenes.

Max Raja: Why is that important to Members?

Rob Milner: Consistency builds trust. Our Members are not just purchasing flight time; they are investing in

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genuinely care about delivering excellence. I also continue to enjoy meeting our Members and helping them accomplish what matters most to them. That’s rewarding every single day.

“ Today, the Phenom 300 is an incredible aircraft to operate. It combines performance, comfort, and reliability in a way that aligns perfectly with the expectations of our Members.”

Max Raja: Outside of aviation, what keeps you grounded?

Rob Milner: Faith and family. My wife Karin and I have been married for 30 years, and we have been blessed with three wonderful daughters and, as of now, four young grandsons— Ryder, Jett, Nolan and Willie—who keep me busy when I am home. Family has always been my foundation. Whether we are spending time outdoors or simply enjoying time together, those moments are what matter most.

Max Raja: What aircraft have been the most memorable to fly during your career?

Rob Milner: Every aircraft has been special in its own way. The PC-12 was where my NICHOLAS AIR journey began, and I will always appreciate that airplane. Today, the Phenom 300 is an incredible aircraft to operate. It combines performance, comfort, and reliability in a way that aligns perfectly with the expectations of our Members.

Max Raja: If someone was considering a Jet Card for the first time, what would you tell them?

Rob Milner: Look beyond the aircraft and ask who owns them, who operates them, and who is responsible for your experience. Those answers matter. NICHOLAS AIR has built its reputation on controlling every aspect of the journey and delivering a level of consistency that Members can trust.

That’s what makes the difference. |BAM

Max Raja: What keeps you excited about coming to work after 10 years?

Rob Milner: The people. Aviation is a team sport, and I have the privilege of working alongside professionals who

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PROFILE … ELIZABETH HARVEY DESIGN

Designing Sanctuary Elizabeth Harvey, founder and creative director of Elizabeth Harvey Design, explores how hospitality, psychology and human-centred design are redefining private aviation interiors for luxury travellers

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lizabeth Harvey Design is a consultancy specialising in private aviation interiors and strategic design advisory. Drawing on more than two decades of experience spanning private aviation, world leading hospitality and high-end residential design, Harvey advises ultra-high-net-worth individuals on the creation of bespoke aircraft environments that balance operational excellence with emotional wellbeing, privacy and refined living at altitude.

Having held senior leadership roles within the aviation industry and worked alongside some of the world’s most respected hospitality and lifestyle brands, she has developed a distinctive philosophy that explores the future of private aviation through the lens of hospitality, psychology and human experience. Her work spans both concept creation and the stewardship of design through to delivery, ensuring that vision, quality and client experience remain aligned throughout a project.

“ Historically, aircraft interiors were designed around the aircraft.

Increasingly they are being designed around the individual.”

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PROFILE … ELIZABETH HARVEY DESIGN

ARL: Elizabeth, can you tell us more about your design background?

EH: I have always worked across disciplines. Whilst much of my career has been rooted in private aviation, my background also includes luxury hospitality and high-end residential design. That broader perspective has shaped the way I think about aircraft interiors.

I don’t view the aircraft as a standalone design project. It exists within a much wider narrative of how a client lives, travels, hosts, works and retreats. Many of the same individuals who commission private aircraft also own residences around the world, stay in exceptional hotels and have very sophisticated expectations regarding privacy, service and comfort.

Having worked both within aviation and alongside brands such as Aman, I became increasingly interested in what hospitality could teach us about the emotional experience of space. Hospitality taught me that people often remember how a space made them feel long after they’ve forgotten its individual features. That intersection between aviation, hospitality and residential living continues to inform my work today.

through materials, craftsmanship and visual expression.

Those elements remain important, but I believe the next chapter of private aviation will be defined by how people feel rather than simply what they see. How does an environment support privacy, clarity of thought and emotional wellbeing?

ARL: Your approach to design goes far beyond the typical standards. Can you tell us more about your philosophy?

EH: Historically, our industry has focused on luxury

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PROFILE … ELIZABETH HARVEY DESIGN

For me, the most sophisticated clients today are no longer looking for overt expressions of luxury. They are looking for calm, privacy, clarity and emotional ease. One of the most valuable luxuries today is the ability to choose how and when we engage with the world around us. Technology is becoming seamlessly integrated into the environment, allowing people to engage with the world when they want to and retreat from it when they don’t.

How does it help people arrive feeling better rather than simply transported?

In that sense, I think the aircraft becomes a sanctuary - not because it disconnects you from life, but because it gives you greater control over how you experience it.

At the same time, my approach remains grounded in reality. Aviation is an industry with demanding operational, technical and commercial requirements, so I am always interested in balancing design ambition with functionality and long-term viability.

ARL: “Sanctuary in travel.” I absolutely love this idea.

How refreshing and advanced. Can you tell us more about how this became a hallmark of your company?

EH: The idea of sanctuary has become increasingly

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“ The aircraft becomes a sanctuary - not because it disconnects you from life, but because it gives you greater control over how you experience it.”

important to me because modern life is becoming more connected, more visible and more demanding. For many clients, the aircraft is one of the few places where they can choose how they engage with the world. Technology can be fully present when needed and quietly disappear into the background when it isn’t. That ability to control one’s environment is becoming a luxury in itself.

For me, wellness is not about removing technology or stimulation. It is about giving people greater control over how they experience their surroundings. Lighting, acoustics, connectivity and comfort can adapt to the individual rather than the individual adapting to them.

Ultimately, the best interiors feel effortless. Everything functions intuitively, supporting the passenger without demanding attention. When all of those elements work together, people simply leave feeling better than when they arrived, even if they cannot quite explain why.

For me, the greatest luxury today is not excess but privacy, calm and choice. In that sense, the aircraft becomes a sanctuary - not because it disconnects you from life, but because it gives you greater control over how you experience it.

ARL: You often speak about the future of private aviation. Where do you see the industry heading?

ARL: What are some of the components that allow you to deliver on your philosophy?

EH: For many years our industry has focused on engineering excellence, craftsmanship and aesthetics. Those things remain fundamental, but I think we’re witnessing a shift towards more human-centred design. The conversation is expanding beyond what an aircraft looks like to how it supports the people travelling within it. How does it help someone focus, recover, connect with family, prepare for an important meeting or simply find a moment of calm between increasingly demanding schedules?

EH: I’m fascinated by how profoundly the cabin environment can influence the way we feel and perform throughout a journey. Traditionally, comfort in aviation has been measured through factors such as seating, noise levels and lighting. Today we are also looking at how the environment influences sleep, recovery, concentration and wellbeing.

What interests me most is how the aircraft can become more responsive to the individual. One person may want to work and remain fully engaged with the outside world. Another may want complete calm, privacy and rest. Technology now allows us to support both experiences within the same environment.

I’m particularly interested in what I describe as the psychology of the journey. Not just the physical environment, but how the experience of travel affects the way we think, feel and perform. Travel occupies a unique space in our lives because

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PROFILE … ELIZABETH HARVEY DESIGN

For me, the most successful aircraft interiors of the future will not simply be beautiful spaces. They will be environments that genuinely improve the experience of travel and respond intelligently to the individual.

ARL: How have recent advancements in technology furthered your mission to provide a holistic luxury experience?

EH: The difference between my first projects and those we design today is extraordinary. When I started in aviation, technology often imposed constraints. Today it enables possibilities that simply didn’t exist before.

Historically, aircraft interiors were designed around the aircraft. Increasingly, they are being designed around the individual. A passenger may want to work, dine, relax or sleep at different stages of a journey and technology now allows the same environment to adapt to those changing needs. What excites me is the convergence of design and technology, creating environments that are far more adaptable, personalised and responsive than ever before.

“ Ultimately, the best interiors feel effortless.

Everything functions intuitively, supporting the passenger without demanding attention.”

ARL: What role does longevity play in luxury design?

EH: Aircraft are long-term investments and, for me, the best interiors combine immediate excitement with enduring relevance. Clients should absolutely be delighted when they first step onboard. But the real test of a design is how it performs over time. Technology will evolve, lifestyles will evolve and expectations will evolve. Good design should be able to accommodate those changes without losing its integrity.

it often sits between different states of being - between work and family, public life and private life, activity and recovery.

I also believe luxury itself is evolving. Exceptional design will always be rooted in craftsmanship, beauty and material integrity, but increasingly I see clients placing equal value on environments that feel intuitive, personal and genuinely supportive of their lives. The most successful spaces are often those that quietly remove friction and allow people to focus on what matters most to them.

If we design intelligently, we can create environments that continue to feel rewarding and relevant many years after delivery. Ultimately, sustainability is not only about materials and processes. It is also about creating interiors that remain relevant, valued and enjoyed for many years to come. |BAM

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The Boutique

Advantage Michael Holy, CEO of Aviation Academy Austria, on how a boutique training centre is raising the bar in professional pilot training

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ounded 22 years ago, Aviation Academy Austria is a boutique pilot training centre offering a more personalised and intimate educational approach. Over the last two decades they’ve trained over several thousand pilots.

Ashley Rose Legrand talks with CEO, Michael Holy about what makes them shine.

ARL: Michael, can you tell us more about the Academy?

MH: We are a European provider for professional pilot training. We have two branches to the company; a very large flight school that specialises in commercial pilot basic training and our other business area is business pilot training on modern Full Flight Simulators. In both business areas, the focus is on flying as a profession. We educate the pilots of today and tomorrow.

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PROFILE … AVIATION ACADEMY AUSTRIA

ARL: What makes your training experience unique?

MH: What sets our simulator training apart is our instructors. They are experienced commercial pilots flying business aircraft. They divide their professional lives between flying and sharing their knowledge at our Academy. They fly the same type of aircraft they use to teach on the simulator, so they know firsthand what is needed and what the real operational requirements and challenges are. They give real world training scenarios. It’s not just ticking boxes and giving you one malfunction after another. We apply the wellstablished European concept of competency-based training.

The instructor looks at how the crew can deal with certain levels of difficulties in different situations and how adept they are in analysing and solving problems. In one sentence: EASA CBTA trains and assesses pilots on the competencies needed for safe real-world operations, rather than mainly checking whether they can perform a list of manoeuvres.

“ What sets our simulator training apart is our instructors. They are experienced commercial pilots flying business aircraft.

They divide their professional lives between flying and sharing their knowledge at our Academy.”

new that will help him in his day-to-day work and make him a safer pilot.

ARL: What type of aircraft is the training done on?

MH: We have simulators where we can change elements of the cockpit and respective loads to offer several variants within one simulator. In business aviation we have the Cessna Citation CJ1+, the Citation XLS and XLS+. The Bombardier Challenger 350 and 3500 plus the Challenger 650. And we have a Phenom 300E on the way.

This is what our customers really appreciate. It contributes to a great outcome and a high level of training effectiveness.

It makes a difference if your instructor knows from real experience all the challenges in the daily operation so they can tailor a very specific training scenario for the individual trainee. Our goal is for even the most experienced captain to leave our centre after training having learned something

ARL: Since you are more of a boutique training centre, are your training classes more intimate?

MH: Yes. For type ratings we usually limit the number of candidates to 6 or less. This opens up better opportunities

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PROFILE … AVIATION ACADEMY AUSTRIA

students in training, and we use only aircraft manufactured

by Diamond Aircraft. The final phase of training takes place on an Airbus A320 simulator.

“ We will expand our training centre, creating up to nine additional bays for future simulators, building modern office space, offering our customers a sophisticated lounge, and investing heavily to ensure the best possible customer experience.”

ARL: How long do the training programs generally take?

MH: Depending on whether students complete the training on a full-time or part-time basis, the commercial pilot training program lasts between 20 and 30 months.

We also offer other courses at our simulator centre: A type rating for a business jet consists of ground school and flight training on the simulator. Depending on the manufacturer’s specifications, it takes between three and four weeks. Other courses, such as command upgrades, special airport training, or instructor ratings, take just a few days.

ARL: You are constantly updating your curriculum.

What does that look like exactly?

MH: Yes, we have long lasting cooperations with two universities. We have several projects running. We focus on didactics, how we can improve the way we pass on knowledge and improve the quality of our courseware, how we can structure things that allow us to facilitate a better learning experience. Even though some of our trainers are very experienced, we’re trying to bring more resources and education to them to take full advantage of all the possibilities offered by new tools like using iPad-based grading and assessment tools, paperless documentation, to internal e-learning platforms.

Training the trainer requires different techniques than training a candidate. Some are very self-confident because they’ve been doing what they’re doing for years. So you have to motivate them and illustrate the advantages. In our business, we place a high priority on standardising our instructors—and here, too, we will introduce new tools to ensure we maintain our high level of quality.

ARL: What does your day to day look like as the CEO? MH: I am very operationally minded. I appreciate seeing what we could improve, what the challenges are and where I can support the staff. I do have a lot of meetings but I always try to keep them short and focused, like what’s the core problem? I’m also working on our current projects diligently.

Our customers experience our services through the combined efforts of many employees—from the cleanliness of the facility to the prompt handling of their requests. It’s a people business, and I’m proud to have such a great and motivated team.

for us to respond more effectively to our customers’ requirements. And in recurrent training you have one crew and one instructor. Everything is super personalised. We really look at the individual needs of the pilots.

ARL: Do you also follow this approach at the flight school, where you train the next generation of pilots?

ARL: What projects are you currently working on?

MH: The commercial pilot training program cannot be any more personalised—what unites both areas is our high-quality training philosophy: Here, too, many airline and business jet pilots train our young students. We exclusively offer commercial pilot training. We currently have about 130

MH: A project for our new simulators. We will expand our training centre, creating up to nine additional bays for future simulators, building modern office space, offering our customers a sophisticated lounge, and investing heavily to ensure the best possible customer experience.

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PROFILE … AVIATION ACADEMY AUSTRIA

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PROFILE … AVIATION ACADEMY AUSTRIA

competitors for different reasons. Because we are small, we are quick in doing things. We listen to feedback and customer input, and we do implement changes in our program based on that. We also respond quickly to requests. Instead of someone waiting for days for an email response, they may very well receive one within hours. We’re also very flexible in scheduling and aim to provide the best slots according to travel needs.

ARL: What’s on the horizon for the Academy?

MH: We want to build on our strengths and continue to improve. As we grow, we will establish new structures and attract the industry’s top talent to join our team. This company has great potential, and we are firmly committed to continuing on our path. Our core elements are customer focus, the highest standards of service, and excellence in training. We also want to maintain our direct access. When you enter our building we have a very friendly, family type feeling to our environment. We have a lot of spirit in our company. We have just 35 fixed staff and 130 rotating instructors. As we grow we want to keep this feeling alive.

We source most of our training equipment from AXIS Flight Training Systems—during the simulators’ construction phase, we provide extensive expertise on how to design the simulator to best meet the evolving requirements of modern pilot training. Just think of topics such as GPS spoofing or the realistic simulation of malfunctions based on accident reports.

Through this collaboration, we obtain optimal training equipment, which forms the foundation of our programs.

ARL: What do you see for your future?

MH: My future is definitely here in the company. Leading the company but expanding into a different area of the world.

We do have advanced plans for growing beyond Austria and becoming international. The market is there. Business aviation is growing and there is much room for expansion.

With the right employees, a solid financial foundation, a good product, and a little luck, success is within reach. |BAM

ARL: What percentage of your customers coming for training will return for the recurrent training?

MH: Usually about 90% will stay with us. We usually have long-term contracts. We do also have many coming from our

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PROFILE … GIBRALTAR AIRCRAFT REGISTRY

Gibraltar takes flight Lindy Castillo, Board Member of the Gibraltar Aircraft Registry, explains how expertise gained through the Aruba and San Marino aircraft registries is helping position Gibraltar as a premium aircraft registry with a client-focused approach Q: How does the partnership between the Gibraltar Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Aviation Registry Group ensure robust oversight while maintaining efficiency in the registration process?

LC: The partnership has evolved over time. Initially, the agreement was between the Gibraltar Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Aviation Registry Group (ARG), with the specific objective of designing, developing, and implementing the Gibraltar Aircraft Registry (GAR). Once that implementation phase was successfully completed, the operational partnership transitioned to one between the Gibraltar Civil Aviation Authority and the Gibraltar Aircraft Registry.

Under this model, responsibilities are clearly separated, ensuring both strong regulatory oversight and operational efficiency. The GCAA remains fully responsible for all regulatory functions, including certification, compliance, safety oversight, and the exercise of its statutory authority, while maintaining a customer-focused approach to service delivery.

Q

The Registry, on the other hand, is responsible for the commercial and administrative aspects of aircraft registration, including marketing, business development, client relations, and the day-to-day administration of registration services.

: Can you walk us through the key lessons from managing the Aruba and San Marino registries that are directly shaping the operational setup and client services for the new Gibraltar Aircraft Registry?

This clear division of responsibilities allows each organisation to focus on its core expertise. The GCAA safeguards safety, regulatory compliance, and the integrity of the register, while the Registry delivers efficient, responsive, and professional client service. Together, this public-private partnership creates a modern aircraft Registry that combines rigorous regulatory oversight with the speed, flexibility, and service standards expected by today’s international aviation community.

LC: The biggest lesson we’ve learned over more than three decades is that aircraft owners don’t simply choose a registry—they choose the people behind it. Regulatory credibility is essential, but so are responsiveness, expertise, and knowing there is a team they can rely on.

Our experience building and operating the Aruba and San Marino Aircraft Registries has shown that successful registries combine strong regulatory oversight with exceptional service. That philosophy is at the heart of the Gibraltar Aircraft Registry.

Q: What specific eligibility criteria and aircraft types will the Gibraltar registry prioritise in its initial launch phase starting around July?

LC: From its launch, the Gibraltar Aircraft Registry will focus on private and corporate aircraft, including fixed-wing aeroplanes with a maximum take-off mass above 5,700 kg and helicopters above 1,000 kg. This measured approach allows us to establish strong operational foundations while delivering the timely and personalised service our clients expect.

From day one, clients will have direct access to experienced professionals who understand the realities of aircraft ownership and provide practical, timely guidance. Our objective is simple: to deliver a premium registry experience built on professionalism, efficiency, and trust.

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PROFILE … GIBRALTAR AIRCRAFT REGISTRY

Q: How will the registry handle regulatory compliance, safety oversight, and UK Department for Transport involvement to meet ICAO standards?

As the registry continues to grow, we will progressively expand both our eligibility criteria and the range of services we offer. As part of this planned evolution, the registry will also open to commercial aircraft operations from Spring 2028, further broadening Gibraltar’s offering to the international aviation community.

LC: Safety and regulatory compliance are the foundation of the Gibraltar Aircraft Registry. The regulatory framework has been developed through extensive legislative preparation to ensure alignment with ICAO standards.

Q: In what ways does Gibraltar’s English common law framework and ICAO-aligned standards provide advantages for aircraft owners compared to other registries?

As the independent aviation regulator, the GCAA is responsible for certification, safety oversight, and ensuring compliance with national legislation and internationally recognised aviation standards. Through its regulatory oversight, the GCAA ensures that all aircraft and operators on the Gibraltar register continue to meet the required safety and operational standards.

LC: For aircraft owners, choosing a registry is ultimately about confidence. As a British Overseas Territory operating under English common law, Gibraltar offers a legal framework that is internationally recognised, predictable, and trusted by owners, financiers, insurers, and lenders.

As the State responsible for Gibraltar’s international obligations under the Chicago Convention, the UK has played an important role in reviewing the regulatory framework, with ASSI auditing the GCAA, on behalf of the UK Department for Transport, in March 2026 as part of the process of demonstrating compliance with ICAO

Combined with a regulatory framework aligned with ICAO Standards, Gibraltar provides legal certainty, internationally recognised safety oversight, and an efficient environment for registering and operating high-value aviation assets.

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PROFILE … GIBRALTAR AIRCRAFT REGISTRY

their trust in the operators who manage their aircraft, and those operators require both a registry and a Civil Aviation Authority that are accessible, efficient, and solution-oriented.

Our priority is therefore to provide operators with exceptional service. Every registration, certification, technical query, or operational request is handled promptly and professionally, with direct access to experienced personnel who understand the needs of business aviation.

This enables operators to deliver the highest level of service to their clients while knowing they have the full support of both the Gibraltar Aircraft Registry and the GCAA. Competitive fees, efficient administrative processes, and Gibraltar’s attractive fiscal environment—including no VAT on aircraft registration—complement this service-focused approach. However, our greatest differentiator is the quality of the relationship we build with operators and owners, delivering accessibilty, expertise, and personal attention that creates long-term confidence and lasting partnerships.

Standards. Following the audit, the UK Department for Transport authorised the GCAA to launch the Gibraltar Aircraft Registry for private aviation.

Q: Can you describe the expected timeline and milestones for the registry’s growth and service expansion in the coming years?

This provides aircraft owners, operators, and financiers with confidence that the Gibraltar Aircraft Registry operates within a transparent, internationally recognised regulatory framework founded on safety, accountability, and regulatory excellence.

LC: The launch of the Gibraltar Aircraft Registry marks the beginning of a long-term vision rather than the completion of a project. We have established a clear 10-year roadmap with defined milestones that will guide the Registry’s growth.

Q: What role will competitive fees, tax efficiencies (such as no VAT on registration), and administrative processes play in attracting high-profile clients?

During the first five years, our priority is to build a strong portfolio of private and corporate aircraft, focusing on delivering an exceptional customer experience for highnet-worth individuals and the operators who manage their

LC: While competitive fees and an attractive fiscal environment are important considerations, they are rarely the deciding factor for high-net-worth aircraft owners. In reality, owners place

“ We have established a clear 10-year roadmap with defined milestones that will guide the Registry’s growth.”

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PROFILE … GIBRALTAR AIRCRAFT REGISTRY

Q: How does the experience of leaders like Lindy Castillo and the broader ARG team contribute to making Gibraltar “the registry that rocks” in terms of service quality and market positioning?

“ Our ambition is to build a registry that operators choose not because it’s new, but because it’s trusted.”

LC: One of our greatest strengths is the experience we bring to the Gibraltar Aircraft Registry. For more than 20 years, I have had the privilege of being part of the ARG, working alongside an exceptional team to develop and manage internationally respected aircraft registries. That experience has given us a deep understanding of what aircraft owners and operators value most: strong regulatory standards, efficient service, and people they can rely on.

People often ask what makes one registry different from another. My answer is always the same—the people behind it. Over the years, we have learned that a registry is built not only on legislation and compliance, but also on relationships, expertise, and a genuine commitment to helping owners and operators find practical solutions.

The Registry That Rocks reflects that philosophy. It represents our ambition to combine technical excellence with fresh thinking, professionalism, and a highly personalised approach. Those qualities position Gibraltar as a premium boutique aircraft registry—one recognised not only for regulatory excellence, but also for the quality of the experience it delivers to aircraft owners and operators.

Q: What economic and industry impact do you foresee for Gibraltar from the registry’s growth, particularly for local professional services and aviation-related businesses?

LC: The aircraft registry is about far more than registering aircraft—it is about creating opportunities. Every aircraft added to the register has the potential to generate demand for legal, financial, insurance, fiduciary, corporate, and technical services. As the registry grows, we expect to attract international business, strengthen Gibraltar’s aviation sector, and contribute to a sustainable ecosystem that delivers longterm value to the local economy.

aircraft. Establishing a reputation for practical, clientfocused service, regulatory excellence, and operational efficiency will be our primary objective.

From 2028, we will expand our scope to include commercial aircraft operations by offering Air Operator Certificate (AOC) certification and oversight, allowing the Registry to support a broader segment of the aviation industry.

Q: Looking ahead, what challenges in global aviation regulation might the Gibraltar registry face, and how is the oversight structure prepared to address them based on past ARG successes?

Looking further ahead, by 2030, we aim to achieve FAA International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Category 1 status, enabling Gibraltar-registered commercial operators to conduct services to the United States and further enhancing the Registry’s international standing.

LC: The aviation industry never stands still, and neither can its regulators. From digital oversight and cybersecurity to sustainability and evolving international standards, registries must continuously adapt. Our philosophy is simple: successful registries don’t wait for change—they anticipate it.

Our ambition is to build a registry that operators choose not because it’s new, but because it’s trusted. If, ten years from now, Gibraltar is recognised as a benchmark for professionalism, safety, and service, we’ll know we’ve succeeded. |BAM

By the end of our first decade, our objective is to establish Gibraltar as one of the world’s leading specialist aircraft registries, with a fleet of at least 350 registered aircraft, recognised internationally for regulatory excellence, outstanding customer service, and a modern, efficient approach to aircraft registration.

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WE CARE.

IN THE SKY & ON THE GROUND

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PROFILE … JUBILEE AVIATION

Charting his own path Just three months into his career and the industry, Jack Woolley has been tasked with selling the parts of a Challenger 601 for Jubilee Aviation. He is currently their inventory specialist ARL: Jack, you are very recently just out of college and starting your career. Why aviation?

ago, fostering connections with professionals, building my online presence up and it then happened naturally from there. When you have a love for something like aviation, it is never classed as work, I class it as my hobby. I’m happy to work long hours, I’m happy to pick the phone up anywhere.

JW: This is my first role in the industry. Aviation runs in my family. My father started off in the Royal Air Force as an engineer and then went into sales along the way. I started going to conferences with my father around 2 years

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PROFILE … JUBILEE AVIATION

“ This Challenger 601 was an airplane that we were using but we no longer wanted to run, so we ended up retiring it and dismantling to sell parts individually.”

ARL: Can you tell us more about Jubilee?

JW: Jubilee is a private jet charter company that has a presence throughout the world but we’re based in Farnborough, UK and Lagos in Nigeria, which is where we run our operations and charter our Hawker. We also have an office in Atlanta and South America as well. We only do our chartering in Nigeria. Our Hawker is pretty non-stop at the moment. There’s not much downtime for it. Which normally could be a worry, however in our case it isn’t as what keeps it going is our amazing maintenance team and engineers in Nigeria. They truly are really on it any time of the day or night. Africa is one of the fastest locations in the world in aviation, especially Nigeria. Jubilee wants to be a part of the growth and help innovate. As the aviation footprint gets more prominent there I feel we can be a large cog in the works.

ARL: Why as a private jet charter company did Kayode, the CEO, hire you to sell parts of a Challenger 601?

JW: This Challenger 601 was an airplane that we were using but we no longer wanted to run, so we ended up retiring it and dismantling to sell parts individually.

ARL: What steps have you been taking to grow your network?

JW: Well part of the reason the education system didn’t

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73

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ҭҫҰ֬ҭұү֬үұҲҪ ‫ ץ‬ƚȜʢljʢƚȂ˄ʜƚʢ˄ʰճɝǠ˄

PROFILE … JUBILEE AVIATION

really help me is because I didn’t grow in it. I love to chat to people and understand them, so what I do is constantly look for conversations with people and try to understand what they need and might want and if I can assist in any way. I also started to post on Linkedin and generated some gravity behind my posts of my early career experiences.

ARL: What does your day-to-day look like at Jubilee Aviation?

JW: Every day I’m responding to emails that come in overnight due to the different time zones we operate in. I talk to people over LinkedIn, both new connections and already established ones, about parts, potential sales or just a causal chat to get to know people in a more relaxed manor. Trying to come to terms with deals and I work on the inventory spreadsheet. Part of my role is also to purchase parts for internal use. So, for example, we buy a lot of tires for our Hawker in Nigeria, so I’d purchase them, ship them to my current office in Farnborough and then I’d repackage them and ship them off to Nigeria.

ARL: How has it felt to have such a large role at the age of 18, so early in your career?

JW: I wouldn’t change it for anything. I’ve come into this and Kayode has put so much trust into me by letting me manage the full inventory of the company. It’s nice to have someone who sees your potential, and also showing he has full faith in me. Kayode really leads from the front. No matter what he’s always there doing things and working hard. He’s treated me like an equal, not like someone that’s brand new.

I feel we get on so well together because he likes the idea of learning on the job and I also am a fan of that technique as yes you might be able to learn behind a computer but there’s nothing like learning when you’ve got something physical in front of you. But also, what I find immensely effective is that he gives me the right amount of guidance when I need it. He seems to be able to sense when I need someone’s experienced thoughts and words to push me over the line.

“ Kayode has put so much trust into me by letting me manage the full inventory of the company. It’s nice to have someone who sees your potential, and also showing he has full faith in me.”

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PROFILE … JUBILEE AVIATION

“ I’m always trying to find things that possibly aren’t so clear to other people.

I’m always thinking and brainstorming and planning.”

ARL: What would you say your strengths are?

ARL: Where do you see yourself going with Jubilee and/ or in general in your life and career?

JW: I feel like I’m a very intuitive person. I can really tell what people feel and that allows me to connect quite well with them. Especially at a young age. I feel people don’t really expect me to be how I am and able to hold a conversation the way that I do. I’m always trying to find things that possibly aren’t so clear to other people. I’m always thinking and brainstorming and planning. I also feel I can control my emotions well.

There’s not a lot of things that frustrate me or make me angry.

If something doesn’t go my way, I move on and keep going. It allows me to adapt on my feet and change quickly if I need to.

JW: I really love Jubilee and being onboarded to this company at such a young age and potentially a pivotal time in the industry. I would like to stay here for a while and grow with the company and also gain valuable life lessons and experiences. As for the future, I have dreams that I will be acting upon. I want to own a Jet Brokerage company that also does Charter brokerage so I can potentially take business for as many different customers as possible. |BAM

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PROFILE … BUSINESS JET

“ We’ve got 4 pillars: Family Spirit, Humble Heart, Vibrant Experience, and Trusted Service.”

A Culture Built to Last Chris Wright, Partner and CEO at Business Jet, shares how an exceptional team and first-class customer service give the company a lasting competitive edge

B

orn in 1993 on 13 acres of land at Dallas Love Field (KDAL), Business Jet now proudly sits on 53 acres.

They’ve just completed their 18th and 19th hangars offering customers over 475,000 square feet of hangar and office space.

decades. However, in the last three years, we’ve invested heavily, in terms of capital and effort, into our MRO services and expanding those offerings with the repair station and our modifications team. We’re also a Starlink and Gogo dealer and installer now, helping us reach our goal of “checking all the boxes” to provide customers with “Comprehensive Aviation Solutions” – it’s really the tagline.

ARL: Chris, can you take us through Business Jet’s evolution and the key areas of growth that have shaped the company today?

While Love Field is our base, we have an international presence that’s continuing to expand as we onboard more ultra-longhaul aircraft to our management and charter certificate. We’re

CW: Traditionally, the FBO business has been our calling card and what we’ve been known for over the last three

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PROFILE … BUSINESS JET

Your business aviation training partner. Personal training solutions on Level D Full Flight Simulators.

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18.06.26 12:52

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PROFILE … BUSINESS JET

fortunate to be in the Love Field market as it’s seeing an increasing demand for general aviation services and is consistently among the top three busiest GA airports year-round. There are over 90 aircraft under hangar lease at our Dallas facility, and of those, we manage and operate 13. For our managed customers, we offer a turnkey ownership experience that includes in-house maintenance services, crew personnel hiring, accounting and bill pay, and concierge scheduling. We recently added a 2018 G550 based in KSAT which aligns with our goal of expanding our charter fleet beyond Dallas Love Field.

At the end of the day our business is driven on relationships.

Not only cultivating them and earning that trust but then maintaining it. When our customers can go to a tenured employee with an issue, they know they’re empowered to make something happen. When you’ve got the right people in the right positions, which we’re always working hard to do, the daily operations take care of themselves for the most part.

ARL: Your employees are the backbone of your company. Do you think having people that have been so invested is a big asset?

CW: I think it all starts with culture. You can talk about what your culture is, but people have to experience it. You’ve got to do what you say you’re going to do. Empowerment is number one. Empowering your employees to make decisions, to do the right thing. They’ve got to buy into your values.

They’ve got to live them out and pass it along to the everyday experience of the customer. We call it “The Business Jet Way,” and we’ve got 4 pillars: Family Spirit, Humble Heart, Vibrant Experience, and Trusted Service. We train our employees to anticipate needs before they happen, not just react to a request. The consistent treatment of making people feel like it’s a unique experience here is super important to us and we don’t lose track of that.

ARL: You pride yourself on that more personalised approach, which focuses on exceptional customer service. How do you achieve that?

CW: There’s no question. We’ve had several people that have been with us for 20 plus years, both on the management side and the FBO side. These long-tenured employees have really been our gel, and the secret sauce. We started off as a small company and have since grown to over 180 employees.

As companies scale, it can become natural to lose that personal touch, so we’ve tried to prevent that as much as possible.

Having those seasoned employees grow into managers and leaders in our company allows us to retain that personal touch because it’s so important for the customer’s experience.

“ We’ve had several people that have been with us for 20 plus years, both on the management side and the FBO side. These long-tenured employees have really been our gel, and the secret sauce.”

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PROFILE … BUSINESS JET

“ The growth plan on the FBO side is pretty clear. On the maintenance side, we’re constantly expanding our offerings to include more airframes and heavy-check capabilities.

We’ve completed nearly 30 Starlink and Gogo modifications since last year.”

ARL: And even with that small family feel, you continue to grow and expand.

CW: Yes, just in the last 6 months we’ve onboarded a 2018 G550 to the charter certificate, and we also just took delivery of a new Global 8000. We’re closely knit but we’ve got operations going around the globe. And being able to take that culture and that tailored experience across the pond is something we’re proud of. Not straying too far from our roots is key.

We’ve got room to develop 2 more hangars at Dallas Love Field around 30,000-35,000 square feet in size, which gives us another 70,000 square feet to offer clients. We’re looking to do that in the next 2 to 4 years, depending on demand.

We’re already in conversation with flight departments and other tenants that want to be here at Love Field, so those will come down the pipeline very soon. The growth plan on the FBO side is pretty clear. On the maintenance side, we’re constantly expanding our offerings to include more airframes and heavy-check capabilities. We’ve completed nearly 30 Starlink and Gogo modifications since last year.

ARL: Have you seen any impact from the cost of fuel?

CW: Since we opened 2 new hangars and added 70,000 square feet to our campus it’s naturally driven more fuel gallons. I was surprised with April and May with oil doing what it was doing; we kind of expected a slowdown but we didn’t see that at all. We’ve had near-record fuel-gallon months for both April and May. The fuel price does not seem to be slowing anything down.

ARL: On your website you say, “the greatest example of love is service to others.” It’s not every day you hear this in relation to business. Can you say more about this approach and how it’s guided you over the years?

Accessibility to company decision makers is also key to providing great customer service. Acting decisively to correct a service failure for a customer or being present to advise a young employee on career advancement are just a few examples that come to mind. I make a concerted effort to ensure everybody knows how to get a hold of me.

CW: Just because we’re dealing with transactions and contracts, it doesn’t mean the human element has to go away.

The people aspect was the whole reason we got into this.

My grandfather was flying around to different FBOs in the early 90’s, and it struck him how poorly people were treating clients. It just didn’t add up. Being able to meet and exceed expectations on a routine basis is the standard for us. It’s really embodying the servant’s heart. That’s truly what sets you apart in some business landscapes.

ARL: I’m sure that keeps people coming back and allows you to have good client retention.

CW: That’s right. The proof is in the pudding and how long people have been customers. And we don’t take that for granted. We have a small family feel.

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ollowing the resounding success of BMC25, BizAv Media, is again co-hosting a one-day conference, BizAv Maintenance Conference

(BMC26), on the 3rd September 2026, in London.

The conference will feature world-class speakers and panellists from across the BizAv Maintenance sectors of the industry.

This is a tremendous opportunity for companies of all sizes in the BizAv Maintenance sector to come on board and be part of the future of BizAv Maintenance.

Contact Max Raja at max@bizavltd.com or Roger Baker at roger@bizavltd.com for more information.

PROFILE … BUSINESS JET

Where we live out our values and what it means to serve others is through Business Jet Cares, our 501(c)(3) that we established over 10 years ago and is led by our employees. We hold an annual golf tournament and through it we’ve donated almost one million dollars to Veterans’ charities like Folds of Honor and Patriot Paws. It’s fantastic. We also do other events and fundraising throughout the year. We partner with a local elementary school here in Dallas that’s right off the end of the runway here at Love Field. We’ve funded 2 all expense paid field trips for them to Dallas Arboretum and Dallas Zoo, and we routinely have our employees go over and serve the faculty lunch on appreciation days.

and made real time performance data far more accessible.

We’ll use Claude and other AI tools for to assist in long-term planning, analysing our positioning in the market, and where opportunities and challenges may lie. We are old school in that we don’t let technology and AI dictate everything, but in terms of market research and lead generation, yes, we use it.

Business Jet really cares. Living out our values is of the utmost importance to us. Our customers are so great in offering support to these causes as well which enhances everything, so that’s a bonus.

CW: Seeing my grandfather and father’s vision for our base here at Dallas nearly all built out is so rewarding. From less than 20 airplanes to where we are now, quadrupling our footprint and doing it in a way where we haven’t lost touch with our values that started this whole thing. I think that’s what I’m most proud of. Really seeing how we can carry our passion for serving others into other lines of aviation business and be good at it - that’s very rewarding. Being able to work alongside my family and keep it in the family is what it’s all about for me. |BAM

I think as everything becomes more automated and more dependent on AI, that personal touch and the people aspect of this business is only going to become more valuable.

ARL: What would you say is your biggest accomplishment?

ARL: How has technology supported or changed your operation?

CW: In partnership with Total FBO Next-gen software, we were able to customise an operational platform that seamlessly supports our FBO business. It’s improved day-to-day operations

“ My grandfather was flying around to different FBOs in the early 90’s, and it struck him how poorly people were treating clients. It just didn’t add up. Being able to meet and exceed expectations on a routine basis is the standard for us.”

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