The VIP Seat: The Weekly Private Aviation Podcast

What do private jets and catheters have in common? Apparently, a publicly traded parent company. This week on The VIP Seat, Jessie Naor and Preston Holland unpack Catheter Precision’s rebrand as Flyte Aviation, trading under VJET on the NYSE American—and the unusual combination of private aviation and cardiac technology. Then, they tackle Kissimmee’s proposed camera-based landing-fee system, the legal fight over delivery drones, and Global Jet Capital’s forecast for $247 billion in business-jet transactions through 2030. In this episode: Flyte Aviation, formerly Flewber, and its public-market pivot. Airport cameras, ADS-B restrictions and the landing-fee debate. Fifteen states and Harris County challenge the FAA’s drone-delivery environmental review. Why heavier jets are expected to lead transaction growth. AOPA’s announcement that it was leaving X—and the online reaction. A helicopter, a limousine and a very questionable stunt. Confirmed information about the tragic Bermuda-to-Boston air ambulance accident, without speculation about its cause. Update: After this episode was recorded, AOPA reversed its decision to leave X and said it would keep its account active. Thank you to AB Jets and RealJet for sponsoring this episode. Subscribe to The VIP Seat for business aviation news, industry analysis and candid conversations. Share this episode with someone in aviation, and leave a review wherever you listen. #BusinessAviation #PrivateJets #TheVIPSeat

The FAA has ended the single-pilot exemption pathway for several legacy Cessna Citation models, creating an immediate operational and economic issue for affected aircraft owners, contract pilots and charter operators. In this episode of The VIP Seat, Jessie Naor and Preston Holland break down what the FAA’s move actually means for Citation II, Bravo, V, Ultra, Encore and Encore+ operators and why the CE-525 CitationJet family is not affected. They discuss the agency’s safety rationale, allegations of noncompliance in the exemption ecosystem, the impact on staffing and operating costs, and the possible implications for aircraft values. Also in this episode: FAA proposes a $260,868 civil penalty against ExcelAire over alleged unauthorized charter operations. OneFlight faces growing scrutiny and multiple lawsuits, raising bigger questions about jet cards, prepaid charter funds, escrow and customer due diligence. FAA mechanic certificate issuance reaches a record level, while aviation maintenance employers still confront a long-term talent pipeline challenge. FAA proposes changes to high-altitude oxygen-mask rules for Part 91 and Part 135 operations. The Pilatus PC-12 PRO receives FAA and EASA approval for Garmin Safety Autoland. Mile High Madness: private-aviation social media, FBO confusion and the week’s strangest aviation moments. The big takeaway: whether you are buying a jet card, booking charter, owning a legacy Citation, hiring a contract pilot or evaluating an operator, due diligence matters more than ever. Subscribe to The VIP Seat for weekly conversations on private aviation, business jets, aircraft ownership, safety, charter, fractional aviation and the business behind flying private.

Are Steve Varsano's viral phone calls real or staged? We finally asked. In part two of our conversation, recorded live from the A319 cabin mockup at The Jet Business in London, Flexjet Chairman Kenn Ricci and Steve Varsano go through the deal from the buyer's side. They cover who pitched it (over lunch, of course), why Kenn calls it 80% acqui-hire, how Flexjet plans to move 30–50 pre-owned aircraft a year, and Kenn's three types of M&A deals, including the two he never wants to do again. First, the news. Canada joins the bonus depreciation club with PM Carney's Productivity Mega Deduction, covering both new and pre-owned aircraft. The HondaJet Echelon slips again, with first flight in 2028 and deliveries in 2031, and we ask whether it's the engines. We also ring the M&A gong for Derek Johnson and Mach One Aviation joining Citadel Aviation. Plus Mile High Madness: a social media aviation-investment pitch that earns a hat, and a helicopter giving birth. Thanks to our sponsors: AB Jets, RealJet, and Wingform Subscribe to the newsletter at https://www.thevipseat.com for the weekly Mile High Madness links and more.

Is private aviation really one industry anymore? In this special edition of The VIP Seat, Kenn Ricci argues that the interests of charter operators, aircraft manufacturers and FBOs are increasingly pulling in different directions — while the organizations lobbying Washington have traditionally tried to represent them all. Kenn gets into why airlines have access to a robust market for PMA replacement parts while business aviation operators face far fewer options, including manufacturers’ reluctance to provide the technical data needed to develop alternatives. He also takes aim at soaring FBO landing, handling and special-event fees — costs that ultimately hit operators and their customers. For large companies, those pressures may be manageable. For smaller charter operators, Ken argues they’re making an already difficult business even harder to compete in. His bigger question: when manufacturers, FBOs and operators have competing economic interests, who is actually standing up solely for the operator?

This week on The VIP Seat, we unpack who is gaining control across business aviation—from airport policy and FBO economics to charter platforms, premium terminals, and cockpit safety culture. Chris Rocheleau is leaving NBAA to lead Airports Council International–North America, putting a former FAA leader at the helm of the organization representing airport operators across the U.S. and Canada. We look at why that move matters for airport access, infrastructure, FBO power, fees, and the future relationship between airports and business aviation. Rocheleau is set to become ACI-NA president and CEO on October 5, succeeding longtime leader Kevin Burke. We also break down Priester Aviation’s “One Priester” rebrand and what it really says about the company’s acquisition strategy. With Mayo Aviation, Hill Private Aviation, Omni Air Transport, Elite Jets, and MaxAir now inside the broader platform, is this simply a brand consolidation—or a push to own more of the client journey from jet card to charter to aircraft management? Then, OneFlight’s story gets more complicated. We discuss reports of financial and operational pressure, questions around operator payments, the company’s aggressive growth and marketing strategy, its short-lived surcharge, and why a jet-card company’s ability to deliver promised lift is ultimately a balance-sheet question. We were also on site at Farnborough for Flexjet’s new $34 million private terminal—the company’s first dedicated facility outside North America. More than a lounge, it is a statement about global fractional growth, customer experience, training, maintenance, and who controls the private-aviation journey on the ground. Finally, we examine the Nicholas Air whistleblower case and what AIR21 protections actually mean for pilots and other aviation workers. When a crewmember raises a reasonable safety concern, where does legal protection begin—and where are its limits? In this episode: Chris Rocheleau’s move from NBAA to ACI-NA Airport influence, FBO consolidation, fees, leases, and access Priester Aviation’s rebrand and completed acquisition roll-up OneFlight’s financial and operational questions Flexjet’s Farnborough terminal and global fractional strategy Why pilots receive whistleblower protections under AIR21 The difference between a safety culture statement and a safety culture in practice Thank you to our sponsors AB Jets, REAL Jet, and Wingform for making this show possible as well as Wingform

Trump is taking aim at Bombardier again—threatening to stop the Canadian manufacturer from selling aircraft in the United States unless it builds more of them on U.S. soil. But is this a real policy move, another tariff negotiating tactic, or both? And what could it mean for Global and Challenger buyers, fractional operators, delivery customers, and the wider business-aviation supply chain? This week on The VIP Seat, Jessie and Preston break down: Trump’s latest Bombardier threat and why calling it an enacted “tariff” may be premature Bombardier’s U.S. manufacturing footprint, including Global 7500 wing production in Texas Grant Cardone’s $80 million, “no tariffs” Global 7500 sales pitch Honda Aircraft subsidiary Arulean Air’s minority investment in Thrive Aviation Thrive’s new fractional program featuring HondaJet HA-420s and Challenger 3500s Whether a disciplined VLJ fractional model can actually work—and why the charter/fractional balance matters Bernie Ecclestone reportedly being detained in Portugal after a shotgun was found aboard his private jet The international-trip lesson: firearms, permits, customs, crew coordination, and why “last-minute” does not mean “skip the paperwork” Treasury declining senators’ request to change SIFL valuation rules for personal use of employer-provided aircraft Why politicians can potentially be subject to SIFL too—but campaign flights, government flights, and personal fringe-benefit flights are not the same thing L.A. County’s push to assess property taxes on aircraft tied to celebrities, billionaires, and high-net-worth owners What aircraft situs-tax enforcement could mean for owners, management companies, and privacy Private aviation remains an easy political target, but the real-world issues are more complicated: U.S. manufacturing jobs, cross-border supply chains, fleet planning, tax compliance, aircraft location records, and the practical need for private aviation as a business tool. This episode is commentary, not legal, tax, customs, firearms, or operational advice. Consult qualified advisers, your operator, and trip-support professionals for guidance on a specific transaction or trip. Thanks to this week’s sponsors: AB Jets — for Starlink-equipped Challenger 3500 charter and supplemental lift. RealJet — for experienced, human-led international trip support and operational coordination. Subscribe to The VIP Seat, leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and sign up for the newsletter at The VIP Seat. #PrivateAviation #BusinessAviation #Bombardier #TrumpTariffs #HondaJet #Challenger3500 #FractionalOwnership #SIFL #PrivateJetTax #AviationNews

Vista Global is reportedly eyeing a European IPO that could raise over $1 billion at a valuation north of $10 billion, and Jessie and Preston break down what that means against a $600 million RRJ Capital investment, looming 2027 debt, and how Vista's 2025 flight hours stack up against NetJets and Flexjet. From there, Apollo's new stake in Atlantic Aviation values the FBO chain at nearly $10 billion, just five years after KKR bought it from Macquarie for $4.475 billion, and the hosts connect that to a Senate letter pressing the FAA on private equity's growing role in aviation maintenance and consolidation. Then it's OneFlight International's wild same-day 35% jet card surcharge and reversal, set against its McLaren F1 and PGA Tour sponsorships, and a debate over whether flashy marketing can outrun shaky pricing. Pentastar Aviation's new autonomous wing-walking robots from Airtrek Robotics, built to cut into the $100-150 million a year the industry loses to hangar rash. Plus, we're joined by special guest Chad Gilson from Gilchrest Aviation Law to break down recent updates to Beneficial Ownership Information and it's impacts on business aircraft privacy. Subscribe to our email newsletter companion to read even more: www.thevipseat.com

Every general aviation airport in America is owned by a city or a county, and almost none of them can afford to build you a hangar. That is not a market failure. That is the system working exactly as it was designed. This week on The VIP Seat, Jessie and Preston sit down with Tal Kenan, Founder and CEO of Sky Harbour, the publicly traded company building hangar campuses at airports where almost nobody can get land. Tal grew up in military aviation, spent a decade running an investment firm between Tel Aviv and New York, then bought a Beech Baron and ran head first into the same hangar shortage everyone complains about. Instead of joining the waitlist, he went and read the FAA grant assurance guidelines. What came out of that is a real estate business that takes no transient traffic, charges a serious premium, and has a waiting list at most of its campuses. They cover: • Why the hangar shortage is a policy artifact, not a supply and demand accident • How FBO economics quietly guarantee more ramp and less hangar space • What it actually takes to win a ground lease on an airport, and why PDK took six years • Why fuel and hangar have to be priced as a single number, not two • How tax exempt private activity bonds fixed at 4.18% underpin the entire model • Where the bond market and the equity market disagree about what this business is worth • What a "home base operator" is, and why the FBO world is splitting in two • The SPAC story, the REIT question, and why he is happy being public about five days out of seven Supply is fixed, the fleet keeps getting bigger, and nobody is building new airports. This is the conversation about what happens next. Thanks to AB Jets and Real Jet for sponsoring this season of The VIP Seat. Subscribe to the newsletter at thevipseat.com Jessie Naor: flyingprivate.org | flyvizor.com Preston Holland: prestigefinance.com | prestonholland.com Disclosure: Sky Harbour is a publicly traded company. Jessie Naor has a small personal investment in it, which she discloses on the show. Nothing in this episode is investment advice and should be viewed for entertainment purposes only.

flyExclusive reported a $111 million Q2, but behind the headline are improving margins, positive adjusted EBITDA, a complicated capital structure, and a $5 million loan carrying a stated 26.5% rate. This week on The VIP Seat, Jessie Naor and Preston Holland break down flyExclusive’s Q2 2026 results: revenue growth, gross-margin improvement, fractional-program revenue, MRO, Jet Club activity, debt, and the related-party disclosures investors should read carefully. This is industry commentary only: not investment or financial advice. Also in this episode: SC Aviation acquires Heartland Aviation in Wisconsin Atlantic introduces its Ascend operator savings program LA County’s use of aircraft-tracking data in property-tax assessments An Indiana farmer charged after allegedly shooting at a crop-dusting aircraft Hera Flight’s reported Gulfstream G-IV runway-excursion and gear-collapse event The Atlanta Plane Train runway carpet is apparently installed backwards Aviation social-media nonsense, a $40 million “detailer” sale, and more Thanks to this week’s sponsors, AB Jets and RealJet. Subscribe for weekly private aviation news, aircraft-operations analysis, charter and fractional-market commentary, FBO economics, aviation finance, M&A, and business-aviation stories you will not find in a standard press release. #PrivateAviation #BusinessAviation #flyExclusive #FLYX #PrivateJet #AviationNews #JetCharter #FractionalOwnership #FBO #AircraftManagement

flyExclusive reported a $111 million Q2, but behind the headline are improving margins, positive adjusted EBITDA, a complicated capital structure, and a $5 million loan carrying a stated 26.5% rate. This week on The VIP Seat, Jessie Naor and Preston Holland break down flyExclusive’s Q2 2026 results: revenue growth, gross-margin improvement, fractional-program revenue, MRO, Jet Club activity, debt, and the related-party disclosures investors should read carefully. This is industry commentary only: not investment or financial advice. Also in this episode: SC Aviation acquires Heartland Aviation in Wisconsin Atlantic introduces its Ascend operator savings program LA County’s use of aircraft-tracking data in property-tax assessments An Indiana farmer charged after allegedly shooting at a crop-dusting aircraft Hera Flight’s reported Gulfstream G-IV runway-excursion and gear-collapse event The Atlanta Plane Train runway carpet is apparently installed backwards Aviation social-media nonsense, a $40 million “detailer” sale, and more Thanks to this week’s sponsors, AB Jets and RealJet. Subscribe for weekly private aviation news, aircraft-operations analysis, charter and fractional-market commentary, FBO economics, aviation finance, M&A, and business-aviation stories you will not find in a standard press release. #PrivateAviation #BusinessAviation #flyExclusive #FLYX #PrivateJet #AviationNews #JetCharter #FractionalOwnership #FBO #AircraftManagement

Is Wheels Up finally building momentum—or simply burning more runway? We break down their latest financial release (not financial advice!). This week, we battle it out over the Wheels Up Q2 results. The fleet transition is done early, the premium operation is more reliable, and management has put a 70-plus-hour utility target on the board. But cash burn, debt, deferred revenue and Delta support remain the real pressure points. We also break down Solairus and Clay Lacy's deal, NetJets’ jet-card pause, Chris Rocheleau’s return to NBAA, Real Jet's Crytpo.com news, FAA cannabis research, and a little AI-slop-induced madness.

An anonymous, but infamous, aircraft owner known as XPlusLuxe joins The VIP Seat Podcast for one of our most fascinating conversations yet. Known online for his legendary aircraft collection and viral aviation content, “Mr. T” shares what he’s learned after building a fleet of private jets—and why he believes most owners, operators, and even manufacturers misunderstand the economics of business aviation. In this exclusive interview we discuss: ✈️ How a hedge fund manager became obsessed with private aviation 📊 Why data—not emotion—should drive aircraft purchases 💰 The hidden costs of aircraft ownership and management 🛩️ Citation X+ Versus Everything Else 📈 Why most Part 135 operators leave money on the table 🔧 The importance of maintenance (MX) over almost everything else 🚀 Speed, fuel burn, Starlink, AI, and the future of business aviation 💼 Can charter companies actually become great businesses? 📉 The biggest mistakes aircraft owners make If you’re interested in private jets, business aviation, Part 135 charter, aircraft ownership, fleet strategy, aviation investing, Gulfstream, Bombardier, Textron, NetJets, Flexjet, or private aviation economics, this episode is packed with insights you won’t hear anywhere else. 🎙️ Hosted by Jessie Naor and Preston Holland. 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more conversations with the people shaping private aviation. #PrivateJets #BusinessAviation #CitationX #Gulfstream #Bombardier #PrivateJet #Part135 #NetJets #Flexjet #Aviation #AircraftOwnership #CorporateAviation #TheVIPSeat

Saudi Arabia’s The Helicopter Company, backed by the PIF, signs a Farnborough LOI with Bombardier for a firm order of 12 Challenger and Global jets plus options that could take the deal to around $2.8–3B and up to 60 aircraft. We break down FlyExclusive’s latest Jet Club press release, with record flight hours, an average $190K deposit per new member, and a 32% year‑over‑year jump in May deposits—and ask whether those prepaid hours will translate into profitable margins when earnings drop. Jessie and Preston unpack new NTSB documents on the Hudson River sightseeing helicopter crash, where Smithsonian feather lab analysis points to multiple large bird strikes, including Canada geese, as a likely driver of the in‑flight breakup. We hit Dassault’s latest Falcon 10X certification delay and what it means in the arms race against Gulfstream and Bombardier, dive into the FAA’s new Mobile Clearance system that lets GA and bizav pilots pull IFR departure clearances via ForeFlight/Garmin instead of phones and radios, and revisit the long‑running fight over crew rest and duty rules for cargo and Part 135. Plus: Mile High Madness with “Chad” flying to Nantucket on a PC‑12, Detailer Guy, and why cheap gimmicks and influencer‑bait content are hurting the industry’s credibility.

This week, Preston joins live from EAA AirVenture Oshkosh with news on Emily Deaton's move to NBAA and show updates. Then: a 14-year-old bush pilot case out of Alaska heads to the U.S. Supreme Court over a six-pack of beer and a seized Cessna, a viral air traffic control exchange reignites the cockpit-professionalism debate, and two market reports land the same week — one on the private aircraft MRO boom, one on the ultra-wealthy buyers reshaping the business jet market. Plus: Textron's new Pipistrel Voyager trainer arrives right as the FAA's MOSAIC rule takes effect, Gianni Infantino's Gulfstream G650 racks up more miles than most fleets fly in a year, and Preston explains how he ended up quoted — and slightly cornered — in a story about AI wealth flooding into private aviation.

This week’s episode of The VIP Seat hits all the major pressure points in business aviation: connectivity, new aircraft, regulation, legal risk, and AI‑driven fraud. Jessie and Preston start with Starlink’s latest aviation pricing changes, breaking down “Elonomics” at altitude—regional Aviation Unlimited rising to $12,500 per month with a 500 Mbps cap, the 25 GB plan doubling from $2,000 to $4,000, and a worldwide 1 Gbps unlimited tier now at $20,000 per month. They walk through what this means for new Gulfstreams, charter fleets, and other private jets that already require $300,000–$500,000 of Starlink hardware, and why some operators’ annual Wi‑Fi bills could approach 10% of the airplane’s value. On the hardware side, Embraer’s new Phenom 300EV takes center stage. The episode covers Autoland for single‑pilot and owner‑flown operations, the multi‑purpose electronic controller (MEC) that brings rudder‑by‑wire and auto‑brake into a fly‑by‑wire system, cabin refinements including a vacuum lav, and planned LEO connectivity. Jessie and Preston dig into the roughly $13.99 million list price, long lead times into 2027, and hefty deposits and pre‑delivery payments that reshape the math for buyers weighing the Phenom 300EV against CJ4s, PC‑24s, and other light jets. Regulatory and legal stories add more fuel. They unpack FAA vs. California over crew rest and meal‑break rules, including the Ninth Circuit’s decision extending California’s 30‑minute break requirements to flight attendants even on interstate flying, and why many aviation employers avoid basing staff in California. They also explore a lawsuit involving Peter Thiel’s husband, a Solairus‑operated flight, and allegations that a cabin cooler strike injured a flight attendant—raising questions about principal vs. management company liability and cabin safety in tight business jet interiors. Finally, Jessie and Preston tackle a move under the Trump administration to study tariffs on aerospace products and jet engine parts in the name of national security, plus NBAA’s warning about AI‑enhanced scams targeting private jet sales, charter deals, and aviation M&A. They lay out how AI can spoof voices, emails, and texts inside multimillion‑dollar transactions, and why escrow agents, charter ops teams, MROs, and brokers need stronger authentication and training. Mile High Madness brings levity with animal rescue flights, while sponsors AB Jets and RealJet ground the conversation in the realities of operating and chartering modern business jets.

This week on The VIP Seat, we’re covering one of the strangest weeks in aviation news yet. The FAA moves one step closer to allowing civilian supersonic flight over the United States, and what that could mean for Boom Supersonic and the future of business aviation. Plus: Canada’s bizarre battle between Billy Bishop Airport expansion and a historic nudist beach. China grounds virtually all general aviation around Beijing after a small aircraft crashes into a skyscraper. Inside the Sun Valley billionaires conference, where hundreds of Gulfstreams, Globals and Falcons descend on Idaho. A Delta airliner is struck by fireworks during Fourth of July celebrations. Jared Isaacman flies for Freedom 250 in his F-5 despite FAA objections. A hard Hudson River landing involving a Blade-booked Kodiak 100 seaplane. Why Part 145 repair stations are becoming one of the hottest M&A sectors in aviation. Plus another round of Mile High Madness, including a barefoot helicopter pilot landing on a fishing vessel. Subscribe for weekly business aviation news, private aviation analysis, safety insights, and industry commentary. Sponsored by AB Jets & RealJet #BusinessAviation #PrivateJets #BoomSupersonic #FAA #AviationNews #BillyBishop #SunValley #Kodiak100 #GeneralAviation #TheVIPSeat

This week on The VIP Seat, Jessie and Preston break down the biggest stories in business aviation — from Wheels Up becoming the launch customer for Surf Air’s AI-powered SurfOS platform to the growing race for the private aviation software layer. They also ring the Canadian M&A Gong for AirSprint’s private equity deal, unpack ATI Jet/JetVia’s lawsuit against Pratt & Whitney over engine program delays, and discuss new safety concerns from slacklines and drones creating risks for pilots. Plus, Kennedy Ricci of 4AIR joins the show to explain CORSIA, the international aviation emissions framework, why compliance is becoming more important, and what business jet operators need to know before the next major deadline. Finally, Jessie and Preston discuss Flexjet’s Gulfstream G500 announcement, the future of the G650/G700 fleet strategy, and why Gulfstream exclusivity matters in fractional aviation. business aviation, private aviation, Wheels Up, Surf Air OS, SurfOS, private jet AI, aviation software, AirSprint, private equity aviation, fractional aviation, ATI Jet lawsuit, JetVia Pratt Whitney, engine program lawsuit, CORSIA, sustainability, aviation emissions, 4AIR, Kennedy Ricci, Flexjet Gulfstream G500, Gulfstream G700, private jet safety, drone strikes aviation, emissions compliance, carbon offsetting

This week on The VIP Seat, Jessie Naor and Preston Holland break down a packed week in business aviation. We start with Global Jet Capital’s $659 million aircraft-backed securitization and why Fortune 500 companies use operating leases for corporate jets. Then AirShare CEO John Owen joins us for a special Mile High Madness segment after the company went viral offering to fly Freddy to a World Cup match on a private jet. We also discuss the retirement of one of the classic Air Force One 747-200s, the controversy surrounding the Qatari 747-8, and Boeing’s delays on the next presidential aircraft. In safety news, we cover NetJets’ first fatal accident, the industry’s reaction, and why everyone is waiting for the NTSB’s findings. Jessie also explains the first confirmed NTSB preliminary report involving GPS jamming in a fatal medevac crash. Plus: the American pilot finally home after being detained in Guinea, Magellan Jets’ M&A strategy, charter brokerage consolidation, and why gross marketplace value is not the same thing as revenue. Topics include: -Global Jet Capital aircraft securitization -AirShare’s viral Freddy World Cup offer -Air Force One 747 retirement -Qatari 747-8 presidential aircraft controversy -NetJets fatal accident -GPS jamming and aviation safety -Pilot detained in Guinea returns home -Magellan Jets M&A strategy -Charter brokerage consolidation -Private aviation finance and safety news

This week on The VIP Seat, Jessie Naor and Preston Holland unpack a packed week of private aviation headlines. FlyHouse announces a leadership change, raising new questions about its ambitious “Uber for private jets” strategy. NetJets files for an exemption to extend certain crew duty limits, sparking a bigger conversation about fatigue, rest rules, and whether safety practices should be shared across the industry. Plus, Cirrus faces federal restrictions tied to Chinese ownership, AeroVanti’s founder is convicted in a major wire fraud case, Steve Varsano sells The Jet Business to Flexjet/Directional Capital, and Mile High Madness brings mini cows on a private jet and PE guy comedy to the cabin.

This interview with Kenny Dichter and Robert Withers of REAL Jet covers the founding of Marquis Jet, the success of Avion Tequila, the experience with capital markets, the growth of Wheels Up, and the impact of going public on the industry. It also highlights the importance of authentic conversations and the journey to becoming a billion-dollar company. The conversation delves into the challenges faced during COVID, lessons learned, and the evolving landscape of the aviation industry. It also explores the transition from Wheels Up to RealJet, the vision for RealJet and Real SLX, and the unique hospitality model of RealJet. The synergy of REALJet, REAL SLX, and REAL come from learnings at Wheels Up. Takeaways Authentic conversations are what drive our industry forward Success in the private aviation industry requires strategic partnerships and innovative business models. Adaptability and resilience are crucial in navigating challenges in the aviation industry. Safety, trust, and quality are essential components of a successful aviation business. Chapters 00:00 RealJet Sponsorship 05:21 Founding of Marquis Jet 10:54 Success of Avion Tequila 17:56 Growth of Wheels Up 23:13 Journey to a Billion Dollar Company 28:47 Going Public and Industry Impact 34:12 Lessons Learned in Challenging Times 40:07 Safety and Trust in Aviation 45:25 The Vision for RealJet and Real SLX 53:28 RealJet's Unique Hospitality Model 01:00:45 Encouragement for the Future of Aviation Thanks to AB Jets and REALJET for sponsoring this week's episode of The VIP Seat! Check out our newsletter at The VIP Seat.