Sky Harbour CEO on Hangar Shortages, Ground Leases, and Wall Street

Is NBAA-BACE still an airplane-buying show, or has it become a B2B convention with a static display? And is charter demand really growing, or are bots just getting better at requesting quotes? Ahead of NBAA-BACE 2026 in Las Vegas, Jessie and Preston trace the show’s roots from a small group of corporate aircraft operators to business aviation’s biggest annual gathering. We discuss how the event has evolved, why OEM participation keeps shifting, and whether manufacturers are overlooking the people who actually influence aircraft purchases: brokers, management companies, pilots and maintenance professionals. Then we unpack Avinode’s reported 27% increase in U.S. charter demand and why more requests don’t necessarily mean more flights. From AI-powered sourcing to quote-to-booking ratios, we discuss what operators should watch before celebrating a busier inbox. Plus, the FAA is seeking an ownership stake in Air Space Intelligence, a contractor supplying AI-powered traffic-management technology. Should taxpayers share in the upside, or should the government stick to being the customer? We debate the proposal and lawmakers’ push to pause the SMART rollout. In Mile High Madness: Bombardier’s influencer strategy gets our attention, and a corporate flight attendant’s viral post offers a lesson in the difference between engagement and employability. In this episode: NBAA’s founding and the evolution of NBAA-BACE Static aircraft displays, OEM economics and the value of industry access Why charter quote requests aren’t the same as booked trips AI bots, charter sourcing automation and protecting your sales team’s time The FAA’s proposed stake in Air Space Intelligence Aviation influencer marketing: what works and what really doesn’t Find us at NBAA-BACE and come say hello. Subscribe to The VIP Seat and get the newsletter at www.thevipseat.com. Thank you to AB Jetsand RealJetfor sponsoring this week’s episode. #BusinessAviation #NBAABACE #PrivateJets #AirTrafficControl #AviationPodcast

521 kilos of crystal meth on a 1986 Learjet 55B, a rise in rogue pilot incidents on the flight deck, and Fortune taking another swing at business aviation. This week Jessie and Preston break down the Meth Jet bust in Laos, what the flydubai attack says about pilot mental health and cockpit security, and why bonus depreciation is no more a private jet loophole than it is a bulldozer loophole. We also look at IADA's tougher Certified Aircraft Broker program and the latest expedition hoping to find Amelia Earhart's Electra on Nikumaroro. Chapters 00:00 Welcome to The VIP Seat 00:12 Meth Jet: 521 kg on an N-registered Learjet in Laos 07:04 Mile High Madness, presented by Wingform 09:42 Get your hat for NBAA-BACE 10:20 Rogue pilots and the threat on the flight deck 15:04 Fortune gets bizav wrong again 23:06 IADA raises the bar for aircraft brokers 27:50 The search for Amelia Earhart's Electra 30:58 See you at NBAA-BACE Thanks to our sponsors AB Jets: Argus Platinum-rated charter with a fleet of Challenger 3500s and Learjet 60s Wingform: presenting sponsor of Mile High Madness RealJet: aircraft brokerage built on real people and real conversations Shop the hats: thevipseat.shop More episodes: www.thevipseat.com See us at NBAA-BACE next week. Say hi, grab a selfie and tag us on LinkedIn or Instagram. #BusinessAviation #PrivateJets #NBAA #BizAv #AviationPodcast

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.