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The VIP Seat: Private Aviation News: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Jessie Naor and Preston Holland | Experts in Private and Corporate Aviation
Join Jessie Naor and Preston Holland on The VIP Seat for the latest insights in private aviation, covering business aviation trends, private jet reviews, and more. We break down the biggest stories of the week in corporate aviation, from jet charter trends and Part 135 shenanigans to aviation safety news that the big players hope you'll miss. Expect hot takes, sharp analysis, and real talk with industry insiders, operators, and disruptors. Whether you’re flying private or an industry insider, buckle up and let's take off.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- Yesterday29 min
SyberJet Gets Fired Up, Pratt & Whitney's New Engine
SyberJet brought the lasers. Operators brought their frustrations with FBO fees. And we came home from NBAA-BACE 2026 with a few questions that didn’t get answered onstage.This week on The VIP Seat, Jessie and Preston unpack Trevor Milton’s SyberJet relaunch, from the mock-up and ambitious avionics plans to the reaction when Preston questioned the presentation online. We’re here for innovation. That doesn’t mean we’re skipping the questions about execution.Then, we get into the FBO special event fee debate: why unpredictable charges leave operators and brokers explaining bills they didn’t set, and why better transparency matters as much as the price.Also on the agenda:STA Jets’ acquisition of International Jet and the push for scale in charterGoodwin’s Stack Aero acquisition and the questions it raises about customer data, sourcing and AIPratt & Whitney’s PT9: where could a more powerful turboprop fit?Bombardier’s U.S. investment plans and its response to political pressureMile High Madness: private jet saunas and the operator-versus-broker rivalryPlus, look out for our Beyond the Booth interviews with business aviation leaders coming out as bonus content this week, presented by Leviate Air Group.CHAPTERS00:00 Bombardier’s political punching bag00:22 Welcome back from NBAA-BACE00:51 SyberJet’s relaunch and Trevor Milton’s response to criticism07:19 FBO special event fees: the predictability problem10:52 A thank-you to AB Jets11:35 Mile High Madness: jet saunas and brokers vs. operators15:22 M&A Gong: STA Jets, International Jet and Stack Aero19:47 Who owns the customer data?21:27 Pratt & Whitney’s PT9 and the next turboprop opportunity25:12 RealJet and finding the right charter partner25:58 Bombardier, Trump and U.S. investment28:41 Beyond the Booth interviews and what’s nextThe VIP Seat is presented by AB Jets. Thank you to our segment sponsors Wingform and Oshman Aviation, and toRealJet for supporting our NBAA coverage.Subscribe for weekly business aviation news, analysis and the conversations behind the headlines. Get the newsletter at thevipseat.com.#TheVIPSeat #BusinessAviation #NBAA #SyberJet #PrivateAviation
- 1 weeks ago37 min
The History of NBAA BACE
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-BACEStatic aircraft displays, OEM economics and the value of industry accessWhy charter quote requests aren’t the same as booked tripsAI bots, charter sourcing automation and protecting your sales team’s timeThe FAA’s proposed stake in Air Space IntelligenceAviation influencer marketing: what works and what really doesn’tFind 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
- 2 weeks ago31 min
Meth Jet, Rogue Pilots, and Fortune Gets BizAv Wrong
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.Chapters00:00 Welcome to The VIP Seat00:12 Meth Jet: 521 kg on an N-registered Learjet in Laos07:04 Mile High Madness, presented by Wingform09:42 Get your hat for NBAA-BACE10:20 Rogue pilots and the threat on the flight deck15:04 Fortune gets bizav wrong again23:06 IADA raises the bar for aircraft brokers27:50 The search for Amelia Earhart's Electra30:58 See you at NBAA-BACEThanks to our sponsorsAB Jets: Argus Platinum-rated charter with a fleet of Challenger 3500s and Learjet 60sWingform: presenting sponsor of Mile High MadnessRealJet: aircraft brokerage built on real people and real conversationsShop the hats: thevipseat.shopMore episodes: www.thevipseat.comSee us at NBAA-BACE next week. Say hi, grab a selfie and tag us on LinkedIn or Instagram.#BusinessAviation #PrivateJets #NBAA #BizAv #AviationPodcast
- 3 weeks ago30 min
Catheters to Private Jets: Flyte Aviation’s Wild Pivot
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
- 4 weeks ago31 min
Citation Single-Pilot Exemption, OneFlight and ExcelAire Challenges
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.
- Sep 23, 202633 min
Canada Bonus Depreciation, HondaJet Echelon Slip, and Steve Varsano Says the Calls Are Real
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 WingformSubscribe to the newsletter at https://www.thevipseat.com for the weekly Mile High Madness links and more.
- Sep 17, 202625 min
Kenn Ricci Says the Private Aviation Industry is No Longer Aligned
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?
- Sep 16, 202630 min
One Priester, OneFlight Questions, and Flexjet’s London Bet
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-NAAirport influence, FBO consolidation, fees, leases, and accessPriester Aviation’s rebrand and completed acquisition roll-upOneFlight’s financial and operational questionsFlexjet’s Farnborough terminal and global fractional strategyWhy pilots receive whistleblower protections under AIR21The difference between a safety culture statement and a safety culture in practiceThank you to our sponsors AB Jets, REAL Jet, and Wingform for making this show possible as well as Wingform
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About The VIP Seat: Private Aviation News
Join Jessie Naor and Preston Holland on The VIP Seat for the latest insights in private aviation, covering business aviation trends, private jet reviews, and more. We break down the biggest stories of the week in corporate aviation, from jet charter trends and Part 135 shenanigans to aviation safety news that the big players hope you'll miss. Expect hot takes, sharp analysis, and real talk with industry insiders, operators, and disruptors. Whether you’re flying private or an industry insider, buckle up and let's take off.
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