Welcome to the Corporate Jet Investor Podcast where we bring together some of our friends and colleagues from across the world of business aviation. Hosted by Alasdair Whyte and brought to you by the team at Corporate Jet Investor. Winner of best digital offering in the 2020 Aerospace Media Awards. Connect with us at www.corporatejetinvestor.com Producers: Olivia Leaning and Louisa Whyte
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60 recent
October 16, 202659 min
CJI Podcast #55 | Josh Allen | Charter Flight Support | "Working for free was the most money I've probably ever returned on my investment"
Josh Allen, CEO of Charter Flight Support, talks to Alasdair Whyte about building a business around charter aviation’s most stressful moment: the AOG. He covers his path from unpaid intern to CEO, how CFS prices and manages risk, the Lloyd’s insurance backing, what’s coming next, and where he sees the charter market heading. Produced by Katie Cassin
October 9, 20261 hr 2 min
CJI Podcast #54 | Luis Barros | Leviate Air Group | “Find people that do things better than you”
Luis Barros, founder and CEO of Leviate Air Group, joins Alasdair Whyte to talk about his path from a first aviation program at 16 to building a Dallas-based business that covers charter, aircraft sales and operations. He explains how he bought the company he once worked for and why he went to Columbia Business School to study private equity. Barros explains how he plans to double Leviate organically, but acquisitions could make it five times larger. They also cover private equity’s role in aviation, the fight over special event fees, the need for tougher penalties on illegal charter, and Leviate’s first airliner project: a Boeing 767. Luis closes with advice for anyone entering business aviation, buying their first aircraft or going out on their own. Produced by Katie Cassin
October 2, 202638 min
CJI Podcast #53 | Mark Bearden | First American Equipment Finance | "As a lender we feel really good about fractional ownership"
This week on the Corporate Jet Investor podcast, Mark Bearden, Senior Vice President at First American Equipment Finance, explains why fractional ownership is so popular and why his banks likes financing it. Mark discusses why City National lends against the borrower rather than the aircraft, and how that approach fits well with used fractional shares. He covers what drove the post-2020 boom, who is buying fractional today, and when it beats charter, jet cards or whole-aircraft ownership. He also gets into how bonus depreciation has boosted demand, typical loan terms and closing times, and the long manufacturer backlogs. He finishes with where the fractional market goes next. Produced by Katie Cassin
September 25, 202650 min
CJI Podcast #52 | Patrick Hosman Jr | Southern Cross Aircraft | "We have lost millions on single airplanes"
Southern Cross Aircraft is one of the most active large business jet dealers in the world. In this CJI Podcast Pat Hosmann Jr. explains how they look for aircraft with “good bones” and the risks involved in inventory (especially when three brothers are making investment decisions). The company specialises in complex international deals and Hosmann explains how to deal with different cultures. He also says how tight-knit the community is: “In business aviation there is probably three degrees of separation, it’s all about personal relationships.” Produced by Katie Cassin
September 18, 202654 min
CJI Podcast #51 | Denise Wilson | The Jet Agent | "Interpersonal relationships are still everything"
Denise Wilson has done nearly everything in business aviation: commercial pilot, aircraft manager, operator for 14 years, and now founder and president of The Jet Agent, a brokerage built on real advisory relationships instead of the usual sales hustle. In this episode, Denise talks about why she specialises in specific aircraft rather than a region, how she helps first time buyers cut through all the noise, and what's actually going on right now in the Citation M2 and CJ4 markets. She gets into off market deals, why she's not worried about AI replacing brokers, and the mistakes that quietly cost new jet owners down the line. Produced by Katie Cassin
September 11, 202654 min
CJI Podcast #50 | John Odegard | 5x5 Trading | "The aircraft brokerage world can be a little bit like the Wild West"
John Odegard, founder of 5x5 Trading and Chairman of IADA, has spent 30+ years closing deals in private aviation, from NetJets to Wheels Up to building his own firm from scratch. He talks career pivots, the leap of faith it took to launch a new business in the middle of a global shutdown, what it really takes to move aircraft at scale, and the highs of competition and celebration in dealmaking, right down to the horn that goes off every time his team closes a deal. Plus: why he still says the brokerage world can feel like the Wild West. Produced by Katie Cassin
September 10, 202627 min
CJI Podcast #49 | Paul Jebely | Sterlington | Reaction to Trump’s announcement: no more Bombardier sales in the United States
When Trump posted on Truth Social that Bombardier should be banned from the US, we did what any sensible person would do. Called a lawyer. Paul Jebely, partner at Sterlington, was characteristically calm. A Truth Social post isn't a law. There's no order, no tariff, nothing. And banning Bombardier? The Global 8000 wing is built in Texas. The engines are GE and Honeywell. 3,500 Americans build these planes. You'd essentially be banning American business aviation from buying the aircraft it already ordered. His prediction: Bombardier quietly announces more US assembly in Wichita, the White House declares victory, and the whole thing disappears. As Paul put it: keep calm and carry on. Produced by Katie Cassin
August 14, 2026Episode 4851 min
CJI Podcast #48 | Marian Jancarik | Jetron | "The younger generation of owners are much more efficient"
Marian Jancarik, Managing Director of aircraft brokerage Jetron, joins Alasdair on this week's episode of the CJI Podcast. Marian traces his path from selling small commuter turboprops in Slovakia, through roles at Seagle Air and ABS Jets, into aircraft sales for Embraer in Saudi Arabia during the 2008–09 downturn, to founding Jetron five years ago. The discussion covers how far client education has come — from explaining basic ownership costs to today's highly informed buyers — and Jetron's "525" growth plan built around staying a focused, boutique European brokerage rather than chasing global scale. Jankaric contrasts his team-first model with larger brokerages where salespeople compete internally, talks through Jetron's transatlantic deal flow despite its regional reputation, and reflects on generational shifts among both buyers and his own team, including his teenage son's growing interest in the business. He closes with practical advice for first-time buyers (charter extensively before purchasing) and reflects on the emotional, high-pressure realities of brokering and aircraft management. Produced by Katie Cassin
August 10, 2026Episode 4725 min
CJI Podcast #47 | Dan Drohan | Solairus on buying Clay Lacy's aircraft management
Dan Drohan, founder and CEO, Solairus, takes us through his acquisition of Clay Lacy's aircraft management and charter businesses. He talks through the road to 500+ managed aircraft, extending Solaris's client aviation manager model across the combined fleet and defending against rival operators circling Clay Lacy clients. Drohan also reflects on how the deal came together through his relationship with Clay Lacy's Brian Kirkdoffer, and why — despite the numbers — this was never about chasing scale for its own sake. Apologies for the sound quality on the CJI side. Our mic has died. Produced by Katie Cassin
July 31, 202653 min
CJI Podcast #46 | Kaye Gitibin | Go Rentals | "We are a Yes Company in a No Industry"
Kaye Gitibin spotted something nobody else cared about. Private jet passengers were landing at FBOs across America and being handed dirty, smoke-stained cars dragged over from commercial airports. So he started GoRentals — one location, seven cars, zero ad budget. Thirty years later he runs the only Forbes five-star car rental company in the world, at over 300 FBOs nationwide. His secret? He never called it a car rental company. It's hospitality. The car just comes with it. Produced by Katie Cassin
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