The Upstream Metals Strategy Keeping Aerospace Moving w/ Kelly Thomas

The Upstream Metals Strategy Keeping Aerospace Moving w/ Kelly Thomas

The aerospace supply chain does not only break at final assembly. Some of the most important pressure points sit much farther upstream, inside the specialized materials businesses; most of the industry only notices when something goes wrong. High-purity aluminum, specialty alloys, casting capacity, hedging, tariffs, geopolitical risk, and long-cycle inventory decisions all shape whether commercial aviation, defense, and space can keep moving.  When demand rises or supply gets disrupted, companies like Vista Metals have to make decisions long before the rest of the market feels the impact. In this episode, I talk with Kelly Thomas, CEO of Vista Metals Group, about the hidden risks inside the aerospace materials supply chain and what it takes to lead a business where capacity, capital, talent, and timing all have to line up before the market is ready. What You’ll Discover In This Episode  * Why high-purity aluminum has become a critical supply chain issue for aerospace manufacturersHow tariffs, geopolitical risk, and smelter disruptions affect companies far upstream in the supply chain * Why hedging can be a make-or-break discipline for companies carrying long-cycle metal inventory * How privately held aerospace suppliers can make long-term investments differently from public companies * Why Vista Metals has focused on hard alloys, specialty casting, and niche aerospace applications * How commercial aviation, defense, and space demand are shaping Vista’s growth outlook * Why smaller and privately owned companies often carry supply chain risk that the broader industry may underestimate * What leaders need to understand about moving from a large public company environment into a smaller, operator-led business * How Kelly Thomas thinks about leadership, feedback, communication, and building a no-politics culture * Why sitting in uncertainty may be one of the most important leadership skills in a volatile aerospace market About the Guest Kelly Thomas is the President and CEO of Vista Metals, the world’s largest independent producer of specialty aluminum products for the aerospace, defense, transportation, and industrial sectors. A globally experienced executive with more than two decades in metals and manufacturing, Kelly has built her career at the intersection of finance, operations, commercial strategy, and industrial leadership. She brings deep expertise in global metals markets, risk management, and complex manufacturing environments, along with a values-driven leadership style focused on performance, innovation, and long-term growth. Before joining Vista Metals, Kelly held senior leadership roles at Alcoa and Aleris, where she helped drive global strategy, manage multi-billion-dollar operations, and lead large teams across North America and Europe through periods of transformation and growth.   About Your Host Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker, and ICF-trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers, and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association.    Resources For more aerospace industry news & commentary: https://craigpicken.com/insights/.  To learn more about Craig Picken, visit https://craigpicken.com/.

What Private Equity Really Demands From Leaders w/ Maxwell Salazar

Private equity is no longer a small corner of the market that only dealmakers, investors, and portfolio executives need to understand. It is becoming one of the defining forces in business. More industries are being consolidated. More founder-led companies are being acquired. More executives are being recruited into PE-backed environments. And more leaders are finding themselves operating under a very different set of expectations, timelines, pressures, and performance standards than the ones they were trained for. That means the old “private equity is not my world” mindset is getting harder to maintain. You may sell your company to private equity. You may go work for a PE-backed business. You may be hired to lead one. Either way, it is becoming increasingly important to understand what this environment actually requires. Because private equity is not just a financial model. It is an operating environment. And in that environment, leadership gets tested quickly. The old playbook of buying a business, adding leverage, cutting costs, and exiting quickly is no longer enough. In today’s market, value has to be built. Leaders have to move fast without breaking the business. Founders have to navigate the shift from owner to employee. Boards have to apply pressure without creating misalignment. And executives have to prove they can create measurable results without relying on the systems, resources, and support structures they may have had in larger companies. In this episode, I’m joined by Maxwell Salazar, founder of Salazar Leadership Advisory. We talk about what private equity is really demanding from leaders today, what it takes to succeed in a PE-backed environment, why traditional executive hiring signals can be misleading, and how founders, boards, and operators should think about leadership in a market where private equity is no longer the exception; it is becoming part of the business landscape. What You’ll Discover In This Episode Why private equity is becoming a reality founders, executives, advisors, and operators need to understand How PE-backed environments differ from traditional corporate leadership roles Why the old private equity playbook of leverage, cost-cutting, and quick exits is no longer enough What leaders need to understand before stepping into a PE-backed company Why self-awareness, adaptability, and accountability matter so much under private equity pressure How founders can struggle with the shift from owner to employee after a transaction Why founder transitions are often emotional and psychological, not just operational How leaders can move quickly without triggering resistance inside the business Why boards need to be clear about the mandate before hiring a CEO, COO, CFO, or CRO What companies should actually assess for when choosing leaders for PE-backed environments Why prior PE experience, impressive logos, or successful exits can create false confidence How to tell the difference between someone who managed inside a system and someone who can build in a more ambiguous environment Why the best PE-backed leader may not always be the most charismatic or obvious candidate How board dynamics can either support an operator or make the role harder than it needs to be Why private equity can be one of the best environments for leadership growth, but only for people who understand the pressure, pace, and trade-offs involved.   About the Guest Maxwell Salazar is the founder of Salazar Leadership Advisory, where he helps private equity firms make better leadership decisions across their portfolio companies. A business psychologist by training, Maxwell evaluates C-suite leaders, surfaces culture and execution risk, and helps investors understand whether the people they are hiring are equipped to lead through pressure, ambiguity, board scrutiny, and operational change. Before launching his advisory practice, Maxwell served as Head of Executive Assessment at AlixPartners, advising clients across hedge funds, investment banks, and PE-backed companies ranging from $100 million businesses to multibillion-dollar enterprises. In his work, Maxwell focuses on the human side of value creation: how leaders perform when the market shifts, the strategy meets resistance, or the boardroom pressure starts to rise. He helps investors and leadership teams look beyond pedigree, charisma, and past titles to better understand self-awareness, accountability, adaptability, culture fit, and the trade-offs that determine whether an executive can succeed in a private equity-backed environment. Connect with Maxwell on LinkedIn.     About Your Host Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker, and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers, and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association.   Resources For more aerospace industry news & commentary: https://craigpicken.com/insights/. To learn more about Craig Picken, visit https://craigpicken.com/.

Private Aviation Customers Are Changing: Here’s How Sentient Jet Is Adapting w/ Alan Walsh

Private aviation is no longer serving the same buyer, the same use case, or the same expectation set that it was built around twenty years ago. The old assumption was simple: private aviation was mainly for the already-initiated: aircraft owners, experienced charter users, corporate flight departments, or people who already understood the difference between aircraft categories, operating models, and access options. That market still exists, but a new buyer is entering the industry with a very different set of questions. They are wealthier, often younger, more digitally fluent, more time-sensitive, and in many cases completely new to private aviation. That is where the jet card model becomes more than a product. It becomes a bridge between commercial aviation frustration, fractional ownership, charter, corporate flying, and the growing demand for flexible, predictable private aviation access. In this episode, I’m joined by the CEO of Sentient Jet, Alan Walsh. We discuss how one of the original jet card companies is adapting to a changing private aviation market. We talk about how Sentient is thinking about AI, digital transformation, changing demographics, 135 lift, sustainability, World Cup demand, aircraft preferences, and why the future of private aviation may be less about luxury and more about utility, access, and time. What You’ll Discover In This Episode Why the jet card model remains attractive for new entrants who want private aviation access without aircraft ownership or long-term asset commitment How Sentient Jet is balancing digital convenience with a high-touch service model that still depends on human relationships Why Alan Walsh sees AI as an operational efficiency tool, not a replacement for client-facing service How private aviation demand is being shaped by commercial aviation disruption, reduced regional routes, and the need for better time control Why new private aviation users often need education before they need a sales pitch How changing wealth demographics are bringing younger, more digitally native buyers into the market Why bigger, newer, longer-range aircraft remain in demand and what that means for operators and aircraft availability How major events like the World Cup create sustained, multi-leg private aviation demand across several weeks Why sustainability is becoming a more visible consideration for private aviation customers What the industry may look like as technology, vertical integration, and more individualized access models continue to evolve     About the Guest Alan Walsh is the President of Sentient Jet, where he is responsible for the overall growth, innovation, and success of the business. He has led the development and transformation of Sentient’s service organization while also helping shape the future of Owner Services at Flexjet. Alan has spent his career at the intersection of customer success, strategy, and client experience. He brings a customer-centric mindset and a strong track record of driving large-scale business, operational, and digital transformation across growth, M&A, turnaround, and AI-enabled strategy. Known for building high-performing teams and using data to improve customer outcomes, Alan brings a strategic view of how private aviation is evolving, from changing customer expectations and digital access to service consistency, safety, and the continued role of the jet card model in the market. Connect with Alan on LinkedIn.   About Your Host Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker, and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers, and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association.   Resources For more aerospace industry news & commentary: https://craigpicken.com/insights/. To learn more about Craig Picken, visit https://craigpicken.com/.

Business Aviation’s Next Chapter: Beyond Range, Speed, and Size

Business aviation has spent decades climbing the same performance ladder: more range, more speed, larger cabins, better engines, better avionics, and more capable aircraft. That evolution created the modern business jet market and pushed the high end into a category that would have been difficult to imagine when the first purpose-built business aircraft entered service. But the next era may not be defined by simply building a bigger airplane. With aircraft like the G800, Global 8000, and Falcon 10X, the upper end of the market is already approaching the practical limits of range, cabin size, and price. Supersonic business aviation remains difficult. New air vehicle concepts may be promising, but business aviation has historically prioritized performance, reliability, and mission utility over radical experimentation. That raises a more important question for business aviation leaders: where does meaningful differentiation come from next? In this episode, I continue the conversation with Kevin Michaels and Richard Aboulafia of AeroDynamic Advisory about Time Machines: Business Aviation’s Dynamic Journey. This second part looks at the future of the market: why the high end keeps marching upward, why the medium-cabin segment may need a new catalyst, how post-COVID usage patterns are changing ownership and operating models, and why the aircraft may increasingly be judged by what it enables onboard. What You’ll Discover In This Episode Why the ultra-long-range business jet market has continued to expand, even when many people once doubted there would be room for multiple players at the high end. How the G800, Global 8000, and Falcon 10X reflect the continued march toward larger, more capable, and more expensive business aircraft. Why business aviation may be approaching a point where range, speed, and cabin size are no longer enough to create meaningful differentiation. How onboard connectivity, virtual workspaces, interiors, avionics, and human-machine interface may become more important to the next era of business aircraft. Why radically new air vehicle concepts may be harder to justify in a market that has historically prioritized performance and mission utility over fuel-efficiency-led experimentation. What the continued rise of ultra-high-net-worth demand reveals about the top end of the business aviation market. Why the medium-cabin and “workaday” jet market may need a new catalyst as the high end keeps pulling away. How business aviation usage has changed since COVID, including the shift away from traditional ownership and toward fractional, managed aircraft, and Part 135 models. Why “business aviation as a service” may become a more important way to understand the market’s next phase. What leaders should watch as aircraft performance, ownership models, customer expectations, and onboard experience begin to define the next chapter of business aviation.   About the Guests Richard Aboulafia is a Managing Director at AeroDynamic Advisory, a boutique aerospace and defense management consultancy based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He is also a Special Advisor on Aerospace & Defense at Eurasia Group and a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. Since 1988, Richard has tracked aircraft programs, markets, and companies as an analyst and consultant, advising aerospace manufacturers, defense contractors, and financial institutions on commercial aviation, military aviation, and broader aerospace and defense market trends. Before joining AeroDynamic Advisory in 2022, he was Vice President of Analysis at Teal Group. Richard is also a widely published aviation and defense writer, with regular columns in Aviation Week & Space Technology and work appearing in outlets including Foreign Policy, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, Professional Pilot, and others. He is the co-author, with Kevin Michaels, of Time Machines: Business Aviation’s Dynamic Journey, a comprehensive look at the people, aircraft, technologies, business models, and market forces that shaped business aviation into the industry it is today. Connect with Richard on LinkedIn. Kevin Michaels is a Managing Director at AeroDynamic Advisory and a globally recognized expert in aerospace manufacturing, MRO, strategy, customer satisfaction, M&A advisory, technology assessment, and market analysis. Across his career, Kevin has advised leading aerospace OEMs, airlines, MRO providers, suppliers, and investors on the strategic and operational forces shaping the aerospace industry. Before AeroDynamic Advisory, he was Vice President in ICF International’s Aerospace & MRO consulting practice and co-founder of AeroStrategy, which was acquired by ICF. He also held roles with Rockwell Collins Government Systems, The Canaan Group, and aero-engine supplier Williams International. Kevin is a columnist for Aviation Week & Space Technology’s Up Front feature, a contributing columnist to Inside MRO and Forbes, and chairs the Industry Advisory Board for the University of Michigan’s Aerospace Engineering Department. He is also the author of AeroDynamic: Inside the High-Stakes Global Jetliner Ecosystem, winner of the 2019 Choice Outstanding Academic Title Award. Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn. Buy the book Time Machines: Business Aviation’s Dynamic Journey on Amazon.   About Your Host Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker, and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers, and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association.   Resources For more aerospace industry news & commentary: https://craigpicken.com/insights/. To learn more about Craig Picken, visit https://craigpicken.com/.

The Aircraft, Engines, and Business Models That Built Business Aviation w/ Richard Aboulafia and Kevin Michaels

Business aviation is often misunderstood because the aircraft are the most visible part of the story. The brands, the cabins, the speed, the ramp presence, and the culture around private aircraft tend to dominate the public imagination. But the industry was not built around image. It was built around utility. From the early aircraft companies in Wichita to the postwar expansion of aviation infrastructure, from Gulfstream’s focus on reliability and customer support to Learjet’s cultural impact, from Cessna’s utilitarian approach to the Falcon 20’s role in the early FedEx story, business aviation evolved around one central promise: giving people and companies control over time. In this episode, I talk with Kevin Michaels and Richard Aboulafia of AeroDynamic Advisory about their book, Time Machines: Business Aviation’s Dynamic Journey. Kevin and Richard trace the forces that shaped the business aviation market across decades. The deeper story is not simply how business jets became faster, more capable, or more recognizable. It is how business aviation became an operating system for access, connecting companies, communities, executives, pilots, manufacturers, service networks, and airports in a way the scheduled airline system never could. You’ll also learn; How Wichita became one of the most important centers in aviation history Why World War II accelerated the business aviation ecosystem by creating pilots, mechanics, infrastructure, air traffic control, and mission familiarity. How early business aviation moved from converted aircraft and surplus DC-3s into purpose-built turbine-powered aircraft. Why Gulfstream’s early success was rooted in understanding the customer's mission: short-field access, reliability, dispatch performance, and customer support. How Learjet became the cultural shorthand for business jets through design, performance, Hollywood visibility, and Bill Lear’s marketing instincts. Why Cessna’s slower, more utilitarian Citation strategy became a winning formula for customers who valued functionality and reliability over pure speed. How Dassault’s Falcon 20 gained early momentum through Pan Am, Charles Lindbergh, Federal Express, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Why engine technology repeatedly expanded what business aviation could become. How fractional ownership changed business aviation by opening access beyond traditional whole-aircraft ownership and flight departments. Why general aviation, airport infrastructure, advocacy, and regulation remain foundational to the health of the business aviation industry.   About the Guests Richard Aboulafia is a Managing Director at AeroDynamic Advisory, a boutique aerospace and defense management consultancy based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He is also a Special Advisor on Aerospace & Defense at Eurasia Group and a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. Since 1988, Richard has tracked aircraft programs, markets, and companies as an analyst and consultant, advising aerospace manufacturers, defense contractors, and financial institutions on commercial aviation, military aviation, and broader aerospace and defense market trends. Before joining AeroDynamic Advisory in 2022, he was Vice President of Analysis at Teal Group. Richard is also a widely published aviation and defense writer, with regular columns in Aviation Week & Space Technology and work appearing in outlets including Foreign Policy, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, Professional Pilot, and others. He is the co-author, with Kevin Michaels, of Time Machines: Business Aviation’s Dynamic Journey, a comprehensive look at the people, aircraft, technologies, business models, and market forces that shaped business aviation into the industry it is today. Connect with Richard on LinkedIn. Kevin Michaels is a Managing Director at AeroDynamic Advisory and a globally recognized expert in aerospace manufacturing, MRO, strategy, customer satisfaction, M&A advisory, technology assessment, and market analysis. Across his career, Kevin has advised leading aerospace OEMs, airlines, MRO providers, suppliers, and investors on the strategic and operational forces shaping the aerospace industry. Before AeroDynamic Advisory, he was Vice President in ICF International’s Aerospace & MRO consulting practice and co-founder of AeroStrategy, which was acquired by ICF. He also held roles with Rockwell Collins Government Systems, The Canaan Group, and aero-engine supplier Williams International. Kevin is a columnist for Aviation Week & Space Technology’s Up Front feature, a contributing columnist to Inside MRO and Forbes, and chairs the Industry Advisory Board for the University of Michigan’s Aerospace Engineering Department. He is also the author of AeroDynamic: Inside the High-Stakes Global Jetliner Ecosystem, winner of the 2019 Choice Outstanding Academic Title Award. Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn. Buy the book Time Machines: Business Aviation’s Dynamic Journey on Amazon.   About Your Host Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker, and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers, and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association.   Resources For more aerospace industry news & commentary: https://craigpicken.com/insights/. To learn more about Craig Picken, visit https://craigpicken.com/.