Kenny Dichter on Billion Dollar Revenues, Leaving Wheels Up, and Keeping it REAL

Kenny Dichter on Billion Dollar Revenues, Leaving Wheels Up, and Keeping it REAL

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 [abjets.com]and REALJET [realjet.com] for sponsoring this week's episode of The VIP Seat! Check out our newsletter at The VIP Seat. [thevipseat.com]

Biffle Crash Litigation: Pilot Liability, LLCs & Aviation Insurance Gaps

Aviation attorney Joe LoRusso joins Jessie Naor and Preston Holland to explain the lawsuits following the Greg Biffle aircraft crash, including aircraft LLC liability, pilot qualification issues, insurance coverage questions, operational control, and why litigation often begins long before an NTSB final report is released. The episode also covers responsible crash commentary, underinsurance in private aviation, Flexjet’s win against the IRS over federal excise tax, the GAO’s eVTOL infrastructure report, V2 Jets’ acquisition of Corporate Aviation, and the possible sale of ICE’s Gulfstream G700s. Thank you to AB Jets and RealJet for sponsoring this week’s episode.

Berkshire’s Delta Stake, Wheels Up’s Future

Berkshire Hathaway has disclosed a major stake in Delta Air Lines — but with Delta now deeply tied to Wheels Up, what does that mean for private aviation, premium travel, and NetJets? This week on The VIP Seat, Jessie Naor and Preston Holland break down Berkshire’s Delta investment, Delta’s continued commitment to Wheels Up, and the growing connection between airline premium cabins and private jet customers. They also discuss the NTSB’s decision to shut down safety dockets after AI tools were used to reconstruct cockpit voice recorder audio from spectrograms, raising major questions about privacy, accident investigation data, and public access. Plus: the FAA’s new Modern Skies air traffic control modernization dashboard, NASA’s moon base ambitions, seaplane bases as aviation infrastructure, and the debut of Captain Keyboard, where Jessie and Preston rate their meanest internet comments like turbulence.

Mamdani coming for private jets? FAA Cuts Controller Positions

Private jets under attack in New York?! Not so fast. This week on The VIP Seat, Jessie and Preston break down a viral headline claiming NYC’s new mayor is coming after private aviation and why the reality is a lot more complicated (and a lot more political). From Port Authority power plays to sponsored “journalism,” they separate fact from fear. Plus: * The truth behind shocking headlines about pilots and drugs (it’s not what you think) * Trump’s White House helipad plans and what it says about aviation in politics * Spirit Airlines chaos: repositioning aircraft, lessor headaches, and what happens next * FAA cutting air traffic controller targets… during a shortage? * And in Mile High Madness: sunscreen lobsters, ferry pilots, and aviation internet gold If you care about business aviation, policy, and the stories shaping the industry, this is the episode you don’t want to miss. Subscribe for weekly aviation insights, industry breakdowns, and unfiltered analysis. Listen on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us: Instagram: @thevipseat LinkedIn: The VIP Seat Newsletter: thevipseat.com [http://thevipseat.com] Sponsored by AB Jets: premium charter without the ownership headaches...

ATG Not Dead Yet, FlyExclusive’s “Positive” EBITDA & Apocalypse Private Jet Tracker

From Gogo’s latest ATG whiplash to the world’s first piloted hydrogen‑electric helicopter circuit, this week’s VIP Seat is packed with the stories insiders are actually talking about. In this episode, Jessie Naor and Preston Holland break down the most important—and the strangest—moves in business aviation right now, with their usual mix of data, operator reality, and memes. We start with Gogo’s 5G saga and the surprise six‑month reprieve for legacy ATG users. After years of delays, chip and software issues, and shifting launch timelines, Gogo’s next‑gen network is supposed to be ready for prime time, but a last‑minute software problem has pushed the full conversion again, and the FCC has allowed classic ATG to stay on until November. Jessie and Preston talk about what this means for operators who scheduled downtime, paid for upgrades, and now feel like they’ve been jerked around—plus why Starlink‑equipped fleets like ABJets suddenly look very smart. FlyExclusive has finally turned the adjusted EBITDA corner while still relying on some non‑cash fleet‑modernization add‑backs, and the team digs into what that actually tells you about the business versus the headline “we’re positive now” story. They look at revenue mix shifts away from pure wholesale charter, why uptime and aircraft choice (CJ3+, XLS, Challenger) show up directly in contribution margin, and how moving to more fractional and managed structures is changing the economics. Then it’s over to Wheels Up and its ongoing turnaround. The hosts unpack the latest from Delta‑backed financing, new mezzanine capital, and a fleet reshuffle away from aging Hawker 400XPs and Citation Xs toward Phenom 300s and Challenger 300/350s. They talk about what 10% gross bookings growth really means when you’re still burning cash, why on‑time performance is a meaningless KPI in private aviation, and how the new ability to use Wheels Up funds to book Delta flights inside the app might help chip away at that giant prepaid liability balance. On the OEM side, it’s a very different story. Embraer is battling US tariffs that are squeezing margins even as its backlog remains strong, while Gulfstream posts higher revenue, more deliveries, and a big jump in services income for both Gulfstream and Jet Aviation. Bombardier continues to ride a huge order book and refinance older debt on better terms. The hosts discuss whether OEMs are forgetting what a downturn feels like—pulling back from trade shows, refusing to deal much on price—and what that means for operators who need the OEMs as partners when the cycle turns. If you live in business aviation—operator, broker, OEM, financier, or just a hardcore airplane nerd—this episode gives you a fast but deep scan of everything that matters this week: connectivity drama, earnings quality, real market sentiment, future propulsion, safety data gaps, and the memes that keep us all sane.