Why I Chose the Business Aviation Community

When I was 17, like a lot of young people interested in a career in aviation, I wasn’t fully aware of every single option the industry had to offer.

Back then, I was working at Gulf Shores International Airport (JKA) in Gulf Shores, AL. There, I was fortunate enough to be introduced to the world of business aviation. Being actively involved in day-to-day operations and being around business aviation aircraft made even the simple idea of going to work exciting and fun. I was working as a line technician – also known as a line tech – someone who fuels and moves aircraft while providing services to customers. Our team of line techs created a strong sense of community, almost like a family, which also went a long way toward making the work so enjoyable. Also, as a private pilot, I was able to fly from a small airport near my house to the airport where I worked instead of driving, which was surreal.

My strong interest in aviation continued the next year, when I started as a freshman at Auburn University. I was planning on pursuing a career as an airline pilot, but through my experience as a line tech I began to suspect that the airlines weren’t the right industry for me. I remembered how much fun I had in high school and what a wonderful experience it was working at a small airport. As a result, at an on-campus event called Auburn Business Aviation Days, I took a closer look at business aviation outside of small airport operations. I quickly became drawn to it and started looking for a way to get involved.

As luck would have it, during the summer of my freshman year, I had the amazing opportunity to take a remote internship for an aircraft brokerage company. Dallas Jet International helps buy and sell aircraft, similar to what a realtor does with houses. Through that experience, I was able to see the inner workings of how business aviation is done and how tight the community is. People participating in calls would already know each other well and would share important things that were going on in their lives. It was little things like this that showed me that business aviation was like a community, just like it was when I worked at JKA, where people knew each other as people, not by their positions.

After that experience, I knew I would pursue a career in business aviation at Auburn. Nonetheless, I still kept up with my commercial flight training.

Yes, There Are Campus Bizav Clubs

Then one day, at the end of a commercial flight training safety meeting, each Auburn aviation club was allowed to make a quick elevator pitch to encourage students to join their organization. One caught my attention: The Aviation Management and Business Organization. President Kevin Kullick talked about business aviation and aircraft sales, and I quickly became interested. For the first time there was someone else I knew on campus knowledgeable about the field. Who knew there was a business aviation club on campus, or that other people were also as interested in business aviation as I was? Clearly this was the group for me.

During my first club meeting I discovered I was not alone. Also in attendance were about two dozen other people who I’d never seen before. They were mostly older, which offered potential mentors who could teach me more about “bizav.” After the meeting, I introduced myself to Kevin, and we had a great conversation, talking about the club and its activities. Since then, Kevin and I have been able to help each other out. He’s been a mentor to me, helping me with guidance as I continue to pursue my business aviation career goals. Someday, I’d like to give that same guidance as a mentor to others who are coming up in the industry.

Business Aviation Pilgrimage

I also was able to join club members at the 2023 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in Las Vegas. The best way I can describe it, the trip was similar to a pilgrimage that fully opened my eyes to business aviation. It made me realize even more that business aviation as a whole was the right industry for me.

The event was truly a powerful experience. It inspired me to create my company: The Jet Specs. Its mission is to educate the public on which jet is right for them, based on their needs, and in turn help people buy or sell aircraft. As a result, I stepped back from Auburn’s commercial flight program to devote more time to my business aviation career plan.

In addition, I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to intern at NBAA, where I was able to learn more about the industry and its various career paths.

I hope to help fellow students at Auburn – and across the nation – through the creation of a LinkedIn group called “NBAA Intern Network.” This helpful resource will enable college students who have completed internships in business aviation to connect and stay up to date on the industry.

If you’re at all interested in learning more about business aviation, I encourage you to get involved, no matter your experience. Go out to your local airport, reach out to people in the industry and go to events. Take that first step. It could lead to quite a remarkable journey.

Connect at nbaa.org/intern-network.