Podcast: A Hard Look at Building Soft Skills in Part 135

Dec. 16, 2024

Working in business aviation often requires high-level skills and knowledge, sometimes at the expense of developing the “soft skills” that can be valuable in a team environment. One way that operators can help nurture these skills in new entrants to the industry is by tying them to other job requirements. “Understand your aircraft, your POH, your AFM and your SOPs,” said NBAA Part 135 Subcommittee Co-Chair Ben van Niekerk. “Your situational awareness is better, [and] those hard skills will complement decision-making.”

In this episode of NBAA’s Flight Plan, host Rob Finfrock speaks with:

  • Melanie Hight, co-chair of NBAA’s Part 135 Subcommittee and charter captain and instructor at OpenAir
  • David Keys, chairman of the NBAA Domestic Operations Committee and chief pilot at Peace River Citrus Products
  • Ben van Niekerk, co-chair of the NBAA Part 135 Subcommittee and check airman at a large Part 135 operator

Podcast Episode
The NBAA Flight Plan podcast, which ran from 2009 to 2025, provided an overview of important developments affecting NBAA members, and the association’s work to advocate for their interest. The archive of past episodes will remain available for your enjoyment. Please note that no new episodes will be released.

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