What happens when the compensation market moves faster than your flight department?
Business aviation compensation continues to outpace the salary increases offered by many corporations. Yet leaders often do not recognize how far behind they have fallen until a valued employee leaves, and replacing that person may require a type rating, higher market compensation, and months of rebuilding operational trust.
But compensation is only part of the leadership challenge.
In this special crossover episode, I’m sharing the conversation on the 21.Five Professional Pilots Podcast, with Dylan Miller and Max Palmer.
My message? Leadership cannot begin after someone resigns, a compliance problem surfaces, or tension becomes impossible to ignore.
Whatever steps you have on your professional proficiency ladder, there have to be corresponding compensation changes. Because once someone gets experienced, they become a commodity, and lots of people are looking for people like that. -Dr. Chris Broyhill
What You’ll Discover In This Episode
Why relying on standard 3- 4% corporate raises can leave aviation compensation significantly behind the market
How paying at the 50th percentile introduces retention risk, and when schedule predictability can offset a lower salary
Why expensive type ratings need to be accompanied by a visible compensation and career-progression path
How aircraft class, mission profile, position, and location influence compensation more than experience, flight hours, or tenure
Why informal salary comparisons between flight department leaders can create antitrust and price-fixing concerns
How technically accomplished pilots are promoted into leadership without preparation for taxes, employment law, financial management, and organizational strategy
Why strong aviation leaders never stop learning, and must identify operational knowledge gaps before those gaps threaten people, compliance, or the flight department itself
About the Guests
Dylan Miller is a Business Aviation Leader and co-host of the 21.Five Professional Pilots Podcast. He is a seasoned professional pilot with 20 years of experience across various aviation sectors, including airlines, Part 135 charter, and Part 91 corporate/HNWI operations. Currently, he manages a small flight department that operates a Challenger 350. An active participant in the business aviation community, Dylan has held several leadership positions, such as President of the Arizona Business Aviation Association and Co-Chair of NBAA’s Small Flight Department Committee.
Max Palmer is a Professional Pilot, G280 Captain, First Officer at Southwest Airlines, and co-host of the 21.Five Professional Pilots Podcast. He has a broad range of aviation experience in both private and commercial aviation. Max is also an experienced flight department manager, pilot, and real estate professional.
About Your Host
Dr. Chris Broyhill is the industry’s most respected authority on business aviation compensation. An industry veteran with over 43 years of aviation experience, Dr. Broyhill has led several scientific research projects on personnel retention, compensation, and leadership for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) since 2017.
Dr. Chris holds a Ph.D. in Aviation and has published two books that feature the results of his work. He’s also an outstanding graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons School, an NBAA Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) Fellow, and a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP).
Resources
Get the Data, Win the Negotiation, Stay in the Business You Love. To get your compensation report, visit AirCompCalculator.com. We have a range of options for different scenarios and budgets, from validating a specific job offer, to packages for entire departments.