What if conflict in a flight department is rarely about the first problem you see?
In business aviation, pressure tests more than the aircraft, the schedule, or the procedures. It tests the culture behind the operation.
Kellie Rittenhouse, Director of Aviation and contributor to The Business Aviation Book: Leading Operational Excellence, joins us to share a practical lens on conflict resolution. Her message? Strong flight department leadership starts with asking better questions, communicating where people are, and addressing tension before it becomes a bigger operational issue.
Often the thing that appears to be the problem isn’t the problem. For me, conflict management is about asking better questions and listening to understand, not listening so you can respond. -Kellie Rittenhouse
What You’ll Discover In This Episode
- Why conflict resolution is not a “soft skill,” but a core leadership capability in high-performing flight departments
- How Kellie’s non-traditional path from scheduling and dispatch to director of aviation gives her a different view of operational leadership
- Why business aviation leaders must build trust before stress, travel disruptions, or mechanical issues expose communication gaps
- How small misunderstandings can become major team conflicts when leaders fail to ask better questions early
- Why “communicating where people are” matters more than simply sending the message
- How crucial conversations can give flight departments a shared language for tension, accountability, and repair
- Why retention is not only about compensation, and how schedule, trust, professional development, and life stage all shape whether people stay
About the Guest
Kellie Rittenhouse is an accomplished aviation professional, CAM fellow, and the Director of Aviation at Hangar Aviation Management, LLC. With a strong background in the industry, Kellie has been an integral part of the CAM Governing Board. Based at the Oakland County International Airport (PTK) in Waterford, MI, Hangar Aviation Management is an aviation services company that supports a fleet of four aircraft with a domestic and international travel profile for both business and personal use. Kellie’s dedication to the aviation community extends beyond her role as the Director of Aviation. She is actively involved in shaping the future of business aviation as the Chair of the Michigan Business Aviation Association’s (MBAA) Board of Directors.
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.