The Flight Club Podcast

In this episode of Flight Club, host Jason sits down with Kenny Dichter - co-founder of Marquee Jet and Wheels Up - for an unfiltered look at what it truly takes to build a billion-dollar private aviation brand, not once, but twice. 
Kenny shares the story behind Marquee Jet's origin, including eight relentless pitches to NetJets founder Richard Santulli and Warren Buffett, and the Coca-Cola analogy that finally closed the deal, all the way through scaling Wheels Up to $1.585 billion in recognized sales in 2022. Now building Real Jet, a bespoke, lifestyle-driven aviation brand, Kenny unpacks the philosophy at its core, rooted in Dr. Maya Angelou's principle that it's not what you say or do, but how you make people feel. 
The conversation goes beyond business strategy, diving into safety culture and the fiduciary responsibility operators carry when clients trust them with their families at 35,000 feet, how culture consistently outperforms strategy in building fierce employee loyalty, and navigating real-world chaos in private aviation. 
This is a masterclass in entrepreneurship, brand-building, and the human side of an industry that moves the world's most discerning travelers.

When Stephanie Goetz’s very first flying lesson was broadcast live on NBC, it set her life on an entirely new course. After more than a decade as a news anchor for ABC, CBS, and NBC affiliates, a story assignment with an 80-year-old flight instructor landed her in the left seat of a Piper Archer, and she was instantly hooked. Today, Stephanie is a professional pilot, executive coach, and steward of The Pink Jet, a bright pink L-39 Albatross flown nationwide to raise breast cancer awareness. In this episode, she shares her journey from the newsroom to the cockpit, flying high-performance jets like the L-39 and Global 6000, navigating loss and resilience, advocating for diversity in aviation, and explaining why
business aviation, safety training, and saying yes to opportunity have defined her career.

What happens when an NFL tight end takes to the skies?
In this inspiring episode, we sit down with professional football player Pharaoh Brown, who's trading touchdowns for takeoffs as he pursues his passion for aviation. From surviving a dramatic bird strike during instrument training to his first solo flight in challenging winds,
Pharaoh shares the raw, unfiltered journey of becoming a pilot while playing at the highest level of professional sports. Discover how the discipline of NFL training translates directly into the cockpit, why Pharaoh believes "the sky isn't the limit anymore," and his ambitious
vision to launch a Players in Aviation Association, connecting professional athletes with careers in aviation through mentorship and education. This conversation explores the parallels between high-pressure sports and flying, the importance of humility in the cockpit, and how one athlete is using his platform to open doors for the next generation, proving that even at the top of your game, there's always room to grow, learn, and chase new dreams

Marine One pilot John “Rico” Ballinger spent over 20 years as a Marine aviator, deploying into combat zones, and leading elite Marine aviation teams, yet the hardest transition of his life came after he left the military. In this powerful episode, John shares his journey from the cockpit to civilian life, the grief of losing his daughter, the near collapse of his marriage, and how he rebuilt his identity from the ground up. Now a private jet broker and co-host of the Second Act podcast, he opens up about resilience, purpose, and why the relationships you invest in today determine your future. This is a story about falling, starting over, and finding meaning in your second act.

Behind the glamour of private jets lies a world of pressure, precision, and extraordinary service. Flightess founder Jamie Gibson, one of the leading voices in corporate aviation, shares what it really takes to be a corporate flight attendant. From safety training that saves lives to the emotional and logistical demands of high-net-worth travel, Jamie breaks down the unseen work, the culture of “shared suffering,” and the expertise required to deliver luxury at 40,000 feet. Tune in to learn how corporate crews operate, what separates private aviation from the airlines, and why true hospitality is always an act of service under pressure.