The Hard Truth About Part 91 Flight Departments: Gray Stone Advisors

In this episode of the LD Aviation Podcast, host Lindsay Dyer sits down with Jim Lara and Steve Brechtor of Gray Stone Advisors to tackle one of business aviation’s toughest challenges: why so many Part 91 flight departments are shutting down. From misaligned corporate priorities to failing to prove value with data, they uncover the real reasons behind closures and share the leadership strategies that can turn things around. Whether you’re a flight department manager, scheduler, or executive, this conversation will give you practical tools to protect your team, prove your worth, and lead with confidence in 2025 and beyond. ⏱️ Chapters / Time Stamps 00:00 – Introduction & Welcome 01:30 – Meet Steve & Jim Lara (Gray Stone Advisors) 06:30 – Steve’s Journey: From Pratt & Whitney to NetJets COO 12:00 – Jim’s Journey: From Levi Strauss to Sea Ray & Aviation Leadership 18:30 – How Gray Stone Advisors Started 23:00 – True Story: Building a Budget Overnight for a Client 28:40 – Why Flight Departments Are Closing Today 32:00 – The 5 Achilles’ Heels of Aviation Leadership 37:30 – Perception Problem: “Garage Mentality” in Corporate Aviation 43:00 – Evaluating Charter, Fractional, and Supplemental Lift Options 49:20 – Case Study: Fractional Share Solving Deadhead Issues 55:10 – Using Data to Tell a Clear Business Story 01:00:00 – The Power of 5-Slide Executive Presentations 01:05:20 – Tools: Budget Builder & Crew Count Explained 01:13:30 – Leadership Lessons: Chief Leading Officer vs Chief Doing Officer 01:18:00 – Coaching Aviation Directors to Gain Confidence 01:22:00 – Top 3 Actions to Secure Your Department’s Future 01:26:00 – Final Takeaways & Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices