We were a flying family growing up. My Dad had light planes and we always went to fly-ins together. I started flying with him when I was seven, but I didn't start taking flying lessons officially until two weeks after my 17th birthday. I still fly light planes to this day.

The U-2 is very unique. It is not a standard aircraft by any stretch of the imagination. You have to operate in a very demanding environment, especially at high altitude with the space suit's ergonomic and fatigue issues. Comparatively, the Falcon 50 is much easier to fly. They do have some similarities, however. The U-2 needs precise control to accomplish the mission and the Falcon 50 requires that same precision to ensure that the passengers have a comfortable and safe flight.

Competence and integrity. A great pilot must be well-trained and thoroughly prepared for the job. Additionally, they must have an above average amount of integrity. Not everyone is watching all of the time, so you have to be self-policing. Whether it's following the flying regulations, rest regulations, or the safety guidelines, it all comes down to the integrity and the competency of the pilot.

As a former military pilot, the Solairus operations model, with centralized control and de-centralized execution, is very familiar to me. Headquarters takes
care of the details while we concentrate on the mission. All of the departments are
in place to ensure that we are legal, safe, and efficient. The fantastic support the
pilots receive from the company allows us to do what we do best; fly airplanes
and provide industry-leading service to our clients.