The Fort

Author: Chris Powers

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State Of The Private Aviation Industry with John Owen, CEO of Airshare (# 418)
Episode 418
Tuesday, 9 June, 2026

In this episode, Chris sits down with John Owen, President and CEO of Airshare, one of the largest private jet operators in the country. Airshare started in 2000 and spent over twenty years as a regional Midwest operator before going national in 2023 by acquiring Wheels Up's aircraft management business. They get into how the business actually works, where operators make and lose money, and where the industry is headed. They discuss: - Why fractional is the one part of the industry growing - How the Wheels Up deal came together - Why new jets are booked out to 2029 - The Wi-Fi arms race in the air - His approach to bringing AI into the company Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (03:01) Rise of Fractional Ownership (05:10) The Hidden Costs of Jet Ownership (08:40) Choosing Between Charter, Jet Cards & Ownership (11:35) The Wheels Up Acquisition (16:28) What Makes a Good Acquisition Target (21:39) Why Empty Legs Rarely Work (24:38) The Lasting Impact of COVID on Private Aviation (28:35) The Evolution of In-Flight Wi-Fi (31:18) Dealing with Airport and FBO Congestion (37:37) Consolidation in Private Aviation (43:03) Transferring a Management Company (47:31) Airshare’s Most Important Metrics (51:41) AI Inside the Business Find our sponsors: Collateral Partners - https://collateral.com/fort Relay Human Cloud - https://www.relayhumancloud.com/powers/ Download FastJets:iOs: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fastjets/id6756160345Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.flyjetting.app Chris on Social Media: X: https://x.com/fortworthchris Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepowerspodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrispowersjr/ Visit our website: https://www.powerspod.com/ Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0 Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO