For years, business aviation has relied on familiar hiring patterns: the known network, the same backgrounds, the same assumptions about who is "qualified," and the same narrow definitions of merit. But in an industry facing real talent pressure, that approach is becoming harder to defend. The conversation around diversity often becomes politicized before the real business issue gets addressed. Jennifer Pickerel of Aviation Personnel International brings the discussion back to where it belongs: culture, fit, readiness, and varied perspectives. Jennifer was the right person to write one of the most important and difficult chapters in The Business Aviation Book: Leading Operational Excellence. Her point is that many flight departments talk about standards, but few have clearly defined what those standards actually are. If "best person for the job" only means the person who looks most familiar on paper, leaders may be missing capable candidates, importing cultural problems, and creating teams with dangerous blind spots. In this episode, Jennifer explains why diverse thinking is not a slogan; it is an operational advantage. She also breaks down what flight departments need to do before bringing different backgrounds into the room. What You'll Discover in This Episode Why "best person for the job" is often more subjective than aviation leaders realize How narrow hiring filters can create groupthink, even inside technically excellent flight departments Why cultural fit should not be confused with hiring people who already feel familiar The hidden risk of relying too heavily on friends-and-family networks when filling aviation roles Why non-pilot leaders may bring valuable advantages to director-level roles traditionally held by pilots How departments can unintentionally set diverse hires up to fail when the team has not been prepared for change Why business aviation's lack of transparency is making the talent crisis harder to solve Guest Bio Jennifer Pickerel is President of Aviation Personnel International, the longest-running business aviation recruitment and HR workforce solutions firm serving corporate and private aviation. With more than 20 years in business aviation, Jennifer brings deep expertise in talent identification, workforce strategy, leadership development, organisational wellness, culture, retention, and employee experience. At API, she works closely with aviation directors, corporate HR teams, reporting executives, and high-net-worth flight departments to help organisations identify the right talent, strengthen team health, and build cultures that support safety, trust, and long-term performance. A recognised thought leader in business aviation, Jennifer frequently speaks and writes on hiring trends, inclusion, retention, and organisational health. Connect with her on LinkedIn or learn more at API Aviation. 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. Check out this episode on our website, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more leaders in business aviation. Thank you!
