Kickstarting 2026 with a banger episode of the Aviation Business Podcast.

Tim Jedrek (Founder & CEO of Right Rudder Marketing) sits down with Otto Mand, Director of Operations at D&J Aviation in Orlando and founder of Easy Copilot, a growing aviation checklist company.

If you’re a flight school owner, director of ops, chief pilot, or aviation entrepreneur, this episode is packed with real‑world insights on running a busy school, building systems, and creating a better student experience.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What it’s really like to be “Director of Asterisk”
How Otto juggles operations, IT, marketing, and more at a high‑volume Orlando flight school.
• Why great flight training is 70% studying, 30% flying
How to set expectations for new students so they don’t burn out after the discovery‑flight honeymoon.
• Turning flight school chaos into smooth operations
How Otto uses automation, IT, and tools like Zapier to streamline scheduling, lead follow‑up, and internal processes.
• Building a flight school that feels like “home”
The power of community, culture, and knowing every student’s name in a competitive market like central Florida.
• Alternative aviation careers beyond the airlines
How both Tim and Otto built impactful aviation careers without going to the airlines.
• The origin of Easy Copilot checklists
How a personal pain point in instrument training led Otto to design durable, waterproof, highly usable checklists.
• Custom, branded checklists as a “cherry on top”
How flight schools use white‑labeled Easy Copilot checklists to level up branding and the student experience.
• Candid thoughts on MOSAIC and sport pilot trends


Why some DPEs and schools are hesitant, and how expectations still often match private‑pilot performance.

Connect with Otto & Easy Copilot

Easy Copilot website: https://easycopilot.com

otto@easycopilot.com

Work with Right Rudder Marketing

Right Rudder Marketing helps flight schools grow with a proven aviation‑specific marketing system: more qualified leads, better follow‑up, and stronger student pipelines.

• Website: https://rightruddermarketing.com

• Call Tim: 314‑804‑1200

• LinkedIn: Right Rudder Marketing

• YouTube: @rightruddermarketing

If you own or run a flight school and want to:

• Increase leads and enrollments

• Fix broken follow‑up and CRM processes

• Build a brand students actually remember

New episodes featuring aviation leaders, flight school owners, and aviation entrepreneurs coming soon.

Paul Beaulieu, founder of Avier Flight School, shares his incredible journey from a single leased aircraft to running a multi-million dollar operation with 12 planes, 20+ instructors, and 250 active students .

In this episode, discover how he built a thriving aviation business without massive startup capital, turned a former piano student into his co-owner, and created a unique flight school culture based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs .

Key Takeaways:


✈️ How to start a flight school with minimal capital using leaseback aircraft


🎯 The critical transition from instructor to CEO


👥 Building a world-class team and removing yourself from daily operations

📈 Creating an inclusive, hospitality-driven flight training environment


💰 When (and how much) to pay yourself as a flight school owner


🎓 Using Maslow’s Hierarchy to improve student retention and safety

About Our Guest:
Paul Beaulieu is the co-founder and co-owner of Avier Flight School, operating 12 aircraft, 20+ flight instructors, and serving 200-250 active students . With backgrounds in education, aviation (27 years, 7,000+ hours dual given), and hospitality management, Paul has created a unique flight training culture that prioritizes customer service, safety, and inclusivity.

Connect with Right Rudder Marketing:


📱 Website: https://rightruddermarketing.com


📞 Schedule a Call: (314) 804-1200


📧 Grow Your Flight School: https://rightruddermarketing.com

About The Aviation Business Podcast:


Hosted by Tim Jedrek, CEO & Founder of Right Rudder Marketing, The Aviation Business Podcast features conversations with successful flight school owners, aviation entrepreneurs, and industry leaders who share actionable strategies for growing and scaling aviation businesses .

Discover how aerospace aesthetic art and strategic sales principles can help your flight school or aviation business stand out in a crowded market .In this unique episode of the Aviation Business Podcast, host Tim Jedrek sits down with Marty Tascona to explore an unexpected intersection: fine art meets aviation marketing.

Marty shares his father Tony Tascona’s pioneering work using aircraft materials like aluminum and epoxy resin to create stunning aerospace-themed art, and reveals powerful sales and marketing lessons applicable to any aviation business.What You’ll Learn: • How to position your flight school with a unique value proposition (UVP) that sets you apart from competitors • The “aerospace aesthetic” concept and why adding creativity (STEAM vs STEM) attracts more students and customers • Strategic marketing fundamentals: niche definition, positioning, and innovative messaging • How to create a category where you can be first, rather than competing in saturated markets • Why FBOs and flight schools should consider art and design in their customer experience • Sales tactics from a seasoned professional that apply to aviation business development Featured Guest: Marty Tascona - Executor and copyright holder of renowned Canadian artist Tony Tascona’s aerospace-inspired artwork About Tony Tascona:
Tony Tascona (1926-2006) was an Order of Canada recipient who worked as an electroplating technician for Canadian Aviation Electronics (CAE) and Air Canada . His pioneering use of aviation materials like aluminum, lacquer paints, and epoxy resins created a unique body of work that bridges art and aerospace engineering.Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
03:17 - Marty’s background and connection to aviation
10:25 - Sales and marketing strategies for aviation businesses
18:28 - STEM vs STEAM: Adding creativity to aviation
24:05 - Tony Tascona’s aerospace aesthetic artwork
42:40 - Perseverance and doing the work that matters
43:31 - Call to action and final thoughtsResources Mentioned: • Tony Tascona Art: tonytascona-art.com • Right Rudder Marketing: rightruddermarketing.com 🎯 Are you a flight school owner looking to grow? Right Rudder Marketing specializes in helping flight schools increase student enrollments and revenue through proven digital marketing strategies. Visit rightruddermarketing.com to learn more about our services and download our free Flight School Marketing Handbook .📧 Subscribe to our channel for more aviation business insights, marketing strategies, and interviews with industry leaders who are transforming flight training .