This week we had a chance to catch up with our Managing Director, Josh Dodd for a chat about some of his experiences and views on the business of flight. Catching up to Josh is a challenge in itself as more often than not he’s in the air or in another country helping clients or growing the Avionco business as an aviation services company.
Josh is an interesting guy – smart, knowledgeable and experienced… but most noticeably, approachable and direct. He speaks his mind and you can always be sure you’re getting his honest perspective or advice. Some observers might suggest he’s a bit too direct, but he’d tell you in his world there is often no time for ambiguity when action is required to look after his clients’ interests. Here’s how our conversation went.
Q: Why do you do what you do?
Josh: Good question! In my case the world of aircraft has always been been a part of my life since I was a young buck. My father and his colleagues in the aviation business literally raised me into it from the time I was a teen. Once I began working at Avionco with them, I was literally thrown into it. In the blink of an eye I was traveling around the world helping start-up airlines and private aircraft operators manage their businesses.
Q: What’s that like?
Josh: Well, it can be exhausting. The travel can tire you out but the people are always great and I get a lot of satisfaction solving challenges for clients that perhaps others couldn’t. This is a complicated business so I approach everything from a perspective of simplicity. I just try to make things better in providing the kind of service that we’re now recognized for.
Q. How does the kind of service Avionco delivers differentiate you from competitors?
Josh: The single biggest factor that sets us apart is probably that our clients have access directly to the owners of the business. We often hear from clients who request our services that the chain of command is to convoluted at some providers. For example, there is often an account manager between the client and the decision makers and experts at their head office. This slows down their ability to communicate and solve problems. We don’t suffer from that.
Q. What’s the single most common concern you hear from clients?
Josh: The biggest challenges they have are related to being able to operate commercially versus privately. They call us for assistance in understanding taxation by country and region, controlling rising costs in management fees and hidden costs by existing operators. If you’d told me 20 years ago we’d have all this tax knowledge, I wouldn’t have believed you! As for the rest, our management model is very transparent so clients are always pleased and relieved when we set them up.
Q: If you’re travelling so much, how do you manage client needs and those of your own team members?
Josh: Mobile phones and email. Really. In all seriousness we have strategically positioned ourselves in two time zones. Our office in Guernse and satellite offices in Austria, Bucharest, Slovenia and the Netherlands are UTC+1 while our North American office in Calgary is UTC-7. This gives us the advantage of being open 24/7 with seamless coverage across all services for all clients.
Q: What are your plans for Avionco?
Josh: Things are moving fast these days. We are executing a well designed business plan that will see us expand our aircraft management and charter services across the globe. We’re currently focused on the Europe and have our first aircraft in operation. We are simultaneously pursuing additional aircraft for that market to include a Gulfstream 650 and Global 6000 aircraft. Additionally we’ll have an EASA AOC in operation by the end of this fiscal.
Q: Big plans. Any last thoughts for our readers?
Josh: Certainly. The business of flight can be a crazy place. I hope anyone reading this who needs an aviation services company will add Avionco to their selection list for consideration. We can help take the crazy out and replace it with safety and efficiency.