Meet the EquityJet Leadership Team

Austin Hunt - President and Founder: Austin is the founder and President of EquityJet, Inc. Austin started the business in 2017 with the concept of giving clients a value-driven approach to business jet ownership, drastically lowering the cost of private travel. Austin leads the Customer Relations and Aircraft Brokerage divisions at EquityJet and is also an accomplished aviator. He continues to fly EquityJet clients and provides captain upgrade/IOE, North Atlantic crossing, European operations, and high altitude airport operations training and mentorship to EquityJet pilots. He also stays active in the local aviation community and he is the President of the Kansas City Business Aviation Association (KCBAA).

Aaron Juhl - Chief Pilot: Aaron grew up with a love of flying and followed this passion into the United States Air Force Academy followed by a 21-year Air Force career. At the Academy, he played Division 1 Soccer and studied Mechanical Engineering and Mathematics. In the Air Force, Aaron flew several aircraft including the T-34, T-38 and T-6; but his primarily aircraft was the B-1 Lancer "Bone". In the B-1, Aaron quickly rose thought the ranks as a copilot, Aircraft Commander, Instructor Pilot, and Flight Evaluator. He deployed 5 times, logged over 500 combat hours and served in various leadership roles including Air Combat Command Chief Evaluator and Squadron Commander. In 2019 he retired as a Lt Colonel with almost 3,000 military flight hours and moved to Kansas City with his wife and 3 boys. He has continued to expand his aviation knowledge, gaining ratings and experience in multiple aircraft including the Pilatus PC-12, Citations, and the Falcon 50/900s. With over 25 years of diverse and challenging flight experience, Aaron now leads our team of aviators as EquityJet's Chief Pilot.

Daniel Clark – Director of Maintenance: Dan discovered his love of aviation as a child flying on trips at a young age. He also had interest in the Marine Corps was able to follow both passions serving as a member of the United States Marine Corps followed by 20 years as a KC-130 Power Plant and Related Systems Mechanic. During his 20 years, he served as a Collateral Duty Quality Assurance Representative Stamp, Maintenance Controller, Instructor and Work Center Supervisor. Upon retiring from the service, he went on to work as a technician and Team Leader for mobile repair station, and later became the Director of Maintenance. He then worked as the Director of Maintenance for Baker Aviation in Dallas, Texas before moving to Kansas City where he served as the Director of Maintenance for Lockton Companies in Kansas City and Dream Aviation in Lawrence, Kansas. Dan now leads our maintenance team as EquityJet's Director of Maintenance.

David Scott - Fleet Captain: Falcon 900/50 - Pilatus - Baron: David's flying career began at Central Missouri State University in 1982. After graduating, he flew for Bar Harbor Airlines in Naples Florida and Burlington, Vermont, flying the BE-02 and BE-99. He later moved to Key Airlines, flying as First Officer on a Boeing 727 doing MAC charters and Apple Tour Vacations. In 1990, David was hired at US Airways flying DC-9s, however, his time there was short-lived due to a furlough in 1991. David moved on to Ryan International flying DC-9s and B-727s where he earned his first type rating and Flight Engineer Certificate in the B-727. and flew as Captain the final three years. He remained there for almost eight years before returning to US Airways in October 1997. Upon his return to US Airways, David flew the B-737, A-320, 321, B-757-767, and received a type rating in each aircraft. One year after September 11, 2001, David was once again furloughed. Shortly thereafter, David was hired by JetBlue Airways where he flew for for 21 years, 19 of which were spent as Captain on the A-320. During David's 40 year flying career, he has amassed over 22,000 hours of flight time.

Kris Rogers - Senior Accountant: Kris is the Senior Accountant of EquityJet Inc. She graduated from the accounting program at the University of Missouri in Kansas City and has over thirty years of experience working in the accounting field. Prior to working as Senior Accountant, she owned an accounting firm where the focus was business accounting. Her experience working with multiple types of businesses is what makes Kris a great fit for the ever-growing needs of EquityJet clients.

Tara P. Johnson - Director of Operations and Human Resources: Tara brings more than three decades of senior human resources leadership to EquityJet, with expertise in organizational strategy, workforce development, employee relations, and HR operations. She most recently served as Director of Human Resources for a Kansas City transportation company, following leadership roles across agriculture technology and logistics, health care, financial services, and manufacturing. Tara holds bachelor's degrees in business/human resource management and public relations from Oklahoma State University, along with Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) credentials. A SHRM member for more than 30 years, she has also advanced the profession through multiple volunteer leadership roles within the organization. Tara is enthusiastic about joining the EquityJet team and contributing to its continued success.

Commodore Sailors - Fleet Captain: Citation and Pilatus: Commodore's aviation career spans more than four decades and reflects a passion for professionalism, safety, and exceptional customer service. He has accumulated over 7,000 hours of flight experience in a variety of single-engine, multi-engine, and turbine aircraft. Throughout his career, Commodore has developed extensive experience in corporate aviation and is qualified as pilot in command in the Citation 500 series while also flying the Pilatus PC-12 NG and NGX. His background includes managing complex flight operations while maintaining a strong focus on safety, efficiency, and passenger satisfaction. Commodore currently serves as Fleet Captain for EquityJet's Citation and Pilatus fleets, where he provides leadership in standardization, operational oversight, pilot mentoring, and fleet readiness. With a customer-focused approach and a deep appreciation for the trust aircraft owners place in their flight department, Commodore takes pride in helping deliver the personalized experience that defines the EquityJet brand.

Maddie Burton - Lead Dispatcher: Maddie Burton joined EquityJet in 2024, supporting the team through aircraft provisioning. As Lead Dispatcher, she is passionate about creating exceptional experiences and enjoys tailoring every detail to meet the unique preferences and needs of each client. Maddie's love for aviation began when she started flight training in late 2023. Through earning her Private Pilot Certificate, she quickly fell in love not only with flying, but with the people and sense of community that make aviation so special. She is currently working toward her Instrument Rating and hopes to fly professionally one day. When she is not coordinating flights, Maddie enjoys baking, attending concerts and sporting events, and can often be found adventuring with her dachshund, Huey. She is grateful to be part of the EquityJet team and looks forward to growing with the company while pursuing her dream of a career in aviation.