In Episode 56 of the Aviation Mentors Podcast 🎙️, Brandon Martini celebrates being named one of NBAA’s 2025 “40 Under 40” award recipients, an incredible milestone for Brandon and the Stratus Financial team!

Brandon and Carson reflect on the journey to this recognition, the importance of networking and mentorship, and exciting opportunities at NBAA-BACE 2025. They also highlight Stratus Financial’s continued growth and the role of persistence and connections in building a successful aviation career.

👏Huge congratulations to Brandon and all the 2025 NBAA “40 Under 40” honorees shaping the future of business aviation! This year’s honorees include, Stephanie Alexander, Lance Bagnoff, Joshua Bell, Kody Bjork, Mike Bradfield, Kyle Canna, Mikael Cardinal, Cynthia Comer, Sierra Marie Curtis, Theresa Daly, Rachel Douglass, Antonio Ferrara, Jamie Harder, Cole Hartfiel, Emily Herron, Nikki Higgins, Joseph “Jesse” Hipp, Michael James, Tom Lelyo, Linda Li, Shawna Livingston, Kyle Long, Steve Loree, John Markoski, Brandon Martini, Jacob Mergler, Patrick O’Brien, Ryan O’Rear, Amanda Ochs, Myles Parris, Mitch Patterson, Maria “Majo” Perdomo Cuevas, Kelly Pryor, Josh Reckley, Brandi Rector, Christian Schuster, Miller Stallings, Andrew Stylianou, Joseph Michael Toomey, and Kara Wolf. Congratulations to all for shaping the future of business aviation!

🚀 We are the Aviation Mentors, a podcast dedicated to creating an amazing space where aviators can hang out and talk all things aviation. We’re aviators, mentors, and entrepreneurs. Whether you’re a student pilot, professional pilot, general aviation enthusiast, or just an AvGeek like us, this is the podcast for you!

🌎 New episodes drop every Friday, join us and be part of the journey.

#aviationmentors #NBAA #pilotnetworking #aviationpodcast #studentpilot #businessaviation #aviationcareers #pilotmentorship #aviationcommunity #stratusfinancial #aviationleaders #pilotgrowth

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast 🎙️, Brandon and Carson share their recent flying adventures and the lessons that came with them. From splash-and-go landings in an Icon A5 near Long Beach Harbor to touch-and-gos at Chino and Riverside, they dive into what it really means to be a current—and proficient—pilot.

This isn’t just about logging the FAA’s minimums. Brandon and Carson explore the real difference between currency and proficiency, and why staying sharp with regular practice is essential for safe, confident flying.

Along the way, they discuss: How getting current again builds both skill and confidence The joy of flying as a “happy place” Digitizing logbooks for modern pilots Brandon’s goal of earning his ATP multi rating Carson’s anticipation (and nerves!) about getting back to flying

And to top it off, we’re celebrating a huge milestone: 100,000 downloads of the Aviation Mentors podcast! 🎉 Thank you for flying with us every week.

🚀 We are the Aviation Mentors, a podcast dedicated to creating an amazing space where aviators can hang out and talk all things aviation. We’re aviators, we’re mentors, and we’re entrepreneurs. Whether you’re a student pilot, professional pilot, general aviation enthusiast, or just an AvGeek like us, this is the podcast for you!

🌎 New episodes drop every Friday—join us and be part of the journey.

🔗 www.aviationmentors.com

Sponsored by Stratus Financial

💻 www.stratus.finance

🎙️ From humble beginnings to milestone moments.

We’re proud to announce Sean Galloway as the winner of our $10,000 Stratus Fly to Success Scholarship. His passion and creativity reminded us why we love supporting the next generation of aviators.

In this episode, Brandon reflects on his first podcast recording at Oshkosh in 2016, the same year he also started his flight school. What began under the wing of a Cessna has grown into nearly 200 episodes of Aviation Mentors.

In these simple moments, we’re reminded why we do this: to give back to the aviation community. As we always say, "by pilots, for pilots". You are the reason we keep going, and we hope this story inspires you as much as it inspires us.

Catch the latest episode of Aviation Mentors on every podcast platform, and be part of the journey with us.

🚀 We are the Aviation Mentors, a podcast dedicated to creating an amazing space where we aviators can hang out and enjoy a wide range of conversations about anything aviation. We're aviators, we're mentors, and we're entrepreneurs. Whether you're a student pilot, professional pilot, general aviation enthusiast, or just an AV Geek like us, this is the podcast for you!

🌎 Join us every Friday as we share our passion for flying!

www.aviationmentors.com

Sponsored by Stratus Financial

www.stratus.finance

#AviationMentors #Aviation #StratusFinancial #AviationCommunity #AVGeek #AviationPodcast #GeneralAviation #PilotLife #PilotTraining #StudentPilot #CFI #Podcasts #GAPilots #FuturePilot

🎙️ The FAA just dropped a game-changer—and we’re diving straight into it. In this episode of Aviation Mentors, Brandon and Carson break down the long-awaited MOSAIC rule and why it’s about to shake up general aviation in the best way possible. From flying a 172 with just a driver’s license to new privileges that make becoming a pilot easier (and cheaper!) than ever, this isn’t just another update—it’s a revolution. If you’re a student pilot, weekend warrior, or just aviation-curious, buckle up—because the sky just got a whole lot closer.

🚀 We are the Aviation Mentors, a podcast dedicated to creating an amazing space where we aviators can hang out and enjoy a wide range of conversations about anything aviation. We're aviators, we're mentors, and we're entrepreneurs. Whether you're a student pilot, professional pilot, general aviation enthusiast, or just an AV Geek like us, this is the podcast for you!

🌎 Join us every Friday as we share our passion for flying!

www.aviationmentors.com

Sponsored by Stratus Financial

www.stratus.finance

#generalaviation #aviationmentors #podcast #gapilots #flyGA #aviationnews #oshkosh2025 #pilotlife #aviationupdate #lightsportaircraft #mosaicrule #aviationrevolution #aviationcommunity #studentpilot #futurepilot #sportpilot #seanduffy

🎙️ From European castles to Oshkosh slip ‘n slides — this episode’s got it all. Brandon spills the highs, lows, and downright bizarre moments from a month-long adventure across Europe, capped off with a wild, rain-soaked return to the world’s biggest aviation gathering. Just when you think it’s over, a huge Oshkosh announcement looms… but you’ll have to wait for Part 2 to find out.

🚀 We are the Aviation Mentors, a podcast dedicated to creating an amazing space where we aviators can hang out and enjoy a wide range of conversations about anything aviation. We're aviators, we're mentors, and we're entrepreneurs. Whether you're a student pilot, professional pilot, general aviation enthusiast, or just an AV Geek like us, this is the podcast for you!

🌎 Join us every Friday as we share our passion for flying!

www.aviationmentors.com

Sponsored by Stratus Financial

www.stratus.finance

#AviationMentors #AviationPodcast #PilotLife #Oshkosh2025 #AirVenture #TravelAndFlight #EuropeToOshkosh #GeneralAviation #FlySafe #AviationStories #PilotTalk #AviationCommunity #SlipAndSlideOshkosh #AviationFun #AviationAdventures #FlyWithUs #StratusFinancial #PartTwoComing #StratusFinancial #Sling #FlyingMagazine #WhyWeFlyPodcast

🎙️ What do student pilots really need—fancy flying clubs or structured schools? How can you build cross-country time without wrecking your wallet? In this high-energy episode, Brandon and Carson tackle the top aviation questions from Reddit, challenge conventional wisdom, and drop gold nuggets on discovery flights, syllabi, and digital vs. paper logbooks (spoiler: green ink might be involved). Whether you’re just taxiing into training or deep in the flight path, this episode will have you laughing, learning, and double-checking your endorsements.

🚀 We are the Aviation Mentors, a podcast dedicated to creating an amazing space where we aviators can hang out and enjoy a wide range of conversations about anything aviation. We're aviators, we're mentors, and we're entrepreneurs. Whether you're a student pilot, professional pilot, general aviation enthusiast, or just an AV Geek like us, this is the podcast for you!

🌎 Join us every Friday as we share our passion for flying!

www.aviationmentors.com

Sponsored by Stratus Financial

www.stratus.finance

#AviationMentors #PilotLife #StudentPilot #DiscoveryFlights #CrossCountryFlight #LearnToFly #FlightEndorsement #PilotLogBook #AviationCommunity #TimeBuilding #PaperVsDigital

🎙️ In this 50th episode, Brandon hands the mic to a surprise guest—11-year-old Rex, son of Stratus’ customer service lead and a long-time flight school regular. From hangar hijinks and airshow thrills to his very first flight in a Cessna 172, Rex recounts his aviation adventures with charm and surprising clarity. It’s part nostalgia, part inspiration—and fully delightful. Tune in to witness the joy of flight through the eyes of a future aviator in the making!

🚀 We are the Aviation Mentors, a podcast dedicated to creating an amazing space where we aviators can hang out and enjoy a wide range of conversations about anything aviation. We're aviators, we're mentors, and we're entrepreneurs. Whether you're a student pilot, professional pilot, general aviation enthusiast, or just an AV Geek like us, this is the podcast for you!

🌎 Join us every Friday as we share our passion for flying!

www.aviationmentors.com

Sponsored by Stratus Financial

www.stratus.finance

#AviationMentors #GeneralAviation #FuturePilot #FlightTraining #PilotLife #LearnToFly #YoungAviator #InspiringTheNextGeneration #FirstFlight #AviationDreams #NextGenPilot #Podcast #PodcastForPilots

🎙️ Power-on or power-off landings? Mandatory flight following or just a “nice to have”? And should spin training REALLY wait ‘til you’re commercial?

In this no-holds-barred episode, Brandon and Carson dive into the great aviation training debates—with a dash of sarcasm, golf course confessions, and the occasional jab at Piper aircraft. Whether you’re a student pilot or a seasoned flyer, this episode might just challenge what you thought you knew.

Tune in for laughs, learning, and one or two “did-they-just-say-that?” moments.

🚀 We are the Aviation Mentors, a podcast dedicated to creating an amazing space where we aviators can hang out and enjoy a wide range of conversations about anything aviation. We're aviators, we're mentors, and we're entrepreneurs. Whether you're a student pilot, professional pilot, general aviation enthusiast, or just an AV Geek like us, this is the podcast for you!

🌎 Join us every Friday as we share our passion for flying!

www.aviationmentors.com

Sponsored by Stratus Financial

www.stratus.finance

#PilotTraining #StudentPilot #FlightTraining #CFI #LearnToFly #PrivatePilot #PilotLife #AviationPodcast #PodcastEpisode #GeneralAviation #CFIDiscussion #AviationMentors