In 2008, the economy was collapsing — and Anthony Tivnan decided to launch a private jet company.

Today, Magellan Jets moves over $150 million in annual charter while leading the industry’s shift toward automated pricing, fractional programs, and AI-driven operations.

In this episode, Dan Harris sits down with Anthony Tivnan, President and Co-Founder of Magellan Jets, to unpack how the company was built through recessions, relationships, and relentless adaptation.

They trace the early days of asset-light aviation, how Magellan weathered the 2008 financial crisis, and why AI and automation are rewriting how brokers and operators work together. From the why behind Magellan’s fractional partnership with Slate to the how of their Stellar platform acquisition — this conversation bridges old-school relationship-driven brokerage with the next phase of private aviation tech.

Inside the episode:

✦ What Magellan learned launching during the 2008 recession — and why it still matters

✦ How asset-light business models became the future of private aviation

✦ The real reason fractional consistency sells better than price

✦ Why automated quoting is the next big differentiator for operators

✦ How Magellan uses AI to eliminate friction — not people

✦ Why the next two years will separate scalable operators from stagnant ones

If you lead, manage, or operate in business aviation — this is the blueprint for how to grow without losing your edge.

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