Robert B. Salvo – C.E.O.
Mr. Salvo brings over 52 years and 16,000 flight hours of aviation piloting and management experience, including worldwide Part 135 (charter) operations and international Part 121 (airline) experience to Salaero, Inc.
After serving in the Army in the late ‘60’s as a Huey Crew Chief, Mr. Salvo began his early civilian flying career in 1974 as a flight instructor at Santa Monica Airport in California. He later conducted operations as an off airport bush pilot in Alaska and the Caribbean starting in 1979. After leaving Alaska in the mid eighties to seek an airline career and gaining experience in both Airline and Charter operations, he returned to Alaska in the early nineties as Director and co-founder of a respected air ambulance service helping the late Floyd Saltz build it into a recognized regional leader. This company was the first to introduce the use of Lear Jets at unimproved landing strips in the most remote parts of the Alaska, Canada and former USSR.
Following this role as Director, Mr. Salvo was recruited to participate in the initial ice testing of Northrop Grumman’s B2 Bomber, flying sorties with the B2 Bomber and a KC 135 tanker from Edwards Air Force Base in a modified Lear Jet. Later his career transitioned to the Hollywood film industry, where he participated in aerial cinematography and film production as Vice President of Wolfe Air, a subsidiary of Wolfe & Company Films.
Influenced by Dan Wolfe, he also started his own still production company “Ruff Cut Productions” where he was a cover contributor to Produced By magazine and still photographer for film productions such as Lord of The Realm. His personal friendship with Dan Wolfe continues to this day as they share in developing aviation projects. Their joint ventures include aircraft acquisitions for the development of WolfeAir currently at Hawthorne Airport in Los Angeles which is located at the former Northrop Facility.
As CEO of SalAero Inc., an aviation consulting company co-owned and operated with his wife Nanette, he specializes in start-up operations and the restructuring of companies in distress. He routinely directs the improvement of regulatory compliance and promotes the establishment of financial ethics in aviation. Mr. Salvo has been instrumental in the founding of over forty-five aviation companies and the mentoring of senior management and pilots alike. He has written General Operations and Safety Manuals currently in use by dozens of Air Carriers, worldwide.
Mr. Salvo is highly respected in the aviation community for his commitment to safety and willingness to mentor others in their aviation ventures.
Mr. Salvo has attended Santa Monica College (Marketing, Film Media and Business Law), and The University of Alaska, (Aviation Business).
Nanette Salvo
Ms. Salvo has over 15 years of aviation experience. She began her career as a flight attendant for a Regional Airlines and then advanced to a Major Carrier. During her career as a Part 121 Airline Flight Attendant a Part 135 Private Charter carrier based in the New York area recruited her. She found the experience challenging and rewarding and quickly advanced to In-Flight Supervisor where she was in charge of hiring and training a large staff of flight attendants.
After being appointed to the safety board committee, her attention to detail and ability to liaison with government officials led to the appointment of a new position as head of the regulatory development.
After being transferred to the corporate office in Scottsdale, AZ., Ms. Salvo spent seven years developing the Regulatory department gaining the respect of the local Federal Aviation Administration and TSA. What Ms. Salvo learned during this time became of vital importance when she began her own Part 135 Air Carrier Company.
In what has historically been know as a man’s world, Ms. Salvo has excelled in areas of Federal Aviation Regulations, Government Compliance, Flight Crew training and required record keeping, Emergency Training for flight crews, Department of Transportation legal filings, Drug Program enforcement and Hazardous Materials training. Her knowledge base meets and often exceeds those of a Chief Pilot.
Working with her husband she has been instrumental in the certification of many Part 135 Air Carriers and Part 141 Flight Schools. She has conducted audits on behalf of Charter Operators to facilitate the passing of independent Safety and Compliance audits by companies such as Wyvern and ARG/US.
Her intuitive and creative approach to satisfying the abysmal paper trail required by numerous government agencies has earned her the title of “Expert” among the directors of these agencies and she is constantly held up as the standard to meet.
In the Professional Aviation community there is only a handful of women who hold executive positions as a Principle of an Air Carrier Company. Ms. Salvo is proud to be a leader in that elite group.