Stop 01·Kissimmee, Florida
Vector Connect
The runway between curiosity and career.
- Location
- Kissimmee, FloridaKissimmee Gateway Airport (KISM)
- Date
- Wednesday, September 16, 2026
- Time
- 2:00pm - 5:30pm EST
What this event is about
- 01
What this is
The runway between curiosity and career. Vector Connect puts the next generation of aviation face-to-face with the airlines, professionals, and aircraft that turn a love of flying into a career, because aviation is bigger than the cockpit. Expect back-to-back talks, open Q&A, and relaxed networking over food. Come as you are.
- 02
Who should attend
Curiosity doesn't check your logbook first, and neither do we. Middle and high schoolers exploring aviation, flight school students building hours, career changers weighing the leap, and parents and teachers looking for straight answers, all belong in this room. Come whether you've never set foot on a ramp, or you already know your way around one.
- 03
What you'll gain
A career in aviation looks different depending on where you're standing, and this is where you get the real view. You'll hear what different paths in the industry actually look like day to day, who's hiring and for what, and what the timeline and cost really are, straight from people currently doing the job, not a recruiter's script. Leave with more than a business card. Leave with a heading.
What you get out of it
No sales pitch, no résumé drop. This is the part of the career nobody sits down and explains.
- 01
Industry Insight
Airline and aviation-industry professionals explaining how the pipeline actually works, in plain language.
- 02
The Career Map
Private, instrument, commercial, CFI, first officer — what each step buys you and where the decision points sit.
- 03
Professional Expectations
What the industry expects of you long before an application: currency, judgment, records and reputation.
- 04
Mentorship
Ask the people already flying the job the questions a syllabus never answers.
- 05
Networking
Unhurried time with the presenters and with students and instructors from the other schools on the field.
Kissimmee Gateway Airport (KISM)
Sunstate Flight Training Powered by Academy of Aviation 3008 Patrick St, Kissimmee, FL 34741
Parking
Free parking on the Flight School lot. Overflow parking is signed on the day; arrive by 1:30 PM if you want a close spot.
Getting there
Enter through the Flight School lobby, not the school gates. Staff will point you to the ramp area — the program is held on the ramp side under cover.
Accessibility
Ground-level and step-free from the lot to the ramp. Accessible restrooms in the Flight School. Seating is provided; let us know at the door if you need a reserved seat near the front.
Where to stay
No lodging needed for a four-hour local afternoon.
Bring the Industry to Your Ramp
Student pilots are handed a checkride syllabus and left to reverse-engineer a career. We would rather put working airline and industry people in front of you now while the decisions about ratings, hours and financing are still ahead of you instead of behind you.
Workforce commitment
Vector Connect is an education series and a community investment, produced end-to-end by GSS Aviation and Northstar Strategies LLC. No resumes are collected and nobody is being recruited. Partner airlines and industry sponsors take part precisely because this audience, students exploring aviation anywhere from middle school through flight school, isn't hire-ready yet.
Career pathways
Pilot, mechanic, dispatcher, air traffic controller, engineer: real detail on the parts that get glossed over. What each license or certificate actually requires, what the hour-building or apprenticeship years actually look like, what advanced training costs, and how regional, mainline, and non-airline timelines differ.
Who makes this stop possible
Each city is built with a different set of local partners — operators, FBOs, and organizations investing in the next generation of aviation professionals.
How the event runs
Roughly three hours: short presentations back to back, an open Q&A floor, then networking. Nothing runs in parallel — you will not miss anything.
2:00 PM
Doors open
OpenSign in, grab food, meet people from the other schools on the field.
2:30 PM
Anchor airline partner opens the evening
PresentationWhere the airline sits in the industry, how its pipeline actually works, and what it looks for in the pilots who eventually reach it.
3:00 PM
The certificate ladder, end to end
PresentationPrivate, instrument, commercial, CFI and first officer — what each one buys you, what it costs, and the R-ATP pathways that change your minimums.
4:30 PM
The hour-building years
PresentationInstructing, part-time flying and the realistic timeline from 250 hours to airline minimums, from people who have done it.
5:00 PM
Paying for it
PresentationFinancing advanced ratings, sequencing training around a job, and the decisions that are expensive to reverse.
5:15 PM
Open Q&A floor
Q&ANo submitted questions, no moderator screening. Ask the panel anything about the path.
6:00 PM
Networking until close
OpenStay as long as you want. The presenters do not leave first.
Who you'll hear from
Shawn Staerker
Host, Creative Relay Media
How the pipeline really works
Shawn Staerker is an aviation media professional, sponsorship strategist, and host of The Future in Flight Podcast, produced with AviNation USA Magazine and reaching aviation enthusiasts aged 14–24. Staerker has served as on-site content liaison for airshow performers and coordinated media for the Full Throttle Formation Team.
Jamail Larkins
Founder, AviationStart
Opening keynote: The next decade of aviation hiring
Jamail Larkins is an aviation entrepreneur and industry advocate. A graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, he became a certified aerobatic pilot and founded Larkins Enterprises, Inc., generating more than $7.5 million in annual sales. In 2004, the FAA named Larkins its first Ambassador for Aviation and Space Education, leading a tour that reached over 1,000 schools nationwide. He is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, and today leads AviationStart.org.
Rick Leach
President and CEO, GoJet Airlines
From 250 hours to the right seat
Richard "Rick" Leach is the President and CEO and founder of GoJet Airlines, bringing over four decades of aviation industry experience to his leadership. He launched GoJet Airlines in 2005 as part of Trans States Holdings, steering its growth into a key regional carrier partner for major airlines like United.
Aaron Hollewell
VP of Business Development and Southern Ops, Academy of Aviation
Panel: Getting licensed
Aaron Hollewell serves as Vice President of Business Development for Academy of Aviation, a growing flight school with East Coast locations including New York, North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Originally pursuing a career as an airline pilot, Hollewell shifted his focus to helping others achieve that dream. With over 15 years in the flight school industry, Hollewell is a respected industry leader known for his dedication to the growth of Academy of Aviation and the aviation community, reflecting the Academy's mission to give wings to the dream of flight.
Tyler Tenbrink
Aerospace Industry Partnership Manager, Aviation Institute of Maintenance
The certificate ladder, end to end
G. Tyler Tenbrink has led talent acquisition and development for more than 19 years, applying deep expertise in employee training and ethical business practices to strengthen workforce engagement and foster an environment rooted in diversity and ethical standards. Tenbrink is recognized as a disruptor in aviation, challenging norms and setting new benchmarks for the industry. Driven by a passion for aviation's future, he is committed to building a dynamic, inclusive, and innovative workforce that exceeds industry standards.
De Wuan Roberson
Director, Bridge Air
Panel: Getting licensed
De Wuan Roberson brings more than a decade of leadership experience across aviation, healthcare, and corporate operations, specializing in workforce optimization and strategic program development. Roberson serves as Director of Pilot Development Operations and Recruitment at Bridge Air, leading a fast-growing time-building program for aspiring airline pilots. Previously, Roberson held leadership roles in inflight support, crew scheduling, and workforce management. Certified in Agile Project Leadership, Roberson brings a collaborative approach to building resilient teams.
Abbey Hutter
Executive Director , JS Firm
One tour, hub by hub
Vector Connect travels to high-density independent flight training hubs across the country. Same format, new ramp, new local schools at every stop.
2 cities announced · 1 upcoming
- Current stop
Kissimmee, Florida
Kissimmee Gateway Airport (KISM)
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Presented by GoJet Airlines
View this stop →
- Upcoming
Los Angeles, California
Academy of Aviation
February 2027
Presented by GSS Aviation & Northstar Strategies
View this stop →
Not in your city yet? More hubs are being scheduled — flight schools and FBOs interested in hosting a stop can reach the organizers through the presenting partners.