By Abby Tegnelia
The cockpit of a NICHOLAS AIR (nicholasair.com) jet is a high-performance environment that demands the same level of physical conditioning as a professional athlete. The company’s recruitment strategy mirrors that of an elite military unit: selecting the best of the best by specifically targeting individuals whose backgrounds in special operations and emergency response have forged a permanent mission-first mindset. For these pilots, maintaining optimal physical fitness is a professional requirement, ensuring they arrive at every destination—from the high-altitude runways of Aspen to the tropical coasts of Puerto Vallarta—with total precision.
To execute a sophisticated 15-day rotation with the highest level of service, the company doesn’t just hire pilots; it selects tactical athletes. “Flying in the private space is all about mental clarity,” says John Simas, a Phenom 300 Captain and instructor. As a former smokejumper, Simas views physical fitness as the foundation of professional excellence. “Staying sharp is a must.”
For these elite airmen, the training never stops. Embraer Phenom 300 Captain and former Navy SEAL George Wehrung treats every layover as an opportunity to maintain his ready-for-anything status. “If I can get in a hotel-gym session before showtime, I do,” Wehrung says. Even without a gym, the standard remains: five rounds of lunges, incline pushups and air squats. He’s even been known to charge up 18 flights of stairs at the Sonesta in Nashville just to maintain his competitive edge.
This high-performance mentality extends to nutrition. There are no off days for these pilots when it comes to their well-being. Wehrung recently dropped 33 pounds by adhering to a strict carnivore diet—meat, eggs and seafood—optimizing his energy levels for the flight deck. “Your brain burns fat as energy,” he notes, emphasizing that a pilot’s diet is a primary source of cognitive power.
Latitude Captain and check airman Clay Scarborough echoes this demand for discipline. Whether it’s a full duty day or a quick hop to Nantucket, the expectation is consistency. Between tracking vitals on Garmin Fenix watches and monitoring recovery via Oura rings, the NICHOLAS AIR cockpit is a place where technology and biology meet. At this altitude, fitness isn’t just a lifestyle; it’s a prerequisite for the safety and precision the brand’s members expect.
At NICHOLAS AIR, the message is clear: To fly the best, one has to be the best—physically, mentally and tactically. Only those who maintain these elite standards earn the wings. nicholasair.com