From Flight Instructor to Aircraft Broker: Nick Retterer's Journey

Introduction

Nick Retterer grew up around 30 miles North of Wilmington in New River, North Carolina. Raised by listening to stories of his grandfather flying during the Vietnam War and his dad flying helicopters in Iraq, he has wanted to be a pilot ever since his teen years. Putting himself through college, Nick went from zero to hero, achieving all his flight ratings and certificates at Middle Tennesee State University. He then began building experience as a flight instructor at Harmony Air in Nashville, TN, for a professional flying career in the airlines. Destined for greatness, Nick became chief flight instructor and was awarded director of operations shortly after the owner retired. Today, Nick has forgotten to go to the airlines and loves his job running a large flight school in Nashville, Tennessee, where he motivates, trains, and helps his staff elevate to new heights.    

The Challange

In the back of Nick’s mind, he’s always aspired to operate his own company. With extensive aviation knowledge and a top-notch networking platform at the flight school, he needed to find a format to reach his full potential in aviation. He became an aircraft broker; the only problem was that Nick had never sold aircraft. “I would work 10-12 hours a day at the flight school and then go home and research how I could become an aircraft broker. To my surprise, there wasn't a lot of information on how to do this,” he told us. Nick had the work ethic, qualifications, and expertise but did not know how to apply it like many young professionals.   

Why Nick Chose Aircraft Broker Academy

“I found Alexander Bengoechea's Aircraft Broker Academy and his teaching style caught my eye. ABA provided me with a clear path to the sale I sought. It wasn't hidden behind boring slides or designed like your typical online college class. Alex taught you each aspect of the entire way to become a broker.” With Nick's new tools from ABA, he could finally present his knowledge and qualifications in the aviation industry. 

What separates us from other online learning courses is we constantly update our coursework to ensure the most up-to-date and accurate information. We recognize that aviation is dynamic and continuously changing. To compete, ABA offers over 100 lessons on how to start, run, and operate a small aircraft brokerage. Not only does ABA provide advice, but we also partner with professionals across the industry to provide the most robust online education possible. ABA strives to help everyone get results, just like Nick. We want you to have the complete package, from sales to regulatory to technical. We’ve shared Nick's story because that’s what ABA is all about: you. 

The Results

“My current results are really simple. I have been able to make fast money safely and efficiently.” Since opening his brokerage in the fall of 2023, he’s been involved in the sale of two SR22s and currently has multiple clients under acquisition agreements and contracts for sales in the near future. “I would not be sitting here if it wasn't for ABA. I stand by this course, Alex's guidance, and mentor program. There is nothing out there like it.” Throughout our interview with Nick, he mentions effort, something we preach at ABA as a principle to being a successful broker: work hard and never give up. Nicks’s success shows how quickly you can reach your goals by investing in our system. You can fulfill your fullest potential with the proper guidance and mentorship from our program at Aircraft Broker Academy.

Learn more about Nick's Aircraft Brokerage R3 Aviation https://www.r3aviationservice.com/