In a meeting where George Bye’s colleagues were arguing over what color scheme to paint a new military turboprop airplane, he realized that he wanted something more for his professional life. That day, he decided he wasn’t going to continue as part of a large aerospace and defense bureaucratic system. Instead, he wanted to be able to make his own decisions to create value and provide solutions.

 

“I felt compelled to integrate my experiences as a pilot, as a trainer, as an aerodynamicist and as someone who appreciated the importance of stunning, practical design,” said Bye. That’s what motivated him to launch Bye Aerospace, Inc., a firm equipped to be the first company in the world to receive the FAA Part 23 certification of an all-electric airplane.

 

“We are positioned to not only help revolutionize, but to potentially help save the general aviation industry, thanks to achieving cost savings by creating aircraft with five times less operating costs than current flight trainer airplanes,” said Bye.

 

Bye’s aviation roots run deep. He launched his aviation career after receiving an ROTC pilot scholarship while attending the University of Washington to study engineering. Ultimately, he received his U.S. Air Force commission as a second lieutenant, graduated from undergraduate pilot training in the top 10% of his class and went on to fly the C-141B and T-38 aircraft.

 

Bye completed his Air Force service in 1993 and began a career as a civilian contractor. While working on a new military turboprop airplane and battling a diminishing budget, Bye was at that that seminal meeting about paint, resulting in the launch of Bye Aerospace.

 

Bye has been at the helm of Bye Aerospace as chairman and CEO since its inception in 2007. He and his company have been featured in : Denver7’s “In Great Company” segment; a featured company in “Niche Marketing,”; a book published by Creative Classics; and named a Top Maker in Aerospace and Aircraft by ColoradoBiz magazine. Bye also serves as a keynote speaker for professional organizations and has published several articles about electric aviation.

 

For Bye, leaving a lasting legacy – personally and professionally – is important. “My life experiences have all been rooted in aviation – going way back to my formative years,” he said. “My upbringing and my faith all reflect my desire to leave the world a little better place.”

 

Bye Aerospace’s quest to make general aviation cleaner, safer, more efficient and more affordable is a key part of his life’s journey, said Bye. He believes that grit, determination, attitude and loyalty are what turns average companies into revolutionary, game-changing companies. “I apply these same principles to leadership,” said Bye.

 

For his leadership and contributions to revolutionize the aviation industry, Bye has been named a Titan 100.