“Within all of us is a varying amount of space lint and star dust, the residue from our creation. Most are too busy to notice it, and it is stronger in some than others. It is strongest in those of us who fly and is responsible for an unconscious, subtle desire to slip into some wings and try for the elusive boundaries of our origin”.

– K.O. Eckland

Regular business trips and yearly vacations seem to be an essential need with time. Where time is considered very precious, people usually don’t prefer wasting much of their hours on traveling and desire to acquire the most fastidious commute possible. As such, one should not forget to appreciate the existence of airplanes. Their discovery has made commuting a lot easier, safer, and faster, making it possible for the populace to travel across the world for business, education, and leisure purposes. People like James Taylor should be given more credit for dedicating their entire life to the field of the aviation industry, making things better for the upcoming generation. Had it not been for their effortless contributions, the aviation field would have been struggling. 

Born in New York, NY, on December 14, 1921, James Taylor, also known as Jim Taylor or Mr. BizJet, was an American marketing executive remembered for his outshining performance in creating a revolution in the corporate aircraft market. He had more than five decades of experience in the aviation market industry. Known to have graduated from the Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut, in 1940, he was the first high school graduate selected by the U.S. Navy for naval cadet flight training in World War II in the year 1942. He was sworn in on national radio, and less than three weeks later, his father, a renowned test pilot, was killed testing a new aircraft. Yet, a few days later, Taylor reported for active duty. He became a naval test pilot, flight instructor, and carrier-based fighter pilot.

In the year 1946, Taylor was offered the position of the Vice President of Sales for Mallard Air Service at Teterboro Airport in N.J. One of his first customers was radio and T.V. personality Arthur Godfrey. Two years later, he joined Upressit Metal Cap Corp, and within a span of 2 years, he held the position of President, tripling sales and profits.

In 1963, Taylor joined Pan American World Airways as Vice President of its new Business Jets Division. Pan Am was the first airline to express interest in business aviation, an unprecedented side venture for a commercial air carrier. Taylor’s first action was to solicit input from potential customers which resulted in improvements to the French-built Mystere, making it more marketable. He also changed its name to Falcon and established a sequence of marketing techniques that boosted public awareness of Pan Am’s position in corporate aviation. In the 1960s, he set sales values that were fixated on customer requirements, believing that a marketing department’s role in developing a new aircraft was to ensure that the product met customer needs. That philosophy and his introduction of “factory-direct” sales and service changed the methods by which manufacturers market and support business jets.

Taylor’s success at Pan Am led to him taking up a challenging post as Vice President and General Manager of Cessna’s Aircraft’s Commercial Jet Marketing Division. His duty was to help develop and sell the company’s Cessna Fanjet 500 against a higher-performing competitor; he promptly renamed the all-new plane Citation after horse racing’s last Triple Crown winner in 1946.

In 1976, Taylor landed with a new marketing prospect at Canadair, which had acquired the rights to manufacture the LearStar 600 designed by Bill Lear. He was given six months to sell 50 Challengers, or the program would be canceled. He formed a sales team of former associates and renamed it the Canadair Challenger. They met the deadline and sold 110 Challengers before the prototype flew.

Witnessing Taylor’s mind-blowing performance in his domain compelled the CEO of financially troubled Gates LearJet to offer him the position of President in 1985. Taylor was given the task of turning the company around within two years to make it attractive for a possible acquisition. He fulfilled his mandate in 21 months by introducing cost reductions, diminishing the company’s 270 million debt, and eliminating money-losing projects. It was all due to Taylor’s efforts that in 1990, Learjet became a division of Bombardier Aerospace based in Montreal, Canada, with plants in Wichita, KS, and Tucson, AZ.

In 1988, Taylor forged his own aviation management advisory service company in Southport, Connecticut, by the name James B. Taylor Associates. He continued to serve in his firm throughout his life until he breathed his last in 2003.

Even though Taylor’s formal career began under adverse circumstances due to his father’s sudden death, he was quick to gain momentum and prosper in his field. Enjoying a fruitful tenure in the aviation industry, Taylor became the recipient of many awards throughout his lifetime, including getting inducted at the Aviation Week & Space Technology Laureates Hall of Fame, receiving the NBAA (National Business Aviation Association) Meritorious Service to Aviation Award, the National Aeronautic Association’s Elder Statesman of Aviation Award for work of enduring value to aviation, the Gathering of Eagles Program’s Man of the Year Award and being nominated for the National Aviation Hall of Fame.