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Silverhawk Aviation is a Part 135 charter operator and FBO based at Lincoln Municipal Airport (KLNK) in Lincoln, Nebraska. The company operates a mixed fleet of approximately 19-25 aircraft — primarily Cessna Citations and Beechcraft King Airs — from four bases across Nebraska and Iowa. Silverhawk employs roughly 73 total staff (as of September 2024); pilot count is not separately disclosed. The company is non-union. John Geary serves as CEO (joined 2015; progressed through training officer, Chief Pilot, Director of Operations, to CEO), and Mike Gerdes is Chairman and co-owner (started at Silverhawk's front desk in 2004 and became President/co-owner in 2015).
For interview purposes, the simplest way to frame Silverhawk is this: it is a Midwest-focused Part 135 charter and FBO operation with deep roots in Nebraska aviation, offering a family-style culture, diverse light and midsize jet experience, and a company that has grown steadily since its 1991 founding. Silverhawk connects its Midwest base to destinations across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. The company has no APC listing (it is listed on Pilot Career Center without pay details). Average pilot compensation runs approximately $96,000-$101,000 per year based on Glassdoor and Indeed data (41 salary submissions), though specific FO versus Captain breakdowns are not publicly available. Silverhawk does not require specific hour minimums in its public postings — it requires an FAA pilot license and medical certificate — and is an ATP Flight School partner and DoD SkillBridge participant.
Sources listed at the end of each profile. Data compiled from public filings, airline newsrooms, AirlinePilotCentral, Glassdoor, FAA records, and industry publications.