Meet Our Team
Mike Kennedy
Weapons trader, Zoologist, conservationist, thrill seeker
Charter pilot, been doing repo for 20+ years
His office is in Orlando, his home is on the road.
As a world-class motorcycle stunt rider, skydiver and aircraft daredevil, Mike Kennedy has a need for speed and danger. A high-end recovery expert, weapons trader and Animal Zoologist, Mike finds himself in hotel rooms and backwaters all over the globe, often with potentially deadly altercations brewing right outside his door. Normally working solo, but sometimes with a small and seasoned crew, Mike - who can fly just about anything - is deft with flight permits, fuel stops, customs issues, import, export and capturing the elusive log-book. His kids grown and his youth behind him, a voice in his head dogs Mike to get the most out of life.
“There’s just not enough time,” he’ll say. Meanwhile, the high-adrenaline lifestyle has taken its toll on his body, and though he’s in better shape than men half his age, he feels it in the morning. But when he gets the call, his muscle memory fires up like a rifle kick, and he goes into high gear- be it to recover a drug lord’s Learjet in default, delivering lethal weapons into the hands of good guys, or finding a distrustful leopard a new peaceful home – it’s one endless carpe diem and he’s his own boss. Still, being the Lone Wolf has its downside: every time he captains his repo off the runway, there’s the nagging white-knuckle question – did he check absolutely everything?
Cole Gaither
Cole Gaither’s runway to brokerage began in 1989 when he acquired his first airplane—a twin-engine Piper Aztec—and turned a love of flight into a full-blown side business alongside his Caribbean construction ventures. After weathering the 2008 crash and slowing down with development in Charleston, he dove headlong into aviation in 2009 by joining Hanger Aviation. There he honed his broker’s craft, overseeing complex transactions, navigating FAA regulations, and building a reputation for finding and moving aircraft worldwide.
In the years since, Cole has personally bought and sold over 800 airplanes and helicopters—from classic warbirds to modern turboprops—and become the public face of those high-stakes deals. Today, as co-producer and star of the YouTube series Plane Crazy Life alongside Mike Kennedy of Airplane Repo, he spearheads daring repossessions, meticulous restorations, and cross-continental delivery missions that capture the thrill and challenges of aircraft acquisition, embodying his relentless passion for aviation.
MARK PILKINGTON
Mark Pilkington is a distinguished pilot and aircraft sales specialist based in Placerville, California. Since 2010, he has led Skywagons.com, a respected brokerage firm originally founded in 1989, where he oversees the acquisition and sales of a wide variety of general aviation aircraft—particularly the rugged Cessna Skywagon family (180, 185, 206, and 182), along with Beechcraft, Piper, and Mooney models. As a seasoned pilot, Mark demonstrates some limited skill flying tailwheel aircraft—especially the iconic Cessna Skywagons known for demanding landings and backcountry performance . Mark represents a rare blend of practical aviation skill, sales expertise, and digital storytelling. As the driving force behind Skywagons.com and the animated host of Skywagon University, he delivers value on the tarmac and online—guiding pilots from initial interest to confident ownership with integrity and insight.