News Fred Powell - Portside Team as VP of Product

Welcoming Fred Powell to the Portside Team as VP of Product

We have recently extended our leadership team appointing Fred Powell, an aviation industry technology veteran, as VP of Product. Fred’s arrival will help drive our continued growth as we look to expand our product suite to address critical pain points facing business and government aircraft operators. Alek Vernitsky, CEO of Portside, says, “Fred has over 20 years of experience in this industry and has contributed significantly to the innovation in business aviation. We look forward to working with Fred and leveraging his experience as we continue to better serve our global customer base.”

Portside has experienced triple digit growth since it was founded in 2017, and today, our platform serves hundreds of customers in over 30 countries with a secure suite of cloud-based products such as the Owner Portal, ExpensePulse, Optimizer and others. Some notable operators on the Portside platform include Jet Aviation, Airshare, Wing Aviation, Albinati, and Metrojet. Excited about this next chapter at Portside, Fred commented: “The Portside team is impressive and forward-thinking. I am excited to be working with a company whose customers are enthusiastic about what we have built and look forward to helping Portside further support its customer needs.” 

Fred's success in aviation technology was inspired by his father, Fred Powell Sr, who founded aviation software company Computing Technologies for Aviation (CTA) in 1981, and became the architect of Flight Operation System (FOS). After graduating from college, Fred joined the family business and rebuilt the DOS-based FOS system for Windows. At the time, flight schedules were written on whiteboards and airline operators were skeptical that a software program could be as customizable as a wipeable marker. 

The legendary Neil Armstrong served as Chairman and CEO for CTA, actively supporting the family business for over 15 years. Under Fred’s leadership, FOS became the dominant solution for corporate, charter, and OEM-operations serving over 500 customers and capturing 80% market share for charter operators. FOS evolved to enable industry-leading end-to-end paperless processes for customers, including native mobile technology for flight departments to enter log book information, duty times, and expenses.

CTA / FOS was sold to Rockwell Collins (now Collins Aerospace) in 2011 and Fred worked on integrating FOS with other Collins acquisitions, including Air Routing and ARINC. Joining Stellar Labs in 2015 as VP of Customer and Product, Fred managed products that enabled customers to generate an automated quote, a long sought-after goal in the charter industry.

If you would like to reach out to congratulate Fred or learn more about what he is doing at Portside, you can reach him at fpowell@portside.co

About Portside

At Portside, we are developing a modern, cloud-based operating system for business and government aviation: a set of integrated solutions addressing major industry pain points. Our platform supports over 150 operators of business jets, helicopters, medical evacuation and government fleets, as well as fractional jet ownership programs in over 30 countries. We are headquartered in San Francisco with team members across the US, Europe and Asia. Learn more about Portside at www.portside.aero

Connect with Portside

sales@portside.co

Latest news

News Portside Expands Fatigue Risk Management Capabilities with Pulsar Integrations
Oct 10, 2025

Portside Expands Fatigue Risk Management Capabilities with Pulsar Integrations into Avianis and Baldwin Safety & Compliance

San Francisco, CA – 10/10/25 – Portside, a leading provider of modern, cloud-based software solutions for business aviation, announced expanded integrations with Pulsar Informatics, the industry leader in fatigue risk management solutions. Pulsar is now fully integrated into Avianis, Portside’s comprehensive flight operations platform, and Baldwin Safety & Compliance, the industry’s most scalable SMS solution.

These integrations build on Portside’s existing connections with Pulsar across BART, FOS, and PFM, further embedding fatigue risk insights into operators’ daily workflows. “By integrating further into Portside’s solutions, we’re empowering operators to address fatigue proactively during trip planning while embedding fatigue data into everyday safety practices.” said Dr. Daniel Mollicone, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder at Pulsar Informatics.

In Avianis, operators can now incorporate real-time fatigue risk insights directly into crew scheduling and trip planning. In Baldwin Safety & Compliance, pilots and safety managers see fatigue scores directly on their safety forms, enhancing visibility at each stage of a flight and strengthening overall risk management. “Bringing Pulsar into Avianis and Baldwin reflects our commitment to keeping the Portside Platform at the cutting edge of the industry with solutions that advance safety, efficiency, and compliance,” said Portia Corsetti, VP of Sales at Portside.

About Portside

Portside is a leading provider of cutting-edge software solutions for the global aviation industry, serving business aviation, regional commercial airlines, and aircraft leasing & finance. With a team of 330 professionals across 30+ countries, Portside supports over 1,300 enterprise customers, including 70 regional passenger and cargo airlines, worldwide. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Portside is dedicated to driving innovation and operational efficiency in aviation.

About Pulsar

Pulsar Informatics is an IS-BAO I3SA certified provider of fatigue risk management technology and professional services. Founder owned and operated since 2001, we have made seminal contributions to the scientific understanding of human fatigue and performance over the past two decades. We advise governments around the world on regulatory policy and serve customers in multiple industries including business and charter aviation, trucking, manufacturing, petrochemicals, defense, and space exploration. Our software tools help safety management teams identify fatigue risk in operations and adjust staffing and schedules to reduce risk, improve safety, and optimize performance.

News Clay Lacy Selects Portside's Avianis
Oct 08, 2025

Clay Lacy Aviation Selects Portside’s Avianis to Streamline Flight Scheduling and Operations

San Francisco, CA – 10/8/25 – Portside, a leading provider of modern, cloud-based solutions for business aviation, today announced that Clay Lacy Aviation, one of the most respected names in private aviation with more than 55 years of excellence in aircraft management, charter, maintenance, and FBO services, has adopted Avianis as its flight scheduling and operations platform. The complex, large-scale implementation underscores Portside’s expertise in delivering seamless, high-value results for leading operators worldwide.

Clay Lacy Aviation operates a growing nationwide fleet that requires a scalable, integrated platform supporting flight scheduling, crew coordination, compliance tracking, and maintenance oversight. By moving to Avianis, Clay Lacy gains a single system that strengthens daily operations – providing an even smoother experience for aircraft owners and charter clients.

“Our clients expect the very best every time they fly with us,” said Ken Webster, VP Flight Operations at Clay Lacy Aviation. “Avianis gives us a modern, unified platform that makes our operations more seamless and ensures we continue delivering the highest levels of safety, service, and efficiency.”

Avianis is a powerful, web-based platform designed to streamline and optimize every aspect of flight operations for operators of all sizes. From its highly customizable Schedule Board to advanced tools for crew compliance, duty limits, and maintenance tracking, Avianis brings all core functions into one connected platform. This comprehensive approach enables operators like Clay Lacy to run more efficient, compliant, and transparent operations while ensuring aircraft and crew are always ready for mission success.

As part of the broader Portside ecosystem, Clay Lacy will also have access to additional integrated products and capabilities designed to drive even greater efficiencies, like fuel management via FuelAssist, and Owner Service optimization tools via Portside Owner Portal. Together, these solutions create a unified platform that streamlines operations, enhances compliance, and delivers measurable value across the organization.

“Clay Lacy is a recognized leader in private aviation, and we are proud to partner with them,” said Alek Vernitsky, CEO at Portside. “This implementation highlights not only the scalability and power of Avianis, but also the expertise of our team in supporting complex projects that drive measurable value for our customers.”

About Portside

Portside is a leading provider of cutting-edge software solutions for the global aviation industry, serving business, government, and corporate aviation, regional commercial airlines, and aircraft leasing & finance. With a team of 330 professionals across 40+ countries, Portside supports over 1,300 enterprise customers.Trusted by operators worldwide, Portside’s solutions empower business aviation organizations to achieve greater efficiency, transparency, and customer satisfaction.

About Clay Lacy

Founded in 1968 by legendary aviator and industry pioneer Clay Lacy. Today, Clay Lacy Aviation is the world’s most experienced operator of private jets. Prominent individuals and leading corporations trust Clay Lacy for aircraft management, charter, maintenance, avionics, interiors and FBO services. The company has aircraft operations and regional offices across the U.S., including full-service FBOs at Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles, Orange County’s John Wayne Airport, and Waterbury-Oxford Airport, with a future location serving Sun Valley, Idaho. Clay Lacy also operates FAA Part 145 aircraft maintenance centers in Los Angeles and Oxford, Connecticut. With the most knowledgeable team in the industry, Clay Lacy delivers superior safety, service and value to aircraft owners and jet travelers worldwide. Visit claylacy.com

News Portside Integrates with Levo.aero
Oct 02, 2025

Portside Announces Integration with Levo.Aero to Deliver New Sales and Technology Capabilities for BART Charter Operators

San Francisco, CA – 10/02/25 – Portside, the leading provider of cloud-based solutions for business aviation, today announced a new integration between its BART scheduling platform and Levo.Aero, a rapidly growing AI and SaaS company serving charter operators and brokers worldwide. This partnership will give BART customers seamless access to Levo’s innovative technology suite while unlocking new sales channels through Levo’s consumer-facing charter marketplace. Through this integration, BART operators will be able to automatically market their aircraft and empty legs on Levo’s B2C platform, where vetted subscribers can purchase flights directly from operators. The partnership combines Portside’s industry-leading operations management capabilities with Levo’s marketplace and AI-driven tools, empowering operators with greater control, efficiency, and revenue opportunities. Levo’s technology includes proprietary AI models for flight sourcing and empty leg optimization, as well as SMARTInboxTM, an intelligent workflow tool designed to streamline operator communications and back-office functions. Led by industry veteran Joe Moeggenberg, Levo brings more than 40 years of expertise in the Part 135 market to help modernize and transform charter operations. “We’re excited to partner with Levo.Aero to give BART operators new ways to grow their business,” said Grey East, Associate Director of Business Development at Portside. “By connecting directly to Levo’s marketplace and leveraging its AI-powered tools, our customers gain more control, efficiency, and access to high-quality demand - while continuing to manage their operations on the platform they know and trust.” The integration between Portside and Levo further strengthens the value of the Portside Platform, which powers more than 15,000 aircraft across the globe with solutions for scheduling, crew management, compliance, finance, and owner reporting. About Portside Portside is a leading provider of cutting-edge software solutions for the global aviation industry, serving business aviation, regional commercial airlines, and aircraft leasing & finance. With a team of 330 professionals across 40+ countries, Portside supports over 1,300 enterprise customers, including 70 regional passenger and cargo airlines, worldwide. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Portside is dedicated to driving innovation and operational efficiency in aviation. About Levo.Aero Levo.Aero is a technology company focused on solving the technology restraints that plague private charter sales, scheduling and dispatch organizations. Using the LevoOps suite of ERP and CRM solutions, Charter companies are now able to operate their businesses much more efficiently, close more sales, as well as empower their customers to book instantly priced and REAL flights directly on their websites. Levo AI delivers the industry-only AI tools aimed at true matching of requests with fleet positioning. Click-to-clunk is finally here with the Levo Marketplace → an aggregated network of affiliated charter operators that bring real planes to real demand, inviting customers to browse + book upcoming empty legs at discounted pricing. Levo.Aero seamlessly integrates with all industry flight scheduling software and allows charter operators a holistic and all-inclusive toolkit to manage their operations both internally and with customers, crew, airplane owners, etc. Contact Levo for more information or a brief demo here: mike@levo.aero