The People
Behind the Access.

Vision

Michaela Thompson

Founder & CEO

Michaela Thompson has spent the last decade building businesses and developing people. A top earner in the direct sales industry for over 10 years and a luxury concierge professional since 2016 — planning and executing high-end events in elite environments — she understands what it takes to operate at a premium level and build systems that scale.

She has personally mentored hundreds of individuals into entrepreneurship. When she saw the gap in private aviation — an industry paying $1,500 to $5,000 per job with no structured path in — she didn't wait for someone else to build it. She assembled the right team, created the system, and launched the first minority and woman-owned aviation detailing academy in the industry.

Proximity

John Silver

Co-Founder · President, Aero Access Network™

John Silver is Co-Founder and President of the Aero Access Network™. With over two decades operating inside elite entertainment environments working alongside global artists including Jennifer Lopez, Chris Brown, and Usher . Private jets were not a luxury for John. They were normal.

But even at that level, there was no clear path in as an operator. He went looking, found nothing, and then stepped onto the ramp. John has also run successful luxury transportation companies, giving him a deep understanding of high-standard client service and the operational discipline required in premium environments.

As President of the Aero Access Network™, John serves as the liaison between the entertainment industry and private aviation, building and maintaining the real relationships that give graduates access to environments where the work already exists.

John's own luxury detailing company, Silver Line Detailing, serves as the preferred hiring partner for Aero Detailing Academy , actively recruiting top-performing graduates from each class and providing a direct employment pathway into the industry.

Skill

Steven Chandler

Co-Founder · Lead Instructor

Steven Chandler is Co-Founder and Lead Instructor of Aero Detailing Academy. With over 25 years of hands-on experience working on real aircraft, he has been the preferred detailer at Southeast Ramp for over 20 years and has operated regularly at MillionAir for the past decade, building a reputation one job at a time through precision, consistency, and an uncompromising standard of excellence. He has also worked with prestigious NBAA shows, bringing that same elite-level professionalism to some of the most high-profile events in private aviation.

Steven has worked with prestigious NBAA shows, bringing that same elite-level professionalism to every aircraft he touches. Aircraft owners trust him when precision matters most.

He is the technical backbone of the AeroElite™ Certification. When he signs off on a graduate, it means something.