A SKYFUL OF HISTORY
American Aircraft Sales founder Charlie Tolbert started out as the navigator, machine gunner, and bombardier aboard a US Army Air Corps B-24 during WWII. Shot down five times, and having spent time in a Nazi POW camp, Charlie never lost his love for flying, and got his pilot license in the early 1950s.
Charlie received a degree in electrical engineering on the GI Bill after the war, but it was in sales that he excelled the most. His natural charm and people skills made him a sought-after salesman, and led to a career at American Trailer, where he swiftly rose through the ranks to company President, before retiring to pursue his passion as a commercial pilot and flight instructor.
On the day he was to take his commercial flight instructor’s exam, he was again approached and recruited for his sales skills, this time to sell the new private jet aircraft that were becoming available to the public for the first time. Charlie jumped at the chance, and never looked back.
After a few years of experience, Charlie took off on his own, and founded American Aircraft Sales in 1968 to offer a higher standard to the nascent private jet industry. In an era long before the World Wide Web, he built a global network of leads and contacts that placed the business in a class of its own. He also raised his son, Jet, fully in the business, creating a legacy that continues on to this day.
Sadly, Charlie is no longer with us, but his spirit, his rich knowledge, and his passion for aviation will always live on in the superlative service of American Aircraft Sales.
