Our Core Team
We are grateful to have an extensive international network of current and former aviation leaders and specialized subject matter experts available for advisement or to join a project based on the client’s needs.
Michael Benton, MBA, MAS
President & CEO
Spending 15 years in the US Army and the last 16+ years in civilian aviation, Michael is uniquely qualified to lead and advise clients on all aspects of safe aviation operations.
Michael began his military service in the Army in 1993, as a Korean linguist and interrogator before becoming an OH-58D helicopter instructor pilot flying Peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Combat operations in Iraq. He was a member of the Directorate of Evaluation & Standardization (DES) representing the Army Aviation Commanding General (DES is likened to the FAA of Army Aviation). After 15 years and achieving the rank of CW3, Michael closed out his honorable military service and branched out to the civilian aviation space.
He started by flying emergency medical services in Colorado and quickly moved into leadership roles such as Aviation Training Manager and Director of Aviation Compliance. He was responsible for the efficient operation of the Operations Control Center with over 400 helicopters and airplanes across the US and Haiti. He was also a lead investigator and party member in five major NTSB helicopter accident investigations.
In 2015, he founded VyClimb Consulting and has worked with HEMS, Offshore, and SAR operators in the UK, Australia, Brunei, China, Haiti, Ghana, Canada, Mexico, and the USA teaching and advising on safety and operational excellence. Access to this quantity and breadth of operators has grown Michael’s expertise and provided him with a first-hand view of best practices.
In addition to speaking at various industry events, Michael serves in the following roles:
CAMTS: Board Member
CAMTS: Member, Aviation & Safety Advisory Committee
ASTNA: Member, Safety Committee
VAI: Member & Former Chair, Flight Ops Working Group
Linda Benton, MBA, CMA, CSCA
Vice President
As a high-performing finance professional in the aviation industry, Linda made the move in 2020, to join Michael at VyClimb.
Linda began her career in 2007, at a manufacturing company in Colorado. She was intrigued by the operational processes and the financial impacts on the company’s top and bottom lines. This curiosity and passion drove her to study for and pass the rigorous CMA exam, all the while seeking opportunities for growth.
In 2012, she moved into the aviation industry working for Air Methods. Here she was introduced to United Rotorcraft, the division that designed, manufactured, and installed medical, fire, and multi-mission interiors for helicopter operators. Linda’s passion for manufacturing, process, and finance was given the opportunity to grow as she helped the team more than triple revenue and EBITDA during her tenure. She is an expert at understanding the impacts of processes through the interwoven threads of operational finance and various business systems and then making sense of the data, the impact on the financial statements, and the ability to achieve company strategy.