About SO Aero
Built on generations of aviation heritage and deep global relationships — we bring multidisciplinary advisory that sees the full picture.
Who We Are
SO Aero was founded on a simple but rare idea — that the best aviation advisory comes from people who have lived the industry across generations, disciplines, and borders.
Our founding partners bring together decades of experience spanning commercial aviation, business aviation, general aviation, aircraft finance, technical management, and airport development. We are next-generation leaders shaped by families who built careers in aviation before us, and seasoned professionals who have operated at the highest levels of the global industry.
"We named our firm SO Aero for a reason. Because when our clients come to us with a vision, a challenge, or an ambition — our job is simple. We make it SO."
We founded SO Aero because we saw a gap — sophisticated clients who needed genuinely multidisciplinary advisory, delivered with the depth of specialists and the personal attention of a boutique firm. Not generalists. Not narrow specialists. Something better than both.
The name SO Aero honors the entrepreneurial legacy of the families who came before us — including the heritage of SO Tech and the aviation tradition of the Rock-Arnarson family — while committing to the future of an industry we love.
Our Team
Three founding partners. Generations of aviation heritage.
Deep networks across every sector of the global industry.
Click a card to learn more.
4th generation aviation professional with 5+ years in business development, procurement, sustainability, and airport advisory. Roles at Honda Aircraft Company, Jackson Square Aviation (Capital Markets), and SMBC Aviation Capital. Led $2M in air service development, SAF programs, and procurement initiatives. MSAF candidate at ERAU. NBAA YoPro member and BACE panel speaker. Board member, Aviation Influence.
3rd generation aviation professional and grandson of Michael Herman of North American Communications. BS in Aeronautics from ERAU with minors in Finance, Business Administration, and Aeronautical Studies. MSAF candidate (3.86 GPA). Fractional aviation experience through Flexjet. Licensed instrument-rated pilot. Active in AAAE, Business Aviation Student Association, and Entrepreneurship Ventures Club at ERAU.
22+ years in aviation spanning airlines, airports, general aviation, and aircraft trading. Former Chairman of the Board at Colorful Yunnan General Aviation and Director at Yunnan Airport Group and Kunming International Airport. Led the Ruili Airlines M&A project. Aircraft trading at Gari Capital Group. ISTAT member. Education includes ENAC (France), Cranfield, MIT Sloan China Lab, RWTH Aachen, and Yunnan University MBA. MSAF candidate at ERAU.
How We Work
Aviation runs on trust built over time. Every engagement starts with understanding your business deeply — not just the transaction in front of us. We invest in long-term partnerships, not one-off assignments.
Our founding team spans commercial aviation, business aviation, technical management, finance, and sustainability. We bring the full picture to every engagement — not a single-discipline view that misses context.
SO Aero maintains no joint ventures, affiliations, or principal positions in transactions. Our advice is always objective and in the interest of our clients alone. When we say we make it SO — we mean it.
Careers
SO Aero works with a bench of talented aviation finance professionals engaged on a project basis. We look for MSAF graduates and candidates who bring analytical rigor, aviation knowledge, and a genuine passion for the industry.
Working with SO Aero means real client engagements, meaningful work, and direct mentorship from founding partners with deep industry networks.
We are also always open to conversations with experienced aviation professionals who see a fit with our practice areas.