InnoVets Aerospace Corporate Staff

Combined, co-founders Chris Yakabe and Mike Whitted have 53 years of aviation experience including over 20,000 hours of pilot-in-command and instructional hours on 23 types of military/civilian light and heavy aircraft ranging from the Schweitzer 2-33 glider and Cessna 152, to the KC-10 Tanker and Boeing 747-400 Jumbo-jet.

The owners have also worked in the field of Federal Government Contracting for over ten years. They served in leadership roles at the United States Air Force Academy Center of Innovation, specializing in the coordination of large-scale research contracts for the purpose of integrating commercial sector IT initiatives with Homeland Security Exercises; as well as overseeing the CRADA Application Process. Throughout multiple corporate entities, they have managed operations for government services contracts totaling over $23 million annually.

Services provided includeAirfield Management, Aircrew Life Support, Transient Aircraft Maintenance, Fuel Supply, Vehicle Operations & Maintenance, Warehousing, Supply, Transportation, Mail Services, Material Handling, and Range Support.

Chris Yakabe
Chris YakabePresident
Chris Yakabe is the President of InnoVets, LLC. Chris has over 16,500 flight hours spanning 40 years of military and civilian flying. Chris has flown over 35 different types of aircraft including everything from small, unpowered gliders and Cessna trainers to the Boeing 747-400. He is a distinguished graduate of the Naval Postgraduate Aviation Safety Officer School, graduate of the Air Force Safety Officer Program, and former Chief of Wildlife Management for the Air Force, which included management of the Bird Strike Hazard program for Air Force operations world-wide. He is a former military instructor pilot and flight examiner. He is currently a FAA certified civilian multi-engine/instrument instructor, and holds a FAA Part 107 sUAS certificate. He is a U.S. Coast Guard Academy Graduate, served as a Calculus II Instructor at the United States Air Force Academy, and holds a Master’s Degree in Flight Operations from Embry-Riddle University (he currently serves on the editorial review board of the university’s aeronautical research journal). Chris is a former NASA contract researcher and a NASA airline operations SME. He has flown all of NASA’s full-motion simulators including their contract centrifuge. He is also a founding member of the NASA/FAA unmanned traffic management (UTM) public/private teaming effort.
Mike Whitted
Mike WhittedChief Executive Office
Mike Whitted is InnoVets, LLC Chief Executive Officer. In addition to managing the operations of InnoVets Grand Sky facility, Mike has over 20 years of experience as a USAF pilot-in-command and instructor/evaluator pilot in multiple categories of military and civilian aircraft. This includes over 3,000 flight hours in aircraft ranging from KC-10 heavy air-tankers to light aerobatic gliders. Mike has an extensive background in aviation management to include a position as the United States Air Force Academy Operations Supervisor and Soaring Control Officer. He is a former Air Force Flight Safety School Graduate, and squadron flight safety officer. He also has a decades-long background managing US Government and DOD aviation services contracts worldwide. Mike is a Graduate of the United States Air Force Academy.