After nearly a decade in his previous role Keith Hight had no plans for a major career transition. He accomplished many goals, built a career he was proud of, and figured that when he eventually left it would be for retirement.

“I don’t want to work for anybody else. I’m happy here,” he remembers thinking when referring to Textron Aviation. “I love this department. I’ve got a lot invested. I love these people. I’m not interested in doing anything different.”

Keith had previously worked for Cessna and rejoined the company in 2014 when the ProOwnership program was starting. He was one of the first four pilots to launch the program in 2015 and became Chief Pilot about ten months in, leading a team of about ten pilots spread across the country.

Together, they helped customers transition into aircraft ownership, mentored new pilots, and managed aircraft. Their work was recognized in 2019 with a Textron’s Chairman’s Award for Innovation.

Keith was content but change found him anyway. One day, his longtime friend and colleague Brandy asked him to stay on the call after a Teams meeting ended. 

“I really trust Brandy. She was a lot of the reason that I decided to come to Textron Aviation, because I knew that we thought a lot alike, and I thought that we would be a good team,” Keith said.

And on this day Brandy had news for Keith.

“This is going to hit you out of left field, but they’re about to need a new Chief Pilot and Senior Manager for the flight department over at Bell,” Brandy said to Keith.

At first, he brushed it off. “I was like, ‘Okay, well, good. I wish them luck. Hopefully, they find somebody.’”

But Brandy wouldn’t let it drop. She reminded him how hard he’d been running. “For the past 10 years, I had averaged about 215 nights a year on the road away from home,” Keith says. “Just a road warrior all the time, airlining all the time to wherever the aircraft was I was supporting.”

Brandy’s concern made him stop and think.

Eventually, Keith agreed to reach out to Tom Currie, VP Flight Operations at Bell. A few weeks later, Tom texted Keith to let him know the job had officially been posted. Keith applied, telling Brandy he’d at least go through the process.

It was during that process that Keith realized just how much he was ready for something new. 

“During the seasons of life, change is inevitable,” he says. “And if you’re afraid to do something, it will just stagnate you from realizing what it is you can do. You can do whatever you put your mind to, as long as you get organized and have the drive to go and do it.”

In May 2025, Keith moved to Bell. Instead of flying Cessna customers, Keith now leads a team responsible for transporting two CEOs, executive leadership teams, and other internal groups between Textron’s business units.

“There’s no typical day,” he says. “I’m scheduling flights, coordinating crews, working with my two mechanics, keeping up with aircraft inspections, handling squawks, and managing the financial and logistical parts. It’s different all the time.”

The best part about this new role is the chance to work more closely with his team and have in-person learning experiences.

“One of the things that really excited me about making this transition is that I get to do that again,” he says. “Like this morning, I was talking with two maintenance guys about how we track certain things. I told them, however we do it, I just want it to be effective, efficient, and the best use of your time.”

He takes pride in giving his team ownership and space to grow. Although he may have plenty of his own ideas, he wants his team to grow through the process.

“It always starts with my team,” he says. “Because if they’re happy and successful, the rest of it is going to be great.”

And in the middle of all the recent changes, Keith is still excited for some new challenges.

“One goal I have now is I think I might want to learn how to fly a helicopter,” he says. “When I was visiting with Tom Currie on the interview day, I asked him. And he said, ‘Absolutely. If you want to learn, we’ll teach you how to fly a helicopter.”​

Looking back, Keith knows he made the right call.

“If you’d told me a few years ago that I’d be working at Bell, I’d have said no way,” he said. “But sometimes a door opens when you’re not expecting it. And if you’re willing to step through, you might find there’s a whole lot more you’re capable of than you thought.​