- January 9, 2025
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Scott Ashton, 55, CEO of Aerox Aviation Oxygen Systems. The Bonita Springs company manufactures and installs oxygen systems for aviation applications, and Ashton has owned the business since April 2020.
Flying his own aircraft. Ashon has been flying since he was a teenager. “It’s the classic story,” he says. “We had a local airport in my hometown and my dad had started taking flying lessons. I went to the airport one Saturday morning and took an introductory flight lesson when I was 17, and that was it. I got my pilot’s license when I was in high school, and I’ve been flying ever since.”
At the controls: Ashton has now gotten to the ranks of multi-engine airline transport pilot (ATP), the highest level of pilot certification in the United States. Over the years, he’s flown gliders, helicopters, seaplanes and all kinds of airplanes.
Up and away: Ashton owns a single-engine Mooney 201 airplane he keeps at the Naples Airport. He uses it to fly around the Southeast and places like The Bahamas. He would like to travel even more in it. “I really want to fly to the Caribbean on a more regular basis,” he says. “I love the freedom to be able to hop in an airplane and go where you want to go when you want to go. From a productivity perspective it’s great; there’s nothing like it.”
Challenging himself: With a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering, it’s not surprising Ashton enjoys the technical side of being a pilot. “I like stuff involving equipment,” he says. “I’m a scuba diver; I sail. The things I like to do involve somewhat-complicated equipment, and I think the element of mastering that hardware is very satisfying.”
Focus point: There are few things, he says, like flying that can force you to stay present. “Part of what makes flying so appealing is that when you cross the airport gate, come up to the hangar and start thinking about the airplane and the flight you’re about to take, it takes a lot of focus and concentration,” says Ashton. “That means that by default, everything else going on in your life moves off to the side and you really focus on the moment. There are few things where you’re that focused on something that it really crowds out the other stress and other things going on in life.”
Constant improvement: When you’re a pilot, you’re also never fully done learning. “One thing I love about flying is you can do it really well, but you always have something new you can learn to do better,” says Ashton. “I like that aspect of always chasing a better version of yourself as a pilot.”
Giving back: Ashton serves as a volunteer pilot for PALS SkyHope, which offers free medical flights for patients and veterans. He’s also vice chairman of the nonprofit’s board. “We’re all very passionate aviators who have been given the gift to be able to both afford an airplane and have the skill set to be able to do it,” he says. “It’s a way of using what we have to give back to the greater society. It’s very satisfying to be able to provide a little bit of comfort in people’s lives when they’re going through such difficult hard times.”
It's a lifestyle: Work and play revolve around aviation for Ashton. “My friends by and large are all aviation people,” he says. “My friends are my customers, and my customers are friends. Aviation is both a vocation and an avocation, and that makes it kind of special.”
Out of the plane: When it comes to downtime, sailing is another pursuit Ashton might turn to instead of flying. “I sail as much as I can but not enough,” he says. “But even sailing is a nautical equivalent of flying. You’re using aerodynamics and a lot of the same principles, and it’s very equipment-centric. You’re always striving to do a little better every time you go out, and it has a lot of the same elements as aviation, which I think is why pilots are drawn to sailing.”
Share the skies: Ashton is also a flight instructor, and he advises anyone interested in learning to fly to go to their local airport. “It seems very intimidating to go into an airport office and ask someone about learning how to fly,” he says. “But once you get in there, everyone wants aviation to succeed and is very passionate about it. There’s always somebody locally willing to talk to you about it, give you some tips and point you in the right direction.”
