Jenny Ann Urban

Professional headshot of Jenny Ann Urban, founder of Flying Proper LLC.

From early experiences that sparked a lifelong connection to aviation to a career advising government leaders and aviation stakeholders around the world, Jenny Ann Urban has built a perspective shaped by engaging with people who work in many different roles throughout the industry. 

Her career as an accomplished global aviation executive has spanned the full arc of the industry, from leading industry-wide advocacy to directing regulatory affairs to managing organizational operations in complex, high-stakes environments. Known for composure and professionalism under pressure, she demonstrates the ability to collaborate effectively with stakeholders worldwide, bringing cultural acumen and an enthusiasm for working across diverse regions.

Before founding Flying Proper, Jenny Ann developed a multidisciplinary career shaped by senior roles within an aviation trade association, international consulting, legal practice with two Am Law 100 international firms, and leading compliance and emergency management for an organization with operations at airports across the country.  She has served on many industry working groups, including the U.S. Aerospace Supply Chain Resiliency Task Force, the Air Carrier Training Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ACT ARC), and the General Aviation Joint Safety Committee (GAJSC).  This unique career has allowed Jenny Ann to effectively bridge policy and business considerations to develop innovative solutions.

An established voice in aviation, Jenny Ann is a frequent speaker, author, and aviation commentator.  Over the years, her perspectives on aviation have been shared with audiences around the world, reflecting a career dedicated to advancing the issues that shape the industry.

What became clear throughout her career is that aviation organizations rarely struggle for lack of technical knowledge. What they often lack is an advisor who understands the regulatory environment, knows how decisions are made, can navigate stakeholder relationships, and bring the operational perspective necessary to move issues forward, which is why Flying Proper was founded.

Over the years, clients have jokingly referred to Jenny Ann as “the fixer.” Not because every challenge has an easy answer, but because she has developed a reputation for navigating complicated situations through preparation, discretion, and strong interpersonal skills.  That is the reputation Flying Proper was built on: the trusted advisor clients call when the work is difficult and the outcome matters.

Jenny Ann Urban as a child with her brother standing in front of a private aircraft, reflecting a lifelong connection to aviation.

"I've loved aviation since I was young, taking my first flight alone at just five years old.  There is nothing quite like an industry that hands people the whole world, opening the door to new cultures, new friendships, and places they might never have discovered otherwise.  Ensuring the aviation industry remains safe, secure, and worthy of the trust people place in it will always be the guiding priority of my career.”

— Jenny Ann Urban

Jenny Ann Urban standing outside a private jet at an aviation event in Tennessee.

    • LL.M. in Air and Space Law, University of Mississippi School of Law, magna cum laude

    • Juris Doctor (JD), University of Mississippi School of Law, cum laude

    • Master of Business Administration (MBA), University of Mississippi

    • Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy Leadership and Political Science (BA), University of Mississippi, cum laude

    • Safety Management System and Aviation Safety Program Management, U.S. Department of Transportation – Transportation Safety Institute, 2024

    • NATA Air Transport Safety Manager, International Society of Safety Professionals, 2024

    • Airport Security Coordinator Certification (ASC), American Association of Airport Executives, 2018

    • Remote Pilot – Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Federal Aviation Administration, 2017 (expired 2019)

    • "The Future of Travel - Can Aviation Laws Keep Up?", TEDx University of Mississippi

    • Master of Ceremonies, Air Charter Summit, NATA, Washington DC, 2025

    • Fireside Chat with Tim Adams, FAA Director, Office of Safety Standards, NATA Air Charter Summit, Washington DC, 2025

    • Understanding Fees Charged on International Arrivals, NATA Webinar, 2025

    • Enhancing Safety Across the Aviation Ecosystem, NASAO’s 94th Annual Convention & Trade Show, Anchorage, AK, 2025

    • The U.S. Aerospace Industries’ Achilles Heel: The Fragile Aviation Supply Chain, American Bar Association Forum on Air & Space Law, Philadelphia, PA, 2025

    • Is Your Repair Station Ready? Navigating the New SMS Requirements, NATA Webinar, 2025

    • Communications Across Business Aviation Sectors, Flight Safety Foundation Business Aviation Safety Summit, Charlotte, NC, 2025

    • Navigating New Tariffs: What Business Aviation Needs to Know Now, NATA Webinar, 2025.

    • FAA General and Business Aviation Call to Action, Federal Aviation Administration, Washington, DC, 2025

    • Master of Ceremonies, 135 SMS Roundup, NATA, Dallas, TX 2025

    • SMS: A Condition-Based Approach, U.S. Department of Transportation, Transportation Safety Institute’s Inspire Series, 2024

    • Master of Ceremonies, Business Aviation Roundtable, NATA/SEASRT, Charlotte, NC 2024

    • Regulatory Intel for Certification Success, NATA Webinar, 2024

    • Master of Ceremonies, Air Charter Summit, NATA, Oklahoma City, OK, 2024

    • Compounding Effects of Industry & Agency Workforce Woes, Air Charter Summit, NATA, Oklahoma City, OK, 2024

    • Pathways to Improvising Intra-Regional Air Transport Connectivity in the Caribbean, UN Trade and Development Global Supply Chain Forum, Bridgetown, Barbados, 2024

    • A Condition-Based Approach to Safety Management Systems, American Airlines SMS Industry Forum, Dallas, TX, 2024

    • Update on Airport Liability, Emerging Aviation Insurance Issues, and Major Aviation Litigation, International Bar Association Annual Conference, Paris, France, 2023

    • The Future of Mobility, International Bar Association Annual Conference, Paris, France, 2023

    • Policy and Legal Issues Raised by Advanced Air Mobility, New York City Bar Association Future of Air and Space Law Conference, New York, NY, 2023

    • Everyday Negotiations, International Aviation Women’s Association, Virtual, Sept. 29, 2023

    • Hot Topics in Aviation, New York City Bar Association and International Bar Association Aviation Committee, New York, NY, 2022

    • Emerging Technologies in Aviation, American Association of Airport Executives, NextGen Leaders Conference, Virtual, 2021

    • Hot Topics in Aviation Regulatory Matters, International Bar Association Annual Conference, Seoul, South Korea, 2019

    • Getting to the Bottom Line – Corporations Panel, End Human Trafficking ATL Summit 2019, Atlanta, GA, March 11, 2019

    • Over the Horizon: The Future of Seamless Travel, ConnectID, Washington, DC, 2019

    • The Changing Landscape of Airport and Aviation Security in the 21st Century, KCBA 45th Annual Pacific Northwest Aviation Law & Insurance Conference, Union, Washington, 2018

    • Development and Operation of Airports in the 21st Century, International Bar Association Annual Conference, Rome, Italy, 2018

    • Drones – Trends and Applications for the Transportation Industry, Mississippi Transportation Institute, Pearl, MS, 2018

    • Drone Regulations: Flying Within the Law, Graham Company Workshop, Philadelphia, PA, 2018

    • Drone Policy, Trends, and Opportunities, DVIRC Manufacturing Summit, Drexel Hill, PA, 2017

    • The Changing Landscape of Port Security in 2017, Mississippi Water Resources Association Educational Conference, Natchez, MS, 2017

    • Associate Editor, Aviation Business Journal, 2024 – 2026

    • Co-Author, Cozen O’Connor Monthly Update on DOT, FAA, and Other Federal Agencies’ Aviation-Related Regulatory Actions, 2016 – 2018

    • Co-Author, Cozen O’Connor Monthly Drone Report, 2017 – 2018

    • What Is the Eye in the Sky Actually Looking at and Who is Controlling It? An International Comparative Analysis on How to fill the Cybersecurity and Privacy Gaps to Strengthen Existing U.S. Drone Laws, Federal Communications Law Journal, 2018

    • Recent State and Federal Developments in the Oversight of Drones, New York City Bar Committee on Aeronautics Newsletter, 2018

    • Not Your Granddaddy’s Aviation Industry: The Need to Implement Cybersecurity Standards and Best Practices within the International Aviation Industry, Albany Law Journal of Science & Technology, 2017

    • An Update on Judicial and Legislative Drone Actions in the United States, ABA Section of International Law International Transportation Committee Newsletter, 2017.

    • US Regulation of Commercial Uses of Drones, Expert Guides, 2017

    • Drones: The Sky is No Longer the Limit for Water/Sewer Systems, Pennsylvania AWWA’s The Water News Source, 2017

    • International Civil Aviation Organization Initiatives versus Industry Initiatives: A Look at How Commercially Motivated Transactions Increase Aviation Safety, Journal of Air Law and Commerce, 2016

    • The Protocol to Amend the Convention on Offenses and Certain Acts Committed on Board Aircraft: A Missed Opportunity or A Sufficient Modernization, Indiana Law Review, 2016

    • Islamic Financing – A Successful Takeoff or a Crash Landing? Whether or Not Islamic Financing Should Be Used to Finance and Lease Aircraft, Journal of Business, Entrepreneurship, & the Law, 2016

    • Has GPS Made the Adequate Enforcement of Privacy Laws in the United States a Luxury of the Past?, Wake Forest Journal of Business and Intellectual Property Law, 2016

    • Soft Law: The Key to Security in a Globalized Outer Space, Transportation Law Journal, 2016

    • Board Member, Tennessee Business Aviation Association (TnBAA)

    • Board Member, Freedom Aviation Network

    • Emerging Leaders Board Member, Nashville Wine Auction

    • Membership Committee, International Aerospace Womens Association

    • Alumni Board Member, Ole Miss MBA

    • Member, The Wings Club

    • Life Member, University of Mississippi Alumni Association