Conquistadores del Cielo (Spanish for "Conquerors of the Sky") is a secretive club of high-level airline and aerospace industry executives.
[4] During these early years, the Conquistadores would go horseback riding, shooting, and hunting, although their recreational activities expanded over time.
The Conquistadores were first named in a major media publication in 2010 as airline executives who were attending a Reuters Aerospace and Defense Summit were leaving to go to Wyoming.
[9] The accounts of Thomas Petzinger, Jr. in his book Hard Landing,[10] recounts his time at the A-Bar-A Ranch and claims that the members "would turn out in cowboy hats and boots – Stephen Wolf in an elegant knitted sweater, perhaps, and Bob Crandall in a leather vest and bolo tie.
They would feast on prime rib, buffalo burgers, trout pate, and bacon smoked on Applewood.”
According to one of the Conquistadores Del Cielo Papers at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, one of the largest events during the retreats is the initiation ceremony.
[6] Stephen Wolf, Robert Crandall, Harding L. Lawrence (CEO of Braniff International Airways), David Barger, and Gary Kelly have been members.
2017 members also include Daniel Crowley (CEO of Triumph Group), Cindy Egnotovich (formerly of UTC Aerospace, now Collins Aerospace), Paul Funchino (partner at AE Industrial Partners), August Henningsen (formerly CEO of Lufthansa Technik), and David Melcher.
[14] Although the number one rule within the Conquistadores del Cielo is to "Leave Your Swords at the Door",[15] there have been known instances where the members of the group have either participated in or spoken of incidents of insider trading.
07-4464 was brought before the United States Court of Appeals, alleging "a conspiracy to eliminate the practice of paying base commissions by various airlines, district court's dismissal of the amended complaint is affirmed, as the plaintiffs' claims against United Airlines were discharged in bankruptcy and the claims against the remaining defendants failed to allege sufficient facts to plausibly suggest a prior illegal agreement.