Modli was a professional pilot for over 30 years. He spent the first 20 years in the state-owned Jat Airways, piloting a Boeing 727, and then moved to a private airlines company Prince Aviation. On 15 July 2010, Modli survived a landing accident at Brač Airport in Bol, Croatia. He was piloting a Cessna Citation II, when the plane ran off the runway and caught fire. All the passengers survived without injuries, but Modli left his job.