If you own a fractional aircraft or are looking into fractional ownership, you'll probably come across references to FAR 91 Subpart K. These are the federal regulations that cover fractions. Here's an overview of the regulations to bring you up to speed with the most important aspects for fractional aircraft owners.
Many pet lovers choose to travel with their pets, and private aircraft, for a variety of reasons, are a better option for safe and comfortable pet travel. On a private jet, all pets, not just those small enough to fit under the seat, can travel in the main cabin, and they may also be able walk around unrestrained when the plane is at a comfortable cruising altitude.
Brazilian manufacturer Embraer introduced the Phenom 300 in 2009. Sales have grown each year, with a total of 117 aircraft delivered through the end of 2012. Overall Embraer has built a reputation for excellent performance and low operational costs. This article looks through the various costs of ownership.
The independent ARGUS rating system looks at an aircraft operators actual safety history, and produces a grade for that operator. If you're a potential customer of a jet charter company or fractional operator it's well worth asking about their ARGUS rating.
Whether you fly for business or leisure purposes, you can choose either private jets or commercial airlines to get from point A to point B. With many smart executives looking at private jet charters as the most comfortable and reliable form of transportation, here is a look at the pros and cons of commercial flights vs. chartering a private jet.
Supplemental Lift provides aircraft owners access to substitute aircraft when their own aircraft is not available. It can fill the gap if an aircraft is undergoing maintenance, or when a need arises for a simultaneous trip, or for flights that may originate or terminate outside a normal range or operating area.
One of the common questions when it comes to air travel is, "How much can I bring?" Whether traveling on a commercial airline or via private jet, there is always a limit to the amount of space and the weight. With many people wanting to bring some of their toys along with them, such as golf clubs or skis, space can be a big concern.
This is a question that we hear quite a bit, as we talk to people who are looking at private jets and other private aircraft. So this article walks you through the different factors and provides some pricing indications. At the bottom of the page is a pricing tool to give you a quote on a custom flight.
So, you've met with the salesperson, been dazzled by the fancy brochures and decided that you're in—you're going to buy a fractional jet share. What's next?
Charter aviation companies and charter brokers can easily provide a quote for your business trip or vacation - usually right from their website as most have online forms. To get a quote started for a private jet, they'll need to know how many people are flying, departure time and date, and your return plans. But there's more to calculating a quote than filling in an online form and if you're not careful, you could end up with a post-flight invoice full of unexpected charges.
Much like a travel agent, an air charter broker matches your travel needs to the best available private jet operator at the best price. Whether it's a business trip for your senior staff or the need to fly a large group to an event, brokers have access to the fleets of multiple air charter operators. Many brokers also extend their services to ground and in-flight amenities. Do you need Wi-Fi? Would you like a five-course meal onboard or will a light snack do? How about ground transportation and a hotel room? Brokers can take care of all the details.
There are more than 2,500 air charter operators flying in and out of thousands of airports in the US and thousands more around the world. It's likely, there are a few operating at a regional airport near you, ready to provide on-demand private air travel for business and pleasure trips. But how do you know if the charter operator uses an experienced crew or if it will be able to accommodate last-minute itinerary changes?
The price of chartering a private jet varies depending on a number of factors. These include how far you're travelling, how many people are travelling and your dates and time, since the market demand affects the price. Use the free price quote tool below to get an idea of the costs.
There are many companies that offer jet card programs, but like any investment, you need to do your due diligence before signing on. The types of companies that offer cards fall into three broad categories. The large fractional and closed fleet operators all have jet card programs, other large fleet managers and operators also offer cards (or sometimes they are called "access" or "membership" programs), and thirdly a lot of charter brokers also offer jet cards.
If emerging trends in the aviation industry are anything to go by, then the private flying sector will witness a growth in the next twenty years that is 10 times any the industry has observed in the last 50 years. Very light jets (VLJs) are raring to go and will have an impact on all aspects of private flying from full ownership, to fractional jets, charter, jet cards and the nascent air-taxi business. The rollout is already underway with the delivery of the first very light jet into a fractional program at Jet-Alliance.
Making a cost effective and educated choice is all important when traveling by private aircraft. The right choice, based on your needs including your typical travel patterns and budget, takes a little research to fully understand the options. We'll cover each of the private flying options in outline form here, with links to more information.
A closed fleet or fractional jet card is a popular method of experiencing the benefits of private aviation. You get to fly on some of the latest, well maintained, consistent aircraft, without having to commit to the large investment or length of time that fractional ownership or whole aircraft ownership requires. Jet cards give members access to prepaid blocks of flying time hours, with 25 hours being by far the most common size.
Several companies offer "open fleet" or jet charter cards. These companies may either have their own aircraft fleets that they manage and/or may charter aircraft on the open market to meet the flying needs of their members. An "open fleet" jet card provider usually does not own any aircraft. They use aircraft from other charter operators, and/or from aircraft in a fleet that they may manage but do not own. Hence the "open fleet", it's potentially open to any available aircraft.
Private aircraft charter has been around for a long time. It lets you make use of a plane for one journey without any other long term commitment. There are thousands of aircraft available for charter, covering all sizes of planes from pistons and single engine turboprops to large executive jets. There are also a large number of air charter operators and brokers, who each provide their own level of service.
There are many reasons to use private jets. The main general reasons that we hear most often are listed below. The specific pros and cons of the different forms of private aircraft travel are discussed in our articles on each travel type.