Flexjet is offering voluntary separation agreements to its pilots as the company begins to phase out certain aircraft models and shift others from fractional ownership into charter. The company further is requesting approval to make a similar offer to pilots at affiliate operation Flight Options.

In a March 31 letter to pilots, Jason Weiss, Flexjet executive v-p of operations, outlined plans to retire the Learjet 40XR and Challenger 604/605 fleets and move the Nextant 400XT and Citation X out of the fractional business model into on-demand. “Our companies have seen a significant shift in the fractional marketplace over the past year and a half,” Flexjet said in a statement to Aviation International News. “While customer demand has historically been high in the light- and midsize-cabin segments, much of it has since shifted to on-demand flying.” At the same time, the growth in the fractional programs has trended toward larger, longer-range aircraft. The company has not determined the actual number of pilots that will be needed once the fleet adjustments are made, but acknowledges fewer pilots will be required for fractional operations. It has begun by offering voluntary separation agreements that range from six months to a year of salary and other benefits. Flexjet believes the program will take effect over then next 12 to 18 months.

Full news article at AIN here

Source:  AIN

JetSuiteX to try 'private jet experience' on scheduled flights

Ben Mutzabaugh, USA TODAY  April 5, 2016 There will soon be a new option for some fliers looking to book flights in the West. JetSuite, a California-based private jet charter company, will try its hand at scheduled passenger service on select western routes. JetSuite, which began flying in 2009, will debut a public charter service that sells seats on scheduled flights under the brand "JetSuiteX." The company promises passengers buying tickets on those flights will get a “private jet experience.” Flights begin April 19, with fares starting at $109 and maxing out at about $300 each way for departures from private-jet terminals. Customers can even earn points thanks to a frequent-flier partnership with JetBlue. JetSuiteX passengers can earn 250 TrueBlue points per segment on regular fares and 150 points for sale fares. JetSuite CEO Alex Wilcox, who was on the executive team that helped successfully launch JetBlue in 2000, is bullish on the prospects for the new JetSuiteX service. Wilcox says fares have been increasing on short-haul flights. Wilcox says that -- coupled with increasing security headaches at major commercial airports -- has created a sweet-spot in the market where JetSuiteX hopes to lure well-heeled, time-sensitive fliers looking for something between low-fare “cattle car” domestic flights and more expensive private jet options. "That’s created a space for this kind of product where we can charge a little bit more, but provide a lot more – especially in terms of time savings," Wilcox says to Today in the Sky, pointing to the advantage of flying from private jet terminals. There are security procedures for passengers flying from private jet terminals, Wicox says. But he adds "there’s no TSA line. People can show up 15 or 20 minutes before their flight." JetSuiteX’s inaugural route will operate within California, connecting Burbank’s Bob Hope Airport to Concord’s Buchanan Field, located about 30 miles east of downtown San Francisco. JetSuiteX says its initial schedule of up to two daily round-trip flights will give Concord its first scheduled passenger service since the early 1990s, when USAir discontinued the Concord service it inherited via its merger with Pacific Southwest Airlines. The next JetSuiteX route will begin April 22, with weekend-only service between Concord and Las Vegas. On June 30 JetSuiteX begins flying its third announced route, offering up four flights a week between Mineta San Jose International Airport and Bozeman, Mont.

JetSuite and it's full charter fleet are available in FlightList PRO, in both the Operator and Floating Fleets sections.

While JetSuite’s private-jet charters have so far been flown on smaller 4- and 6-seat aircraft, its JetSuiteX "public charter" service will be on newly acquired Embraer E135 regional jets. The company has 10 on order, all of which previously flew for American’s American Eagle affiliate before being returned to Brazilian jetmaker Embraer. But Wilcox says customers won’t mistake JetSuiteX's E135s for a planes flying typical domestic airline feeder flights. JetSuiteX has completely revamped the interior of the aircraft, configuring them with 30 seats. All have at least 36 inches of “seat pitch,” a standard industry measure of personal space. That, says JetSuiteX, is comparable to business class service on domestic carriers. Overhead bins have been removed to create a more spacious feel to the cabin. The cabin interior is also wrapped in a leather finish. "There’s no plastic in the cabin anymore," Wilcox says. "It’s all leather sidewalls like a private jet would have." Also onboard will be free in-flight Wi-Fi and in-flight entertainment that fliers can stream on their personal devices. JetSuiteX says new destinations will come online as more of its specially configured E135s are delivered. San Diego, Phoenix and Santa Barbara, Calif., are among cities JetSuiteX has singled out as possible expansion destinations. The company expects to have all 10 of its E135s flying by "mid 2017." The aircraft also will be available for private charter services, selling for about $8,000 per hour for the 30-seat jet. USA Today article here Source: USA Today

ARGUS International, Inc. (ARGUS) is pleased to announce a new software integration with the online charter marketplace, SimpleCharters.com. ARGUS is now the exclusive operator ratings provider for the SimpleCharters.com online Charter Marketplace. This integration allows SimpleCharters.com users to filter their searches to obtain ARGUS rated charter operators, and verify these operators’ legitimacy through a click-to-verify system. “ARGUS wants to make sure that today’s web-based consumers have the ability to perform high level due-diligence while checking availability and price”, said ARGUS President and CEO, Joe Moeggenberg. “The internet’s ability to connect charter brokers, end consumers and suppliers in an efficient manner has become very important to the overall charter marketplace. ARGUS performs its own research on every website that seeks an integration with our ratings, and we were extremely impressed with how quickly and efficiently SimpleCharters.com allows users to perform their searches and book their trips. “I couldn’t be more excited to introduce the only online platform that enables clients to book private flights, instantly,” said Charles Denault, Founder and CEO of SimpleCharters.com. “Integrating the ARGUS ratings into our platform was a high priority for us, as many of our customers only fly with ARGUS rated charter operators. We are thrilled to announce the completion of this integration and are very much looking forward to helping the charter marketplace evolve with quicker and easier transactions.” Source:  ARGUS Press Release

Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company based at Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, NJ, is pleased to announce the addition of a Gulfstream GIV-SP (N999AA) to its growing charter fleet of private business jets. This long range aircraft was completed in 1996 and the interior was completely upgraded and refurbished in 2009. It seats up to thirteen passengers, and has the capacity to sleep up to seven for long haul trips. It is based at Teterboro Airport, and is immediately available for charter (Certificate IMJA053F).

Meridian's full fleet of 22 charter aircraft are  available ONLY in FlightList PRO.

This GIV-SP comes fully-equipped with all of the features and amenities expected from today’s discerning business traveler: leather club seating, a full galley with microwave and convection ovens, coffee maker, private lavatory with sink, and a separate lavatory for crew members. The aircraft also features the latest technology, including complimentary domestic Wifi, an inflight satellite phone system, large bulkhead monitors with Airshow® moving maps, individual viewing monitors, and a multimedia entertainment center that features Blu-Ray and CD players.

Dennis O’Connell, President of Meridian Air Charter, says, “We are very excited to be adding another long range aircraft to our charter fleet. Our fleet has been growing rapidly, especially in 2016. This Gulfstream GIV-SP will be the twenty-second charter aircraft on our certificate, and the third one added this year. We think that our clients will be impressed with the impeccably redesigned cabin which offers comfort and convenience to both business and leisure travelers. Another big advantage is that the aircraft does not require owner approval before booking, allowing for an expedited flight approval process.” Meridian currently manages a wide range of aircraft types that are available for private charter: Global 5000, Gulfstream G550, Gulfstream GIV-SP, Falcon 7X, Falcon 900EX EASy, Falcon 2000EX EASy, Falcon 2000, Challenger 605, Challenger 604, Challenger 601, Gulfstream G200, Hawker 900XP, Hawker 800XP, Citation XLS, and Citation VII. Source;  Robb Report - See more at: http://robbreport.com/LuxuryNewswire/aviation/meridian-adds-its-fleet-private-business-jet#sthash.Ev0ieW2c.dpuf

Los Angeles based Avjet Corporation announced that it is selling its aircraft management and charter services to Jet Aviation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, which was founded in Switzerland in 1967 and is one of the leading business aviation services companies in the world. "I am very excited by the closing of this transaction as I believe that I have left the Company, its employees, and its clients in excellent hands," said Marc Foulkrod, the CEO of Avjet Corporation.

Avjet's and Jet Aviation's full fleet of 52 charter aircraft across the U.S. and worldwide are  available ONLY in FlightList PRO.

"Avjet's 37-years of experience in aircraft management and charter services and an impressive fleet of 45 aircraft makes it the perfect complement to Jet Aviation's operations," said Senior Vice President and General Manager of Jet Aviation's U.S. Aircraft Services David Paddock. "This acquisition will also provide excellent benefits for Avjet's management and charter customers by providing access to Jet Aviation's global network of service facilities." More importantly, Avjet's current Chairman and CEO Marc Foulkrod will continue to own and operate the Avjet sales and brokerage division in partnership with Mr. Andrew Bradley, under the name "Avjet Global." "This acquisition meets our plan to continue to expand our global sales, acquisition, and brokerage services while allowing Jet Aviation to continue Avjet's tradition of excellence in aircraft management and charter services," said Foulkrod. The closing of the acquisition is subject to certain governmental approvals, including relevant airport authorities. The value of the transaction has not been disclosed. Source:  Avjet Corporation Press Release

U.S., European and Asian based charter operator VistaJet experienced a more than 21-percent increase in global flight traffic and passenger growth of more than 23 percent in 2015, which the company said was its strongest year to-date. The company’s fastest-growing market was the U.S., with flights to the U.S. up 135 percent and within the U.S. up 165 percent. The VistaJet fleet, which is entirely owned by VistaJet, will reach 60 Bombardier Challenger and Global jets by March 10.

VistaJet operates 5 Global 5000's and 3 Challenger 350's based across the U.S. available ONLY in FlightList PRO.

Last year, VistaJet began service within China in partnership with Apex Air, which operates a Challenger 850 for VistaJet charters. Flights to China climbed 25 percent year-over-year; flights to Asia were up 62 percent and the number of passengers climbed 57 percent. In Africa, VistaJet saw growth of flight traffic of 15 percent; the number for the Middle East was 58 percent. Europe also saw growth, with the number of flights up 13 percent and passengers traveling into Europe up 17 percent. According to chairman and founder Thomas Flohr, “2015 was a record year for VistaJet. We welcomed more passengers onto our jets than ever before. VistaJet is still increasing its geographic reach in the U.S. and China, and we are taking market share from our main competitors in all of our core markets.” Source:  AIN News

If you’ve ever spotted a private jet in flight or on the tarmac, you’ve probably wondered which celebrity it belonged to. The fact is that many jets are chartered, not privately owned by a fat cat or pop star, and they’re mostly used for business, not lavish vacations. It’s a world shrouded in mystery, so here are five myths about private jets.

- By Everett Potter, Special for USA TODAY 3/7/16 -

1. You need to be as rich as Donald Trump to fly in a private jet. “Yes, it helps if you want to own a Boeing 757 in executive configuration like his, but that is not a reality for 99.9% of the population,” says Mark H. Lefever, president and chief operating officer of Avjet, a broker and adviser. The answer is “no” if you want to charter. A round-trip flight in a private jet can cost as little at $6,000, says Kevin O’Leary, president of Jet Advisors, which offers advice on private aviation options. “The typical charter costs for a light jet are $3,000 per hour with a two-hour per day minimum,” O’Leary says.  “This would allow a passenger to fly from New York to Washington, D.C., and back in the same day for about $6,000. A round-trip flight between New York City and Naples, Fla., would likely cost around $30,000.  So if you fill the seven seats typically found in a light jet, that is $4,300 per person. These prices are still higher than the first-class airline tickets but you don’t need to be ‘the Donald’ to afford them.” Before you reach for your credit card, there are even cheaper deals to be found according to Doug Gollan, editor-in-chief of  DG Amazing Experiences, a newsletter for private jet owners and passengers. Gollan points to JetSuite Suite Deals, which are posted daily and start at around $500. “Last week for $536 you could have flown the next day from Tyler, Texas, to Dallas,” he says “They post the specials for the next day on their Facebook page.” The company recently began offering private jet flights to Cuba, with one-way prices for up to six passengers for $11,152 from Key West (JetSuite says that it’s the responsibility of each passenger to secure their own permission to travel to Cuba, which is allowed by the U.S. government only under specific approved categories). “You can also reach out to the multitude of charter brokers who don’t typically own planes but source aircraft that are available for charter, and then get five friends and divide the costs,” Gollan says. “Under these circumstances you might be able to do a Los Angeles to Aspen trip for around $2,500 a head. “ Still interested in owning your own jet? O’Leary says that “the purchase cost can be a little as $500,000 with annual operating costs at an additional $500,000 or more.  The major concern is with unexpected repairs. A major engine repair or scheduled overhaul on just one engine could easily cost $300,000." 2. If bad weather forces commercial flights to delay or cancel, then private jets have to do so as well.  Lefever says that this isn’t true. Private jets have the ability to land at many more airports than commercial aircraft and to change flight plans very quickly. “Private jets have the option of waiting it out or choosing an alternate airport,” he says. “The best example is LAX-SFO, a common flight that has delays due to weather in the Bay Area.” A private jet, he says, “can file a new flight plan and go to Oakland, which isn’t much farther to downtown San Francisco than the SFO airport,” with minimal delays. 3. Private jets are not as safe as airlines. “There are various ways to compare the stats, but more passenger fatalities have occurred on scheduled commercial flights than on both charter and private jets” in the last 15 years, says Lefever. Comparisons of accident rates per hour operated show less of a discrepancy, but the reality is that both are extremely safe and safety is always the No. 1  concern for both, adds Lefever. Gollan says that “I used to fly regularly on NetJets and my pilots were former 747-400 captains for United Airlines and chief pilots for Fortune 500 companies. Most of the major fleet operators that own and operate their aircraft have spotless records.  Most of the fleet on the charter market is used by the owner and chartered when he or she is not using it, so obviously owners want maintenance and pilots at a high standard.” 4. You might be flying private, but you still have to go through security and deal with the TSA.  No, you can forget about security lines, taking off your shoes and emptying your pockets. You won’t find metal detectors or body scanners. O’Leary says that often “there is no TSA or pre-flight checks required. The pilots may check the ID of the lead passenger, otherwise you will be loaded and on your way within minutes of arrival at the airport.  At some private airports, you can actually pull your car up to the aircraft, unload and have valet (service for) your car so you could be in the air within minutes.” 5. Commercial airlines fly faster than private jets. That silver blip sailing by your window on a transcontinental flight? Chances are it’s a private jet. “The fastest passenger jets in the sky are private, depending on the model of jet flown, “says Lefever. “Private jets also fly above the commercial airlines and a lot of times the weather and turbulence that they incur.“ Some private jets have the ability to fly above the weather up to 51,000 feet and “a couple private jets fly near the speed of sound,” O’Leary says. “The flexibility to fly in and out of smaller airports that are often closer to the departure point and the destination airport makes the actual speed secondary to the private jet’s access to nearly 10 times as many airports in the United States. That makes the door-to-door speed significantly faster when traveling privately.” Source:  Everett Potter, Special for USA TODAY

CAMARILLO, CA--(March 02, 2016) -  As part of a collaboration to launch Film Sun Air, Kim Scolari of Jet Productions teams up with Sun Air Jets in Camarillo, California.

“I really feel Sun Air Jets is in the perfect position to market not only their jets for static shoots, but also their Van Nuys and Camarillo hangars for the purpose of filming.  Besides having a full fleet of corporate jet aircraft, both facilities include gorgeous state of the art hangar space that makes for the perfect film set," stated Kim Scolari of Jet Productions.  "Since we started this venture last year, we have filmed some very big projects at the Camarillo facility, including a Hyundai commercial, the TV shows The Bachelor and Big Freedia, as well as a feature film, videos and other projects." “We are hoping to spread the word around the aviation community as well. Many operators turn down the filming business because it can be very time consuming and labor intensive.  Sun Air Jets is more than willing to take on the task and appreciate all referrals from our fellow aviation friends.   We have some very exciting projects ahead. As a broker, I am thrilled to offer these services to my own Jet Productions clients as well. A hangar is basically a blank canvas and can become anything a Director desires. It is so exciting to see an empty hangar turn into a movie set or video shoot”

View Sun Air Jets music video on Youtube https://youtu.be/hGmfS1aJ6EM

Sun Air Jets at the Van Nuys and Camarillo Airports offers a full complement of Terminals, Hangars, and an extensive fleet of corporate jet aircraft, which allows us to expertly implement all production needs.   Since 2002, our extensive private aircraft fleet and world-class facility have been seen in numerous national commercials, television productions, feature films, print, and video shoots. Film Friendly Sun Air Jets handles all aspects of your shoot: from meeting with your location scout, to helping to choose the appropriate aircraft, to assisting with film permits and providing insurance requirements. On the day of the shoot, we will provide a dedicated representative on site to help provide a seamless experience. For more information call Kim Scolari at Jet Productions 818-781-4742 or she can be reached at Sun Air Jets  (Film Sun Air) 805-389-9336. Source:  Kim Scolari/Jet Productions press release

Announcing  charter operator North Central Air Charter and thier fleet of two Pilatus PC-12 turboprops and a Citation Ultra light jet available from KDPA, DuPage Airport in West Chicago.  North Central also operates two Cirrus SR22 piston aircraft for regional charters. From North Central Air Charter: Charter Bird, LLC doing business as North Central Air Charter (FAA Air Carrier Certificate Number T77A675I) is a reliable, experienced operator of private jet, turboprop, and piston charter aircraft. Our crews are certified by the FAA and highly experienced. Many have military and significant civilian experience. Our aircraft are top-notch, maintained to an impeccable standard, and safe. We're based in the Chicagoland suburbs at Du Page Airport, but can start your trip from anywhere.

North Central Air Charter is available only in the FlightList PRO platform.

FlightList PRO makes available many more operators and aircraft nationwide and worldwide than any other service. For example in the greater Chicagoland area alone,  several charter operators and their 19 aircraft -turboprops through midsize jets- are available ONLY in FlightList PRO. FlightList PRO is currently offering a 30-day Free Trial through it's website, no credit card or committment required.  After that it is only $90 monthly for 3 users full access, no contract - cancel any time.  The largest availability of charter aircraft in the world - and the friendliest terms.