Charter Alerts

- Dual-Based:  KISP Long Island, NY and KPBI West Palm Beach, FL - 

Charter operator Solairus announced today its new-to-charter, dual-based Falcon 2000; seating for 10, Wi-Fi enabled, and based at PBI and ISP.  Amenities include a forward full service galley, convection and microwave oven, and DVD/CD/AirShow. The addition takes the Solairus fleet to 41 charter aircraft nationwide.  More than a third of the fleet are available ONLY in FlightList PRO.  Solairus operates one of the largest charter fleets in the world.    

Two more operators and nine aircraft have joined the floating fleet ranks recently, with two light jets, five midsize jets and a super mid jet.  The FlightList PRO Floating Fleet Resource continues to grow and includes operator and aircraft details for all jet charter point-to-point pricing jet options. The resource now includes 202 jets with a total of 9 operators, whose primary business is one way flights and pricing with a floating fleet, plus an additional 12 jets with 4 operators who offer one way flights and pricing with select aircraft.

Floating fleet aircraft with point to point pricing are especially useful for one way flight needs, or round trip flights over many days.  They have no minimum charges and reduced positioning requirements since they do not have to come from, or to return to, a certain  base location and incur those costs. Better serve your clients or company by taking advantage of FlightList PRO, the only air charter resource that includes all floating fleet operators and aircraft, along with every Part-135 jet, turboprop and piston in the US and the equivalent worldwide.  Free 30-day trials are now available.  Regular full service is just $90 for 3 users ($45 those outside the US).

Charter Operator Prime Jet announced yesterday it is now offering point to point pricing with its 16 passenger G-V, with international and Domestic Wi-Fi. The 2000 G-V is floating between South Florida, New York, Southern California and Europe, available for reduced one-way pricing. This is the only Gulfstream V available for point to point pricing, and joins the company's G-IV in point-to-point pricing in the U.S. The full array of 13 floating fleet operators and 208 aircraft is available in the FlightList PRO Floating Fleet section. Prime Jet operates 9 heavy jet Gulfstreams for charter.

The National Transportation Safety Board released preliminary aviation accident statistics for 2014 showing a slight increase in fatal general aviation accidents, which increased from 222 in 2013 to 253 in 2014.

The overall number of general aviation accidents decreased slightly from 1,224 in 2013 to 1,221 in 2014. Despite reporting fewer accidents, the accident rate for general aviation aircraft increased from 6.26 per 100,000 flight hours in the previous year to 6.74 in 2014.

There were 28 accidents involving Part 121 operations (commercial air transport).

The number of accidents involving scheduled Part 135 (commuter) operations decreased from seven in 2013 to four in 2014.

"The On-demand Part 135 accident rate decreased from 1.30 per 100,000 flight hours in 2013 to 1.02 in 2014."

On-demand Part 135 operations, which include charter, air taxi, air tour, and air medical flights, reported 35 accidents in 2014, down from 44 in 2013. The accident rate decreased from 1.30 per 100,000 flight hours in 2013 to 1.02 in 2014.

The 2014 statistical tables showing accidents, fatalities and accident rates for major segments of U.S. civil aviation can be found at: http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/data/Pages/Accident-data-review.aspx

Update 8/7/15: Membership-based private flight service Beacon, announces they are launching service September 15, with unlimited access to its fleet for prices starting at $2,000 per month, with flights between Boston and New York, as well as seasonal trips to Nantucket and the Hamptons. Reservations, changes and cancellations can be made as little as 20 minutes before departure, the company says.  Surf Air, based in California, operates its own Pilatus PC-12 turboprops, but Beacon has partnered with charter operator Dynamic Aviation, based in Virginia. Under its $400 million agreement, Beacon says, Dynamic will deliver 27 mid-sized executive aircraft over the next three years, and is contracted to maintain and operate the aircraft for Beacon over the next 10 years. Dynamic Aviation will provide commuter passenger services on an exclusive basis to Beacon. "We are excited to announce this partnership between Dynamic Aviation and Beacon," said Wade Eyerly, Beacon's CEO and co-founder. Prior news post 2/11/15: Former Surf Air CEO Wade Eyerly and his co-founders have started a very similar private flight operation called Beacon.  The new subscription service, Beacon passengers will pay $2000 per month for unlimited flights on a maximum 10-passenger aircraft.  Different from Surf Air, Beacon does not own or operate its own aircraft, instead it connects is members with certified air carriers.  Typical aircraft are similar to the Pilatus PC-12 and Beechcraft King Air 350i.  Cities served for the launch include New York(White Plains) and Boston, with seasonal service to Nantucket and the Hamptons. story info courtesy Avweb by Mary Grady

A Cincinnati couple became the first people to receive the ultimate in Delta upgrades: from commercial airplane to a private jet. Bruce and Jeanette Rogovin are Delta SkyMiles Medallion members and were originally booked on a Delta flight from the Cincinnati airport to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, until they received an email the night before their Friday flight offering an upgrade to a private plane.

The couple, who were traveling to Atlanta to visit their son, were upgraded to a Falcon 2000, a large cabin jet that seats up to 10 passengers. They even had their own flight attendant, who provided them with complimentary champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries and lunch during the flight. The couple said they loved the roominess of the private jet. "I would have to say that it was the most relaxing, enjoyable flight I've ever had," Bruce Rogovin said. "From the lack of lines to the spacious, beautiful cabin, everything was truly enjoyable." Delta Private Jets President Erik Snell and David Sneed, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Delta Private Jets, were on hand in Cincinnati to greet the first passengers, and accompanied them on their flight.

The program is offered by Delta Vacations and allows Medallion status passengers traveling on select Delta commercial flights to upgrade their tickets to travel via Delta Private Jets. Customers are contacted via email and offered the upgrade for an additional fee, which includes transportation to and from the private airport and the main commercial terminal, and complimentary on-board catering. “Delta Private Jets is proud to operate this innovative program offered by Delta Vacations and Delta Air Lines. As the only Part 135 operator (offering non-scheduled charter flights) in the United States owned by a major airline, we are uniquely able to operate such a program,” said Sneed. “Delta Private Jets was the first private jet operator to offer the convenience of a Jet Card (see below) and continues to revolutionize the industry with new products such as offering Delta Air Lines Medallion customers elite access to private jet travel.” Source: Delta Air Lines

Charter Operator Solairus Aviation has added new to charter, N117WH, a low time 2006 Learjet 45XR which is based at KDAY Dayton, Ohio and is currently available. The aircraft features Wi-Fi on board, forward galley with microwave oven, cabin climate control, and seating for up to 8 passengers in the desirable Learjet 45 double-club configuration. This is Solairus' first Learjet 45 model for charter.  Solairus operates 37 aircraft for charter based throughout the U.S., 13 of which are available ONLY in FlightList PRO. The full Solairus fleet is a diverse variety from the King Air B200 executive turboprop to the new Gulfstream G650 long range jet.

Flying Magazine By Stephen Pope / Published: Aug 04, 2015

There are many more questions than answers surrounding an in-flight low fuel emergency involving an Allegiant Air MD-80 arriving in Fargo, North Dakota, last month, with fingers variously being pointed at the pilots, the airline's management and the Fargo Tower controller. The drama unfolded when Allegiant Air Flight 426 from Las Vegas to Fargo, being piloted by two of the airline's executives, arrived with a load of passengers and minimum fuel. The Fargo airport was due to close 12 minutes before Flight 426's scheduled arrival for a five-hour Blue Angels practice session, but the flight was delayed in Las Vegas for over an hour. For some reason the pilots decided to take off anyway. The pilot told the tower that he didn't have enough fuel to make it to his alternate airport, so he was forced to declare an emergency to clear airspace for a landing at Fargo's Hector International Airport, according to a recording of the incident on LiveATC.net. At one point, the Fargo Tower controller rebuked the pilots for their apparent ignorance of the airport closure. "Your company dispatch should have been aware of this for a number of months," the controller said. "We don't have enough fuel to go anywhere else," the pilot told the controller. "And our guys are trying to get in touch with the tower manager right now to coordinate our landing or I'm going to have to declare an emergency and come in and land." Fargo Tower gave the pilot a phone number to try, and then told him the airspace would be clear to land if he could wait another 20 minutes. Otherwise, they would have to try their luck with Minneapolis Center. "Yeah, I don't have 20 minutes," the pilot said. The tower then recommended another airport 70 miles to the north, the recording shows. "Yeah, listen, we're bingo fuel here in about probably three to four minutes and I got to come in and land," the pilot said. Minutes later the pilots declared an emergency with Minneapolis Center. They made a safe landing shortly after 1 p.m. after Blue Angels jets were cleared from the runway. It will now be up to the FAA to try to determine why the pilots took off with minimum fuel headed for an airport they should have known was closed and, subsequently, why the controller in Fargo took an unhelpful and even apparently adversarial approach in handling the unfolding emergency. Flying Magazine Online Article

Columbus Business First By Evan Weese, August 4, 2015 Ypsilanti, Michigan-based Kalitta Charters LLC has purchased operational assets of Columbus-based AirNet Systems Inc., a specialized cargo carrier that has struggled to overcome a plunge in demand for flying canceled bank checks over the past decade. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. “We’re buying the people,” said Doug Kalitta, president of Kalitta Charters. “They’ve been in business for 40 years. They’ve scaled down and they really kept their best people.” Kalitta provides air charter services for passenger, cargo, and medical transport. AirNet operated under a court-appointed receiver since early 2014.  Founded in 1974, the company was publicly traded from 1996 through 2008, when it was taken private. AirNet employed more than 1,000, many in Columbus, until its main source of business dried up when banks were authorized in 2004 to clear checks by sending digital images instead of physically transporting canceled checks. “From the check side of things, obviously none of that exists anymore,” said Mark Simone, an executive with AirNet who spearheaded the sale of assets out of receivership.  “(Now) it’s radioactive pharmaceuticals, auto parts, getting parts to airplanes, organs for procurement.” Kalitta Charters, which operates a fleet of 40 aircraft for flying passengers and cargo with quick response times, also was drawn to the company’s aircraft maintenance operations.  “That’s one of the things we’re real excited about,” Kalitta said. Kalitta plans to begin hiring.  “We’re looking for definitely another dozen pilots,” Kalitta said. Katlitta's full fleet for passenger, cargo and ambulance is available ONLY in FlightList PRO. AirNet's full fleet for cargo charters is available ONLY in FlightList PRO. Columbus Business First