Latitude 33 Aviation, the growing operator of newer light jets from Southern California, has been selected as the exclusive private jet charter operator to handle requests to Jet Source, Inc. for charter operations. Jet Source, Inc. has been an award-winning full service fixed-base operator (FBO) at San Diego County’s McClellan-Palomar Airport for nearly 20 years.

Latitude 33 Aviation expands private jet charter operations to include Jet Source Inc. charter requests.

Latitude 33 Aviation’s experience and industry reputation were cited as factors for the selection. Jet Source, Inc. will continue to provide full FBO services including maintenance, fuel and ramp service. All charter flight requests received by Jet Source, Inc. will be forwarded to Latitude 33 Aviation. Telephone calls and emails will be routed to Latitude 33 Aviation’s charter department, and advertising space will be provided inside Jet Source, Inc.’s lobby. “We are excited to work with Jet Source, Inc. to provide our exceptional services to a wider audience and help more travelers experience Latitude 33 Aviation’s renowned customer service and refined VIP treatment,” said Casey Miller, President of Latitude 33 Aviation. Solomon Short, Latitude 33 Aviation’s Director of Operations, added, “Our growing charter fleet - including over a dozen Citation M2, CJ2+, CJ3, CJ3+, CJ4 aircraft, as well as our recently added Phenom 100 and 300 models - allows us to complete more trips and provide increased operational efficiency. We are well-positioned to handle the increased demand as we service Jet Source, Inc.’s former charter clients.” Source: Latitude 33 press release

From the El Paso Times; "ATI Jet Inc., the Southwest’s largest based jet charter company has begun pre-purchase on two Learjet 60 aircraft.  ATI’s President Lyle Byrum expects the aircraft to be in service by August of 2016. ATI Jet Inc. operates a fleet of Learjet 55 medium size jets with over 500 customers in the U.S. with its main base of operations in EL Paso Texas and satellite base in Vail, Colorado. Mr. Byrum stated the company plans to upgrade it entire fleet of 7 jet aircraft to Lear 60’s within the next two years. The Lear 60 is considered to be the most popular, efficient and best performer of all Mid-Size jets.  The aircraft is capable of flying coast-to-coast non-stop and carries 8 passengers.  It has a service ceiling of 51,000 feet and is all weather capable.  It is equipped with a full service lavatory with hot water, oven full-equipped galley, luxurious cabin, complete entertainment center, state of art avionics and WI-FI.  Over 400 Lear 60’s are in service.

ATI Jet Inc. has logged over thirty one million flight miles of accident free jet charter service.  It is GOLD RATED CHARTER COMPANY by ARGUS, The countries largest rating service company.  INC Magazine also rates ATI in the TOP 100 Transportation Companies in the U.S." From: El Paso Times

The digitalization and democratization of private jet travel; brokers, operators, marketing, apps, PR.

Is XOJET Finally Solving The X's And O's Of Private Jet E-Commerce And Democratization?

By Doug Gollan, Sept 22, 2016, Forbes.com This column will cover the digitalization and democratization of private jet travel, two of the hottest topics in private aviation, but one where the PR spin often operates at a much higher altitude than reality. It’s a somewhat complicated story that doesn’t fit neatly into a tidy box, so let’s start with a bit of background. Lot’s of private jet brokers have invoked Uber in launching their booking apps. And true, like Uber, these brokers neither own nor operate the aircraft they are selling flights on. However, the process of securing a private jet is not nearly as streamlined as you tapping on your smartphone, having a driver four blocks away press accept, and show up seven minutes later. The process of chartering a private jet involves lots of people, expensive and highly sensitive assets, and lots of moving pieces. There is you, the person who wants to charter the plane. Your assistant is probably involved as well, getting quotes, and dealing with logistics such as catering, names and IDs for the manifest, coordinating ground transport, and coordinating the FBOs (private jet terminals) you are using. There are also the people traveling with you, who need to know where to be and at what time. If you are traveling with lots of luggage, somebody needs to check how many golf bags the plane will take? Range of planes varies based on load. Weather and altitude of the airport you are flying in and out of impacts jet performance. The heavier the plane with passengers, baggage, and fuel, the more fuel burned, thus the shorter distance it can fly. Prevailing winds might require the aircraft type you favor to need a fuel stop in certain months of the year. Do you care what type of lavatory your plane has? Some have only a pull around the curtain, others are closeted off. Some, even at that are fairly small. Do you have any extra tall travelers? Private aircraft are tubes, some of which might be uncomfortable for very tall travelers. Larger jets have more headroom. If you have pets or kids, again, that can be an issue.

All 7,598 charter aircraft and 1,633 operators are available ONLY in FlightList PRO.

Most of the 7,000 private aircraft in the U.S. licensed for charter are owned by individuals or companies that then hire aircraft management companies to operate the planes on their behalf, including working with thousands of third party brokers to charter the plane when the owner isn’t using it. In other words, the broker is dealing with a management company, not the actual owner in many cases. Each owner has his or her own set of contractual rules when it comes to chartering their planes. Some don’t want pets or kids. Others only want to charter their jets for longer flights. Expensive maintenance is driven by the number of landings and takeoffs, so an owner might not want to charter her new $50 million Gulfstream for short hops between Boston and New York, but would be OK if you want to go to London or Los Angeles. What’s more, in securing a specific plane for a charter, availability can be impacted by unscheduled maintenance issues that come up between when you book your charter and when you fly, as well as weather issues, crew availability and so forth. Sometimes the owner decides he wants to use his jet on short notice. Unlike commercial airlines with sophisticated fleet management systems and large pools of similar planes and crew they can shuffle around, owners often configure their jets slightly differently, to their own needs and tastes, of course. Cockpits are not always configured the same and differ by age of the jet, so if one jet goes tech, and your broker finds a replacement, the operator needs to find crew qualified to operate it and get it positioned to where you are being picked up. All of the above makes the idea of a simple click-and-buy “Uber” for private jets app an oft-used, but empty analogy as management companies generally need owner approvals or need to see if they will make exceptions, a manual process.  It’s also just a very complicated process, where as a consumer, there are some true benefits of dealing with an expert broker who is familiar with the various charter fleets, where they are based, and which planes are generally available. That said, there are exceptions to the above. Some owners give management companies carte blanche, and then there are several fleet operators that own the planes they fly and make them available for on-demand charter without any upfront fees. Two of the largest operators that own their jets are XOJET and TMC, which together have over 100 jets, 41 and 65 respectively. As of June, they now have common ownership via TPG Capital, although they continue to operate independently. Other big players in the on-demand charter market that own the jets they operate are VistaJet and JetSuite. WheelsUp is similar, with the difference is you have to pay a membership fee and its focus is turboprops. The second issue is “democratization” of private jet travel. Another term used liberally in private aviation company press releases, it underscores that such descriptors are relative when democracy comes at a price of $4,000 per hour. Compared to shelling out tens of millions to buy a jet, millions of dollars for fractional ownership, or hundreds of thousands for a jet card, yes there has been progress. Bradley Stewart, the President, and CEO of XOJET, describes the traditional market for private jet travel as “the top 10 percent of the one percent,” so folks with a net worth of $30 million and annual incomes in the multiple millions of dollars. At the same time, SurfAir and JetSuiteX, a JetSuite offshoot, have been expanding the market with hybrid models. Each fly what are essentially scheduled services using FBOs, thus enabling customers to show up 15 minutes before their flight and jump aboard, leaving behind airport hassles, a key benefit of private travel. In the case of the former, it’s a membership model where you pay $1,950 per month, then fly as much as you want on its network, principally within California. With the latter, you simply buy a seat at prevailing fares on its website, similar to booking a commercial flight. Fares run as low as $129. Its routes right now are mainly in the West, and by next year at this time expects to have 10 Embraer 135s with 30 seats buzzing around. Travel blogger The Points Guy wrote of his JSX flight “not dealing with TSA was a huge plus.” In both cases, you are buying a seat or the opportunity to reserve a seat. There are other passengers on the flight. Seating is closer to commercial airline economy class than Donald Trump’s Boeing 757, and there is a set departure time you need to be there for, or you miss the flight... Full Forbes.com Article Here The author Doug Gollan is Founder and Editor-in-Chief of DG Amazing Experiences, an e-newsletter for private jet owners.

U.S. based charter operator Gama Aviation, LLC announces their new Citation Sovereign+ is ready for charter from South Florida. Based at KPBI West Palm Beach, FL, the 2013 Sovereign+ is equipped with Wi-FI, Blu-ray enternatainment system, programmable touch screens and six universal 110 VAC outlets.  The aircraft features double-club seating for 8 and a coast-to-coast range.

Gama Aviation's full fleet is ONLY available in FlightList PRO.

One of the popular aircraft in the Cessna family, the updated Sovereign+ model has updated engines, a new avionics suite and redesigned wings for improved performance. Gama Aviation LLC operates 21 jets for charter, based mostly in the midwest and eastern U.S., including midsize, heavy and long range jets.

Source:  Gama Aviation email announcement

On-demand and membership private jet charter firm XOJet today announced a strategic partnership with online charter broker JetSmarter that will combine the former’s service and fleet operations with the latter’s digital distribution capabilities. As part of the alliance, XOJet has named JetSmarter the exclusive digital distribution channel for the company’s fleet of midsize jets. The core of the partnership is an XOJet-branded mobile app that allows clients to book real-time charter on its fleet of Cessna Citation Xs and Bombardier Challenger 300s. It will use JetSmarter’s technology and be available early next year. In addition, XOJet clients can book shared charter flights, shuttle flights by the seat and last-minute deals via the JetSmarter app. Meanwhile, through the JetSmarter app, members will receive real-time availability and preferred pricing at XOJet, comparable to the operator's Preferred Access and Elite Access program clients. Access to XOJet’s charter fleet will be available on the JetSmarter app starting October 1. The JetSmarter andXOJet apps will both be available for iOS and Android devices. Source:  AIN Aviation International News

Charter operator and aircraft management firm Solairus Aviation was named as one of the Best Places to Work by the North Bay Business Journal.

Solairus is one of ten Best Places to Work award-winners who appeared for the first time in the 2016 survey.

Solairus Aviation (2009, 84 employees) specializes in aviation asset management and optimization solutions, and offers private jet charter flight services at 40 U.S. locations.

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Excerpt from NORTH BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL, Sept 19, 2016; SOLAIRUS AVIATION FIRST-TIME WINNER PETALUMA — Focused on delivering exceptional private jet charter flight services and outstanding asset optimization solutions that go above and beyond standard offerings, Solairus Aviation is an aviation services company with 40 base locations in the U.S. whose core business is assisting owners with the safe, reliable, and economical operation of their aircraft. “My company recognizes the contribution of the individual as well as the contributions of our team of 84 employees with equal fervor. There is a philosophy in place of doing what is necessary to improve the company by improving the individuals within.“ Co-owner John King says, “It’s the most entrepreneurial environment with a group of employees who rally around a shared vision with the enthusiasm of providing quality to our clients. The Solairus’ culture fosters teamwork and individuality with a wellness philosophy to support the growth and development of each employee.” Management has grown the company be a world-class operation with a human touch. “Our CEO Daniel Drohan personally researches and sends out an email, every holiday, acknowledging those who are working the holiday and thanks them for their support — How cool is that!” Solairus has a realistic and thorough training praised by the staff. “I’ve never felt rushed or overwhelmed during my training. The company has allowed me to develop and flourish in my position at a sustainable speed.” “From the clients to the crew, everyone wants to do right by the people who make up this company.” Source: North Bay Business Journal, Gary Quackenbush / Brad Bollinger

Van Nuys, California-based aircraft charter, management, FBO and maintenance firm Clay Lacy Aviation is merging with Key Air, an aircraft management and charter company in Oxford, Connecticut. The Keystone Aviation FBO, a sister company of Key Air, is not part of the transaction.

The entire fleets of both Clay Lacy Aviation and Key Air are ONLY available in FlightList PRO.

After a transition period, the combined company will move forward as Clay Lacy Aviation, representing more than 75 aircraft in 15 U.S. locations, along with FBOs and maintenance centers in Van Nuys and Seattle and standalone maintenance centers in Carlsbad, California, and Oxford. A Clay Lacy spokesman told AIN that integration of the two companies is under way at the U.S. FAA level and should be completed by year-end. “Our clients asked us for a larger presence in New York, and this is the first of several strategic steps to expand our East Coast services,” said Clay Lacy Aviation president Brian Kirkdoffer. “We now have a team of aviation experts on both coasts, focused on providing safety, service and value in the business aviation industry.” From:  AIN Aviation International News

Charter operator Cutter Flight Management announces their 2015 Citation Latitude is now available for charter based at CRQ Carlsbad, CA.  Latitude info and photos: Citation Latitude: The Latitude is a new Citation midsize jet seating up to 9 with a cabin featuring a club of four with two additional froward facing seats, a cabin-forward bench for two and a rear belted lav.  The aircraft fits between the XLS and the Sovereign in the Citation lineup and the Latitude carries an outward resemblance of both.  It is described as a superior, flat-floor, stand-up cabin, 6-feet tall, 77 inches wide and 21 feet long.   the Latitude cabin is taller and wider than the Sovereign.   Airspeed at 446 kts max cruise is similar to the Sovereign and XLS.

The entire Cutter Flight Management fleet and operator details are ONLY available in FlightList PRO.

Another Coast-to-Coast Midsize The Latitude offers a range of up to 2,850 NM which is more than the Hawker 800XP published maximum range.  Under a charter flight profile the Latitude is easily nonstop West to East, and usually nonstop East to West with 4-5 passengers.

KMR Aviation, a provider executive private jet charter announces a new-to-market 2016 Embraer Legacy 650 is now available for charter, along with a fifth Bombardier Challenger 604, offering customers a wider selection of options for long distance travel, according to a press release by the company.

The entire KMR charter fleet and operator details are available ONLY in FlightList PRO.

With a range capability of 3,900 nautical miles, the well-appointed Legacy 650, based in Southern California, can easily travel Coast-to-Coast or to the Caribbean Islands non-stop. It provides the quietest and largest-in-class three-zone cabin and can comfortably seat up to 13 passengers. The Legacy 650 also offers the largest main inflight-accessible baggage compartment in its class – 286 cu. ft. – providing ample space for whatever you may need to take along on your journey. The aircraft features spacious seating, deluxe amenities and seamless Wi-Fi connectivity. Its high-definition audio/video capabilities provide business or leisure travelers alike a satisfying and sophisticated media environment. A fully equipped galley includes a microwave oven, convection oven and Nespresso Coffee Maker. Berthable seats and a large aft lavatory with secondary forward lavatory allow passengers to arrive at their destination fully relaxed and refreshed.

“We are excited about the growth of our heavy jet fleet,” said Lori Jones, KMR Aviation Charter Manager. “The Challenger 604 continues to be a highly popular aircraft for our charter clients and the addition of a gorgeous Legacy 650 to our certificate further adds range and diversity to our impressive list of managed aircraft.”

The two new charter aircraft join Southern California’s largest operator of Challenger 604 business jets. Additionally, through an affiliation with West Coast Charters, KMR Aviation’s charter fleet access extend to over 30 charter-ready aircraft ranging in size from turbo-props to light- and mid- to large-cabin aircraft.

Source:  company press release