Private Aviation Industry News

Set Jet, the exclusive membership based, private jet charter program headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ, announced today that it will be facilitating daily flights between San Francisco and Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego and Las Vegas. "We are very excited to be offering our exclusive service to those who are looking for a hassle-free and better than first class travel experience between these entertainment, recreational and technology hubs," said Trey Smith, President of Set Jet. Set Jet will be facilitating daily flights on Bombardier Challenger 850 and CRJ200 aircraft which have been specially configured with 15 seat VIP interiors, for $99.95 per month and from $399 one-way (including taxes and fees).

MAC Aircraft Charter LLC/Maine Aviation is operating two Challenger 850 aircraft for Set Jet at this time, configured for 15 and 16 passengers.

"We have experienced a high level of demand for these flights for some time and we believe these additional routes will complement our already established west coast service." Smith added.

Flights will also feature complimentary Wi-Fi, top shelf alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as premium snacks. Set Jet facilitates this unique members-only based service from non-congested and conveniently located VIP private terminals, without the traditional inconveniences related to commercial air travel, such as advance notice for booking flights, price premiums for last minute travel, time allowance for driving to primary airports, check-in requirements, security delays and parking expenses.

More information about Set Jet including its founders is available on the company website.

Charter operator MAC Aircraft Charter's details and fleet information are available in FlightList PRO.

Source:  Set Jet press release

Oct. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- BlackJet Technology, Inc., the world's largest private jet seat booking service, announced the expansion of its network to include service between White Plains, New York and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in response to heavy customer demand over the last several months. Westchester County Airport (HPN) will have BlackJet seat service, commencing in November 15, 2015, with seat booking available as of October 7, 2015. Thousands of BlackJet members who have flown BlackJet's service between New York (mostly Teterboro) and private jet facilities in South Florida, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco, can now access private jet seats from HPN. The ability to book confirmed seats on private jets affordably and instantly via BlackJet's proprietary technology, enables travelers to avoid the major airport hassles and the airline cattle-car experience. Today, customers in the New York / Westchester market gain another air travel option – BlackJet private jet seat service from White Plains (HPN) airport. Service between Westchester County Airport and Fort Lauderdale Executive airport will commence with special pricing of just $1,250per seat. Interested parties can visit BlackJet.com and use the Invite Code HPN1000 in order to obtain this special offer. Seat availability is guaranteed and the annual membership (normally $5,000) is waived for members signing up to BlackJet's "HPN Seasonal Plan". This offer expires October 7, 2015. "Our members in Westchester County have shown tremendous support since day-1, including driving to depart from Teterboro to access BlackJet service. We are very happy to provide greater convenience by adding HPN to the Blackjet service network. Adding guaranteed service from HPN is an important milestone in our development," stated BlackJet CEO, Dean Rotchin.

By Caitlin Huston, Marketwatch If you and seven friends can scrap together $40,000, getting to Cuba just got easier. Private jet booking service Victor will begin offering direct private flights on Monday from 19 cities in the U.S. to Havana, Cuba. The company’s service allows users to enter a destination, see price quotes and then book a private flight. Travel to Cuba for U.S. citizens is still limited as travelers have to be approved to visit under 12 visa categories. Victor has partnered with Cuba Educational Travel, which organizes travel to Cuba under educational visas, so that its fliers are approved to visit the country and have a set itinerary while there.

The trip involves a custom Cuban itinerary with cigars and rum

The itinerary could include cigar and rum tastings with country experts, riding in 1950s American cars and dinners with prominent cultural figures and historians, the company said. For a group of eight staying four nights, prices start at $40,000. David Young, senior vice president at Victor, said the company is adding the service because of growing demand for travel to Cuba. “It’s the hottest travel destination,” said Young. The U.S. has recently moved to normalize relations with Cuba after more than 50 years. Restrictions on trade and travel have been eased, and the U.S. Embassy in Havana reopened in August. JetBlue JBLU, +1.79% offers weekly direct chartered flights from New York’s John F. Kennedy airport and said this week that it will add a second flight starting in December. Victor acknowledges that the private flights aren’t cheap, and says it is aimed at a high net worth clientele. Many of the company’s members are involved in entertainment or sports, he said. Being a member is free, and Victor has more than 40,000. The company takes a fee from each booking and partners with different jet operators. The company, which has raised $26 million in private equity, operates national and international flights with offices in London, New York and Santa Monica, Calif.

Private Jet Services (PJS), a private aviation consulting and charter brokerage firm, announces a new strategic partnership with charter broker Arise Air, according to a company press release. Bryan Ellis, President of Arise Air, will act as the new Director of Executive Aircraft Operations for PJS and Arise Air employees will work out of the PJS corporate headquarters in New Hampshire.

In this role, Ellis will oversee all executive jet vendor relationships and sourcing for PJS. Arise Air customers will have the opportunity to work with PJS' experienced Flight Concierge department and have access to aircraft ranging from light executive jets to VIP configured airliners. Ellis founded Arise Air in 2005 after helping two of the larger private charter brokerages in the country gain traction in the market place. For 10 years Ellis has served Arise Air clients with innovative programs such as Arise Air's Boutique Level Jet Membership program and with a commitment to sourcing the safest aircraft available on the market. According to Ellis, "I am thrilled to join PJS. They have been a leader in the private aviation space for quite some time and I am looking forward to introducing my Arise Air clients to the unmatched customer service PJS provides. My goal as Director of Executive Jet Operations will be to ensure that both Arise Air and PJS customers have unrivaled access to the newest and safest jets available for charter."

Founder and CEO of PJS, Greg Raiff, said, "Bryan's expertise will help PJS maintain its competitive edge and continue to provide an unbeatable customer experience. We are excited for him to join our team and look forward to working with Arise Air's clients for years to come." In 2013, PJS secured a $10 million line of credit with RBS Citizens bank for the purpose of acquiring complementary organizations in the private aviation space and forming strategic partnerships. Regarding the line of credit, Raiff said, "the substantial funding by RBS Citizens provides the unique opportunity to work with many companies, including Arise Air, that do a fantastic job in our industry, and we are looking forward to partnering with the best of them."

Courtesy AIN 9/28/15 - This morning a group of financial institutions led by T. Rowe Price announced a $115 million capital injection for private flight membership program Wheels Up. The investment is backed by Fidelity Management and Research Company and NEA, and, according to Wheels Up, values the two-year old company at $500 million. Wheels Up founder and CEO Kenny Dichter said that the fresh funds will support further expansion of the company’s U.S. operations, as well as its plan to begin operations in Europe and the development of new technology platforms, such as its Wheels App member-to-member flight sharing feature. With flights operated for it by Gama Aviation, the Wheels Up fleet now numbers 45 Beechcraft King Air 350i twin turboprops and 10 Cessna Citation Excel/XLS jets. As of September 2015, Wheels Up reported 1,600 members.  Wheels Up membership costs include a first year membership price, then annual dues thereafter, plus per hour rate for the King Air 350i or Citation Excel; Wheels Up membership costs. “We believe Wheels Up has the rare combination of experienced entrepreneurs, business model innovation and a strong financial model,” said Henry Ellenbogen, portfolio manager at T. Rowe Price. “Wheels Up has developed network density and provides real customer value. It has the potential to be a much larger company,” Ellenbogen noted. Courtesy Aviation International News Other news alerts about Wheels Up: Citation Emergency, Door Opens in Flight - Live ATC recording Wheels Up Takes Delivery of "Pink Plane" In Time for October

The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) is pleased to announce that both the FAA Central Region and FAA Northwest Mountain Region have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that allows charter operators, corporate flight departments and fractional program managers to participate in the Air Charter Safety Foundation’s Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP).

The ACSF-managed ASAP program is now approved in the contiguous United States including the FAA Eastern, Great Lakes, Central, Southern, Southwest, Western-Pacific and Northwest Mountain Regions.

ASAP is an FAA/industry partnership that provides a near consequence-free environment, whereby the participants can identify safety issues and report information that can be critical in identifying potential precursors to accidents. “A confidential, non-punitive reporting program is an important cornerstone to developing a robust safety management system,” said ACSF President Bryan Burns. “Company employees are more likely to report events when they have confidence that their reports will be used to produce positive results, and not to place blame.” Burns noted, “Companies that have implemented an Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) have learned a wealth of information regarding safety-related events that otherwise would have gone undetected until a major event occurred.” By enrolling in ASAP, companies can benefit from viewing de-identified safety event reports from other participating companies. The value of the program is the collective volume of data that can be reviewed for specific safety patterns. By identifying trends early, the company can implement corrective action through changes in their policies, procedures, and rules.

Excerpted from article by Brandon Formby, Dallas Morning News 9/24/15

For a monthly fee of $1,650 to $2,650, Rise members can take an unlimited number of trips on the company’s prescheduled flights to and from Dallas, Austin and Houston. The company started with a soft launch in May and went full force in July. It’s been offering 40 to 50 flights a week and will increase that to 92 a week later this month. Rise plans to expand soon to San Antonio, Oklahoma City and New Orleans. Then, company officials hope to add flights to Tulsa, Shreveport and an Arkansas city to be determined.

Nick Kennedy was a health care information technology executive the first time he flew on a private jet. He admits that traveling amid the Gulfstream G550’s high-end appointments and roomy chairs felt like the “epitome of success.” After just a few flights, the cool factor of such trappings receded. But the convenience of virtually hassle-free boarding and arrival didn’t. The Dallas man said being able to fly around the country for work and still make it home to enjoy his wife and three kids became invaluable. That appreciation quickly became the impetus for a new business venture. “I wanted to enable men and women to be where they wanted to be, when they wanted to be there,” Kennedy said. So last year, Kennedy and a handful of associates launched Rise, a Dallas-based company that is taking the sharing economy to the skies. While Rise conjures the spirit of fellow technology firms like Uber and Airbnb, it actually works more like Netflix. At a higher cost, of course.  

Company employees spent their first nine months securing approval for their business model from the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration. Kennedy believes they’re the first to do so. Rise partners with charter flight companies to ensure members will have access to planes, pilots and flights. Kennedy said most private planes only operate at 20 percent of their utilization rate. He estimates that the private jets Rise partners with operate at 75 to 80 percent of their utilization rate.

The Rise-branded King Air is operated by Monarch Air, a Part 135 charter operator based at Dallas’ Addison Airport.

Company officials thoroughly vet the charter firms’ operations, financials, training processes and maintenance practices before partnering with them. “If they meet our standards, then they get to fly our members around,” Kennedy said last week as he stood at Love Field next to one of the King Air 350 planes emblazoned with Rise’s logo.

Removing the hassles

Minutes earlier, the plane had brought six Rise members from Houston. One of them got off, walked a few feet from the plane, put his bags in his waiting car and drove off. Cody Vicknair, an assistant vice president for Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in Houston, walked from the plane to the Jet Aviation building that serves as Rise’s terminal. Vicknair, who landed 30 minutes before he was scheduled to give a speech in Dallas, started using the service when it launched. He flies at least once a week. The Houston man said the user interface, lack of long security lines and flexibility of flights attracted him to the service. Rise runs background checks on all member applicants and reserves the right to search passengers and their bags before they board. But with just a handful of passengers leaving from a private hangar, members aren’t subjected to the long lines most people face at commercial airline security checkpoints. After landing in Dallas on Thursday, Vicknair said he wasn’t sure whether he would fly back later that day or stay overnight and catch Rise’s first Friday flight back to Houston. Either way, there was no cost difference. “With this model and technology, they have pretty much figured out the work flow to accommodate us,” he said. “It takes all those hassles out.” As Kennedy and his co-founders toiled at securing federal approval last year, they also went to investors to fund the venture. “The feedback was ‘You’re crazy,’” Kennedy said. “But a lot of people said, ‘If you can pull this off, it’ll really be helpful.’” Kennedy worried that people would be hesitant to share a private plane with other people. The opposite has been true, though. Kennedy said members enjoy chatting with other entrepreneurs and business executives on the flights. Sometimes they end up sharing rides home or to work appointments. Aside from two pilots, there are no service crew members. Drinks are stored near one of the front-row leather seats, often making the person who sits there the de facto bartender for fellow passengers. “They’ll be the ones kind of making drinks for everybody,” Kennedy said. “It’s very much a pass-the-cup mentality.”

On the rise

Rise is privately owned, and Kennedy and chief growth officer Clynt Taylor are the company’s majority owners. Kennedy closed on a first round of successful funding last month, but isn’t publicly releasing figures. He said the company was profitable from the first day of full operations with revenues in the seven figures. He expects that to hit eight figures by the end of this year. The company started off with nine employees but now has 25. That excludes the mechanics and pilots, who work for the charter flight companies. Kennedy expects Rise’s workforce to triple in a year. Kara Goldstein was one of the first employees on board. She left a job at The Brinkmann Corp. to join the startup. She said it was cool to watch a Houston flight land at Love Field last week, less than a year after she began trying to get people to buy into the concept. “We were selling something that essentially didn’t exist,” she said. Company officials don’t release exact membership numbers, but Kennedy expects Rise’s client ranks to exceed 1,000 early next year. Right now there’s a waiting list to join. But more members will come on board as flights and routes are added. “We build capacity based on membership,” said operations vice president Jeremy Kokenes. Glen and Vanida Ragland of Houston purchased a corporate membership, which allows more people to fly. The consultants were attracted by the idea of being able to arrive at the airport just minutes before a flight. One of their employees, who lives in Dallas, uses the membership frequently to balance work and life between the two cities. “He likes the ability to go home if he needs to,” Glen Ragland said. Which, to Kennedy, is the entire point. “If I can find a way to give time back to people, I’m selling them the most valuable commodity there is,” he said.

AT A GLANCE: Rise

Founded: 2014 Website: iflyrise.com CEO: Nick Kennedy Based: Dallas Cities served: Dallas, Austin, Houston Cities planned: New Orleans, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Shreveport, Tulsa and a to-be-decided city in Arkansas Membership: Monthly dues give members unlimited flights per month. Pricing tiers determine how many reservations can be held at any time. Corporate memberships are also available. Express: $1,650 per month for two bookings; companion tickets $750 each Executive: $2,150 for four bookings; 1 free companion ticket per month Chairman: $2,650 for six bookings; 2 free companion tickets per month SOURCE: Rise

Deal would make the largest fixed base operator in the world.

Signature Flight Support parent company BBA Aviation has agreed to purchase Landmark Aviation from affiliates of the Carlyle Group for $2.065 billion. Included in the deal are Landmark’s 68 FBOs in North America and Europe, and its MRO business, as well as its fleet of 64 charter aircraft and more than 50 other managed aircraft, which would give BBA its first involvement in the charter/management segment.  The Landmark charter fleet is the fourth largest worldwide. The transaction, subject to approval by regulators and company shareholders, is expected to close early next year.

“The acquisition would enable customers to benefit from an extension of Signature’s industry-leading service offering and its operational excellence across a much larger network of high-quality locations,” said BBA CEO Simon Pryce. “Combining Signature and Landmark Aviation also would realize significant cost synergies as well as substantial tax benefits.” Signature operates 133 FBOs in its worldwide network, and there is currently redundancy at 12 airports in the U.S. and Europe, including Washington Dulles International, Teterboro, Westchester County, Le Bourget and London Luton where the two chains compete, which could lead to some required divestiture. The entire Landmark Aviation charter fleet is available only in FlightList PRO. credit AIN Online

Chartering a private jet to China is easy, but flying privately between airports within the country can be challenging.  To address this problem, the Swiss business-aviation provider VistaJet has partnered with China’s Apex Air to provide point-to-point private air service throughout the country in a Chinese-registered Bombardier Challenger 850 managed and operated by Apex. VistaJet is the first international aviation charter company to offer this service.

One of the largest charter operators worldwide, VistaJet has 47 heavy and long range jets for charter now in the US, Europe and China.  The entire fleet and details are available only in FlightList PRO.

VistaJet officials say they plan to add at least one more China-based airplane later this year, and they will continue to expand the line to meet demand. The company has been working for months to secure all the partnerships and permissions required to launch the new service. The Challenger 850 can carry up to 14 passengers—with berths for seven—at speeds up to 528 mph over a range of 3,230 miles.

  Article info courtesy Mary Grady and Robb Report