Private Aviation Industry News

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

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

The largest is a Boeing 757-200 and emblazoned with "Trump" in golden letters and a huge red "T" on the four story tall tail.

In a commercial configuration it could carry as many as 228 passengers if it were filled with economy seats, but there's nothing "economy" about this plane.

Trump's 757 is designed to carry 43 passengers secured with 24 caret gold plated seat belts, according to a video tour of the aircraft his company posted in 2011. It features a dining room, big screen TVs, a master and a guest bedroom and even a shower.

Trump's plane was built in 1991 and one of his companies took ownership in 2010, according to FAA records.

The 757 replaced Trump's older and more costly to fly 727 built in 1968 and originally flown by American Airlines.  It was sold to a charter company which now flies it in Asia.

Trump also owns a Cessna Citation X corporate jet.

Painted white the plane features the Trump family crest in gold near the passenger door, but unlike his larger plane does not prominently display Trump's name.

The plane's FAA registration number, N725DT, does include his initials and the address of New York's Trump Tower (725 5th Ave).

Trump also owns two Sikorsky S-76B helicopters built in 1989 and 1992.

Four aircraft is actually a major downsize for Trump who once owned an airline with a fleet of 17 planes.

The billionaire bought Eastern Airline's shuttle service for $380 million dollars in 1989 and offered frequent flights between cities in the northeast, but soon faced financial difficulty.

The Trump fleet is based conveniently at New York airports, one of the country's most popular regions for corporate and private charter aircraft.  The region contains hundreds of corporate jets and New York jet charters based across the metro area at four New York metro general aviation airports - Teterboro, White Plains/Westchester, Farmingdale and Islip.

sources:  New Flight Charters and http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/23/politics/donald-trump-airplane-details/

Launched in May 2015, Horizon Air Charter rolls out what it calls the industry's first monthly Flight Equity pay-as-you-go jet card program. According to a company release, Horizon's "flyNEXT" program allows retail clients pay a nominal monthly fee from which they accrue "Flight Equity" (usable flight hours), and pay for flight or consulting services as they require them. Horizon's "flyCORP" program allows corporate travel clients to earn unlimited cash back through their bookings much like a mileage-rewards or cash back credit card. Horizon Air Charter CEO Luis Barros and Managing Partner Robert Rosenberg, both have histories at charter operator Starbase Aviation.  Beginning with a small but expert set of charter brokers, a marketing support team and a few dedicated investors, Barros says: “Horizon Air Charter is determined to become the varsity level purveyor of charter aviation for knowledgeable flyers.”

Mr. Barros devoted his early career to true operational, first-hand working knowledge within the aircraft industry. He spent many years on the operational side of the industry before moving to sales, which is a unique trait among professionals on the brokerage side of the industry. It has provided him valuable insight that helps to set Horizon's vision and service apart from almost all other private charter companies. "I have built my foundation upon delivering the finest quality service by focusing on the operational aspect of air charter," Luis Barros said. "Many other brokers focus on sales as their first priority but my goal has been to ensure that each and every trip runs smoothly and delivers the highest level of service and safety for every client." Rob Rosenberg began his aviation career after years helping build his family's business, where he developed exceptional sales and management skills. Upon entering the private aviation industry Rosenberg quickly became one of the top charter sales executives in the central U.S. Rob and Luis met during Rob's early years in private aviation and formed a partnership that is set to establish a new framework for the private charter industry. "Every client deserves the utmost respect, quality, safety, and comfort with their private charter experience," Rob Rosenberg says. "Understanding FAA safety standards, industry best practices, and general trip practicality is what sets Horizon apart and I'm proud to be part of this team." http://www.horizonaircharter.com

Neptune Aviation, a Part-135 charter operator based at KMSO Missoula, MT, has gained FAA approval to offer scheduled flights between Missoula and Billings.  Montana's two largest cities will be connected by direct round-trip flights twice a week, starting in September. The service will be a membership-based flight program with their King Air 100, and will depart Missoula every Tuesday and Thursday at 7:45 a.m. and get to Billings at 9 a.m., then depart Billings at 4:45 and arrive in Missoula at 6:15 p.m.

“Our current FAA 135 Charter Certificate limits the number of ‘scheduled’ flights we can offer each week,” explained Neptune CEO Ron Hooper. “When we launch flights to Billings in September, we will start with two round trips per week, with limited seating on each flight. Based on FAA rules, we have the option to offer two additional ‘scheduled’ flights per week, which we hope to add to the membership program later in the year.”

Kevin Condit, a spokesperson for Neptune, said that memberships for Neptune’s service to Billings will start at $750 per month and go up, depending on how many flights a customer wants.

“This is not a commercial airline-type situation where people are calling up and saying I need to go to Billings next month,” he explained. "This is really designed for people who travel to Billings frequently and need to go there and back on the same day."

Neptune conducted community surveys with the help of the Missoula Area Chamber of Commerce and the Missoula Economic Partnership to gauge the market for these flights.

“Basically, people said, ‘We need this as soon as you can,’ ” Condit said. “The folks at the Missoula Airport get calls saying, ‘Hey, I need to get to Billings, what’s the best option?’ This will connect the two largest cities in the state with really efficient air travel.”

When Big Sky Airlines of Billings went out of business in 2008, it left a big hole in the transportation options in the state, Condit noted.

“When you think about Missoula and Billings, there is not an easy way to get back an forth,” he explained. “You can either drive six hours or fly commercial through Seattle or Salt Lake or Denver, and that takes as much time as driving. There’s a real need.”

Hooper said that frequent travelers to Billings should act quickly to sign up for a Neptune membership.

“Our first round of memberships will be limited to 25 individuals and companies,” he said. “Based on the input of the Missoula community, memberships will sell out quickly.”

http://missoulian.com/business/local/neptune-aviation-to-offer-roundtrip-flights-from-missoula-to-billings/article_d0e67547-3e3c-50f8-8fe1-8be90e584cbc.html Neptune Aviation also operates a Falcon 50 and Falcon 10 on their 135 certificate.  Operator and fleet details are available in FlightList PRO.

Hawthorne Global Aviation Services today announced that Joe Horowitz joined ExcelAire, its private jet charter and management company, as Vice President Business Development.

Prior to ExcelAire, Mr. Horowitz served as Vice President of Business Development for LISS Technologies Consulting.   He was also a Brand Ambassador for both Tempus Jets and Webair Internet Development.  A professional golfer, Joe played on numerous professional tours, including PGA Tour Canada and has won professional tournaments worldwide.

“Joe brings deep expertise in business development and charter sales to ExcelAire, and we welcome him to our team, “said Greg Brinkman, President, ExcelAire.  “His extensive network of corporate jet charter clients is a tremendous asset to our firm, and will contribute greatly to our continued growth in aircraft management and private jet charter.”

Excelaire operates 9 northeast-based charter aircraft; midsize through ultra long range jets which include Learjet 60, two Gulfstream IVSP, Gulfstream V, three Legacy 600's, a Falcon 900EX EASy and a Global 6000.

The entire fleet and operator details are available in FlightList PRO here.

News Source: Hawthorne Global Aviation Services

Textron Aviation which owns Cessna and Beechcraft among others announced last week it is moving forward on a new single-engine turboprop which appears to be aimed squarely at the Pilatus PC-12 market. The goal is to have a range of 1,500 NM and fly at 280 kts with the ability to operate out of rough fields according to the Textron spokesperson.  Before it's acquisition by Textron, Beechcraft had plans in 2012 for a single-engine turboprop based on the composite Premier jet fuselage but ultimately did not have the funding at that time to pursue it. Textron has resurrected those plans and is moving forward with a development team to bring it to market.  A spokesperson at EAA Airventure in Oshkosh, WI last week said they were planning to have something to show next year at this time.

"As a pilot and aircraft owner, and also as someone involved in the air charter market, this is exciting," remarked Rick Colson, founder and president of New Flight Charters, a large nationwide leader with a wealth of experience in the charter market over the past 12 years.  "The diminishing demand and market of piston twins is largely a result of the introduction and growth of more capable and reliable single-engine turboprops, albeit more costly as well.  With a family of 5+ for example, the step up from single and twin engine pistons is steep but also are the gains in reliability, comfort and safety, not to mention performance." These gains combined with attractive costs comparative to other turboprops and light jets provide for a popular private charter aircraft choice as well. Textron's Cessna track record of speedy new product development and launches, along with the Beechcraft legacy King Air line up and support, clear the skies for a successful new aircraft and perhaps a new category leader. The Pilatus PC-12 has climbed in popularity over the past 10 years and has taken considerable share of, and expanded, the turboprop market as one of the most popular turbine powered business aircraft.  Having arguably the most reliable aircraft engine in the world in the Pratt & Whitney PT-6 lends confidence and supports the category-leading performance, capability and operating cost of the PC-12. It was only a matter of time before a rival product joined the market.  And the Textron/Cessna/Beechcraft family is perfectly positioned.  Bring on the new addition, it's exciting news on many fronts. Source:  New Flight Charters

From Bloomberg Business and Delta Airlines Press Release:

Delta Air Lines is cooking up what may be one of the most appealing flight upgrades yet: one that allows you to bag a commercial flight altogether and board a private jet. The new upgrade program, targeted at what Delta calls “high-value customers,” will cost $300 to $800, depending on destination. Beginning as soon as this week, passengers who have achieved elite or “medallion” status in Delta’s SkyMiles frequent-flyer program will be eligible for the upgrade offers. But officials stress that the initial number of private jet flights will be small and focused mainly at Delta’s East Coast hubs. “This is truly a groundbreaking new approach from both industry standpoints,” said James Murray, vice president of operations at Delta Private Jets (DPJ). “Nobody else can do what we’re talking about doing.” The upgrades could also help Delta quell one of the thorniest—and costliest—problems in private aviation, known as “empty legs,” or the need to reposition a jet without having a customer headed to that particular location. These inefficient flights account for roughly a third of all private jet flights, despite years of effort by the industry to minimize them. The advent of greater tracking data and new software analytics tools is likely to help private jet operators reduce their empty legs even further, said Erik Snell, president of Delta Private Jets.

Initially, only Delta’s top customers—those at the highest "Diamond Medallion” level, which is met when people spend $15,000 at Delta and travel at least 125,000 miles or 140 flight segments per year—were going to be invited to purchase the upgrades. But the company has spent several months tweaking its model and decided to expand the pool of potential customers by opening it to people at the lowest elite tier, those who travel 25,000 miles or 30 segments annually, and who spend $3,000. Most of the upgrades will involve travel scheduled the next day, although Delta Private Jets said it would have some flights that offer travelers as much as 48 hours’ notice. Earlier this year, Delta Private Jets filed for a patent on the scheme of how to transfer passengers from a commercial carrier to a private jet operator. DPJ, a wholly owned subsidiary that calls itself the fourth-largest U.S. operator of private jet flights, has received regulatory approval to fly Delta passengers on 160 domestic routes, although it plans to begin mainly with flights among Atlanta, New York, and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, near the unit’s Erlanger (Ky.) headquarters. Over time, Delta Private Jets officials said the program might expand, potentially deploying part of the private jet fleet toward regular upgrades on certain routes, complementing Delta’s commercial service. And depending on passenger reception, Delta may begin marketing the option of a private jet upgrade as commonly as it touts airport lounges, first class, and other amenities for the most lucrative travelers. Still, “Delta operates a whole lot more flights than we have [private] airplanes,” Murray said, which means an upgrade to a private jet is likely to remain a niche offering. Yet, the “empty legs” problem of a vacant cabin won’t ever be eliminated. That’s one reason executives at the Delta unit were keen to see if they could match up routes with their mainline parent and harvest some of Delta’s most profitable customers—many of whom might not have flown privately before but could afford to. Read the full article in Bloomberg Business... The full Delta Private Jets fleet is available only in FlightList PRO.

Announced today, European based charter brokerage Victor, acquires U.S. broker YoungJets to lead expansion in North America.  YoungJets founder and CEO David Young will also join to serve as Victor's senior vice president of the U.S. market. In addition, according to Victor the company has secured $5M in funding from investor customer.  This second closing round augments a previously announced $8M, making a total of $13M invested in private equity from its own clientele during the last 90 days.  The funds will be used for customer acquisition and scaling of the technology to meet growing demand.  As the company continues to expand it will be pursuing institutional funding later this year. Veteran aviation executive Levent Edepli, formerly of Sentient Jet, Jet Edge and more recently Jet Linx, has also joined Victor to oversee logistics and operations for North America.  Edepli, as Victor's vice president of operations and customer service for North America, will focus on developing and managing supplier relationships and operational excellence.  He spent 10 years at Sentient Jet co-managing the sourcing department for member flights and establishing a large, customized vendor network. "Victor is focused on expanding its global business in a manner that maximizes operations efficiency and customer service expertise at market entry; and the addition of our funding, the YoungJets team and Levent does just that," said Victor CEO Clive Jackson.  "David Young has an incredible reputation in the entertainment industry and brings a specialized team that expertly handles complex travel for high-profile jet charter clients.  Bringing both David and Levent into the executive ranks further rounds out our management team with world-class talent in the aviation market."