Source:  AIN Online Charter membership firm Wheels Up is partnering with Talon Air to launch scheduled per-seat shuttle service in Talon’s super-midsize Hawker 4000s from Westchester County Airport (HPN) in White Plains, New York, to Florida’s Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE). The service, which is exclusively for Wheels Up members, begins tomorrow and costs $2,100 per seat one-way, including taxes, according to company founding partner Justin Firestone.

Membership costs: Wheels Up membership for individuals is $17,500 annually and corporations $29,500 annually according to Corporate Jet Investor.  Annual dues (starting second year) are then $8,500 for individuals and $14,500 for corporations.  Membership then allows private flights with a fleet of King Air 350i and Citation Excel/XLS aircraft, at fixed hourly rates - the cost per hour of getting on the King Air is $3,950 per hour and the Citation Excel/XLS is $6,950 per hour according to a report from the private aviation industry resource.  Wheels Up memberships are also available from Costco; Wheels Up membership cost

Flights will leave HPN at 4 p.m. on Fridays and return at 6 p.m. on Sundays, with the exception of this holiday weekend, when the flight will return on Monday at 6 p.m. Firestone said that the shuttle service will run through March 5, but could be extended past this date depending on usage. “This is currently the only shuttle we are running with Talon Air,” he told AIN. However, it already runs several shuttle flights in the Northeast and central California using its fleet of Beechcraft King Air 350is and Cessna Citation Excel/XLSs that are operated by Gama Aviation. In fact, Firestone said, it will be adding King Air shuttles from New York and Boston to Nantucket and Hyannis this summer, as well as other to-be-announced destinations.

Prior Charter Alerts for Wheels Up Wheels Up Gets $115 Million Investment From T.Rowe Price, Others Citation Emergency, Door Opens in Flight – Live ATC recording Wheels Up Takes Delivery of “Pink Plane In Time for October AIN Article here; Wheels Up Partners with Talon Air on NY-Florida Shuttle

Aircraft management and flight training company since 2006, Trident Aircraft, has acquired two 2013 Embraer Phenom 100 light jets, and is now operating charters in the continental U.S. The operator and aircraft are based at KESN, Easton, MD, across the Chesapeake Bay from both Washington DC and Baltimore, MD. From the Maryland/Washington DC area, the entire Eastern U.S. is within charter range for the Phenom 100's, including Miami, Chicago and Minneapolis. Trident Aircraft is safety auditor-Wyvern Registered.

News Source:  FlightList PRO All Trident Aircraft charter aircraft and operator details are available in the FlightList PRO multi-search platform which includes all 16,631 charter aircraft and 3,419 charter operators worldwide.  FlightList PRO is used by the most successful and experienced brokers and travel professionals in the industry; 79% of users have arranged charters more than 10 years, 25% more than 20 years. Air Charter Alerts by FlightList PRO, are the latest announcements in the private air charter industry about operators, brokers and charter aircraft, and geared towards active participants in the industry.

Jet Linx Aviation, a personalized private jet operator headquartered in Omaha with 14 Base locations nationwide , finishes 2016 reporting steady growth in its client roster, total aircraft and overall operations. This year, 32 aircraft were added to the fleet, bringing the total count to 82, ranging from light, mid, super mid and heavy jets. In addition, Jet Linx saw more than a 20 percent increase in Jet Card holders, bringing the total number to 1,200 members. “Our growth demonstrates the need that we have filled in the private aviation industry for a more localized customer service experience with all of the advantages of a national provider,” said Jamie Walker, President and CEO of Jet Linx.

The Jet Linx full charter fleet of 72 aircraft is ONLY in the FlightList PRO  platform.

New Base Locations Jet Linx Aviation added two new Base locations this year, expanding their presence to Nashville, Tenn. (BNA) and Fort Worth, Texas (FTW) with a local service team, planes, pilots and a private terminal (in Fort Worth). The addition of these new bases also contributed to overall team growth, with Jet Linx adding 178 team members (including pilots and day-to-day operations staff), bringing the total number of employees nationwide to over 400. Miles Up In The Air Jet Linx, which manages the third largest part 135 fleet, concludes 2016 with more than a 20 percent increase in miles flown since last year, totaling 58 million miles since inception. Peak travel times including the Thanksgiving season, aided in breaking previous company records, with 140 legs flown on Tuesday, Nov. 22 and 174 on Sunday, Nov. 27. On the international front, Jet Linx achieved authorization to operate in Cuba, granting Jet Card holders and aircraft owners the ability to travel to Havana and 11 other airports in Cuba upon securing the required visas. Achieving Highest Safety Standards Jet Linx is among the four percent of aircraft operators with an ARGUS Platinum Safety Rating, the highest safety rating by the third party auditing service which Jet Linx has maintained every year since 2005. In addition, Jet Linx attained The International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) Stage 3 certification in 2016 (the highest IS-BAO rating), which has become a globally accepted “gold seal” for business aviation operations attesting to the highest standards in safety and efficiency, placing Jet Linx in the top one percent of all operators for safety. Source:  company press release

All Jet Linx charter aircraft and operator details are available in the FlightList PRO multi-search platform which includes all 16,631 charter aircraft and 3,419 charter operators worldwide.

Much anticipated, HondaJets are rolling off the Honda Aircraft production line in Greensboro NC, and for the first time are now available for charter.  Two new 2016 HondaJets are now available for charter in the US. Compared to it's Very Light Jet (VLJ) category competition, the Citation Mustang and the Phenom 100, the HondaJet betters the field in important ways.  The faster, lighter and more fuel efficient 4-passenger jet has a cabin 20% larger cabin than its competitors, more baggage space, a faster airspeed at 420 kts, and higher cruise altitude at 43,000 feet.  In many ways, the HondaJet is a better fit up in the light jet category. Cutter Flight Management is first to operate the 4-seat VLJ under US Part-135 charter regulations.  Two are currently available, based in the southwestern US at KPHX Phoenix, AZ and KSDL Scottsdale AZ.  Cutter is a Wyvern Registered operator, and maintains fleet, crew, and insurance information as well as verified regulatory documentation within the Wyvern's system.  Cutter Flight Management is the aircraft management and charter arm of Cutter Aviation, provider of aviation related services and FBO operations in the Southwestern US and Colorado.

Leading the way again, FlightList PRO is the only charter sourcing platform with the HondaJet and also the full Cutter Flight Management fleet of 9 charter aircraft which includes turboprops, light, midsize and heavy jets. The HondaJet being uniquely Honda, instead of using engines from other manufacurers, the company began developing its own engine in partnership with GE Aviation ultimately creating the GE-Honda HF20 turbofan engine.  The HA-420 HondaJet is powered by two over-wing mounted HF120 turbofans, each producing 1,997 pounds of thrust.  The engine mounts atop the wings are constructed of metal.  The natural laminar flow wings terminate in sizable winglets. The HondaJet’s fuselage is made of carbon fiber, and its flight deck is built around Garmin’s touchscreen-capable G3000 suite. The HondaJet cabin and baggage capabilities: The cabin area is a 12.1-foot-long space that provides plenty of room for passengers. The club seating arrangement gives ample legroom and is spacious for a VLJ, with opposing passenger knees completely out of range.  The hum of the  HF120s can be heard with the lavatory doors open, but with them closed, it is significantly quieter than almost any other light jet. The lav is also far superior to that of many light jets, some of which section the toilet area off with a simple curtain.  While the HondaJet’s lavatory is not huge by any stretch, it provides complete privacy, a nice sink with a faucet activated by a motion sensor, and two skylights providing natural light and a unique perspective of the skies above. One benefit of having the engines mounted on the wings is that the HondaJet has an exceptionally large luggage compartment for an airplane in the light-jet category.  The rear compartment is 57 cubic feet and holds up to 400 pounds, which is more than many light jets and some midsize jets.  There is plenty of space to load large suitcases without trouble. The aircraft also has a 9-cubic-foot cargo area in the nose, capable of carrying up to 100 pounds. Neither of the cargo spaces is pressurized, however, so toothpaste and any liquid materials may want to stay inside the cabin.

There is no question HondaJet’s very light jet  competes directly with the Cessna's Citation Mustang, Embraer's Phenom 100 in the charter market, and even some Citation and Learjet light jets. There are now 25 aircraft on the production line at Honda Aircraft's facility at the Piedmont Triangle International Airport in Greensboro, NC, which now employs 1,700. Honda expects to have delivered between 40 and 50 aircraft by the end of 2016, ultimately ramping up to 75 aircraft in 2017. All HondaJets for charter as well as the full Cutter Flight Management charter fleet are available in the FlightList PRO platform which includes all 16,631 charter aircraft and 3,419 charter operators worldwide. Sources:  Cutter Flight Management, Flying, Forbes online

From Corporate Jet Investor, 12/16/16: JetSmarter this week raised $105 million in funding, at what it says is a $1.5 billion pre-money valuation. This makes it the first business aviation unicorn (a private company with a valuation of $1 billion). The company said the Series C funds came from new investors  including an Abu Dhabi  growth equity fund, operator JetEdge, London venture capital firm KZ Capital, and a Qatar private equity fund. Some existing investors also participated, although possibly at a different valuation. The $1.5 billion valuation is astonishing. An online charter market, Avinode, estimates the total value of the global business aviation charter market at between $10 billion and $12 billion a year - although this does not include flight sharing, something that JetSmarter is pioneering. Uber - which claims to have raised funds at more than a $62 billion valuation - is the most valuable and best known of more than 170 Unicorns (although many analysts disagree with many of the valuations of companies on this list). Although JetSmarter is often referred to as being like Uber for business jets, it has a very different model. JetSmarter sells first year memberships at $15,000 and says it has more than 6,700 members. Members can book normal private charter, fly for free on regular shuttle services, charter shared flights and fly for free on empty legs. It does not own aircraft, instead chartering them from operators like XOJET, JetEdge and others. The company says that it will use the new cash to launch new scheduled shuttles as well as launch in Asia and South America. This is arguably the biggest business aviation story of 2016. JetSmarter was launched in 2012 and is now apparently valued at $1.5 billion. In comparison, Textron - the parent of Cessna which builds aircraft used by JetSmarter and was founded in 1927 - has a market cap of $13.6 billion. Source:  Alasdair Whyte, Corporate Jet Investor, 12/16/16

New to the U.S., a Gulfstream V seating 19 passengers is now available for charter based in New York and operated by ExcelAire, LLC. The addition is one of only two 19-passenger executive jets available for charter from the Northeast U.S., and one of only five 19-passenger executive jets available across the U.S., according to FlightList PRO's search-by-country function. ExcelAire's new Gulfstream V offers passengers premium comfort, with a unique design that can seat 19 passengers and three crew. The ExcelAire Gulfstream V is equipped with the newest Gogo Wi-Fi system that is enabled to provide Gogo Biz 4G, when that service rolls out in 2017. The new service will feature Gogo Vision, providing the latest movies, TV, flight tracker and weather reports along with reliable web browsing.

ExcelAire's full fleet of 10 aircraft is available only in FlightList PRO.

"With the addition of this new Gulfstream V, we are now providing our clients with one of the only 19-passenger GV jets available for charter," said Robert Molsbergen, President of ExcelAire. "In addition to the GV, we plan to add two more jets to our fleet this year, providing our clients with the ultimate private jet charter experience, and the best-in-class team of private jet travel professionals." The new G-V brings ExcelAire's charter fleet to ten heavy and ultra long range jets; eight based in New York, plus one in Columbus, OH and one in Oakland, CA. 19-passenger Gulfstream G-V for charter, operated by ExcelAire, LLC. Source: company press release

Jet Linx Aviation announced it has formed a strategic alliance with ProJet Aviation, to assume ProJet’s managed fleet of aircraft to grow its presence in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. As a result, Jet Linx has expanded its service operations to include three area airports including the Jet Linx private terminal at Dulles International Airport (IAD), Manassas Regional Airport (HEF) and now Leesburg Executive Airport (KJYO) where ProJet provides FBO/flight support services including over 75,000 sq. ft. of hangar and office space. In addition, Jet Linx has recruited 15 of ProJet’s team members, including pilots, maintenance, and client service agents. “The addition of ProJet’s fleet to our already growing fleet of aircraft in the D.C. metropolitan area reinforces our commitment to provide the best local service to our clients,” said Jamie Walker, President & CEO of Jet Linx. “Strategically, Leesburg is the closest General Aviation Jetport to Dulles and Virginia’s horse and wine country, making ProJet an ideal partner for us and for our Jet Card clients and aircraft owners in the area.”

Jet Linx full fleet of 72 aircraft is ONLY available in FlightList PRO.

ProJet will continue its FBO services at Leesburg Executive Airport and the Jet Linx D.C. team will operate out of a private terminal facility that is part of the ProJet FBO campus. Members of the ProJet staff have already joined the Jet Linx team, including its current COO, Josh Rosenblatt, who will serve as Executive Vice President of the Jet Linx D.C. operations, reporting to Base President, Greg Kinsella. “Through our strategic alliance with Jet Linx, ProJet can focus on the expansion and improvement of our award-winning FBO/Flight Support business,” said Shye Gilad, President & CEO of ProJet Aviation. “The presence and quality of the Jet Linx fleet strengthens Leesburg’s reputation as the private aviation destination of choice for the DC Metro region.” Jet Linx has flown 50 million miles since its inception and today manages the third largest part 135 fleet with 78 total aircraft ranging from light, mid, super mid and heavy jet aircraft across the nation. The local fleet in Jet Linx D.C. includes a Hawker 900XP and a Lear 60 at their private terminal in Dulles, a Falcon 900 at Manassas Regional Airport, and a Challenger 604, and Hawker 800XP at Leesburg Executive Airport. Jet Linx Aviation boasts local, private terminals in 14 cities spanning from East to West, guaranteeing service “from” and “to” anywhere in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, including Cuba. Jet Linx also provides international service to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and South America. Jet Linx is among the four percent who have earned an ARGUS Platinum Safety Rating, the highest safety rating awarded to an operator which has been presented to Jet Linx every year since 2005. In addition, Jet Linx attained the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) Stage 3 certification this year (the highest IS-BAO rating), which has become a globally accepted “gold seal” for business aviation operations attesting to the highest standards in safety and efficiency, placing Jet Linx in the top one percent of all operators for safety. Source:  Jet Linx press release

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.