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Private Jets and Business Aircraft

Private Jet

With the well documented issues in commercial flying more and more people have found reasons to turn to private aircraft.

There are a variety of options to consider. The starting point is how often you want to fly privately.

If you only fly a few hours a year then on demand aircraft charter is probably the best way to go. As your number of hours of private flying increases look at charter cards and fractional cards.

Once you reach about 50 hours of flying a year then fractional aircraft ownership can start to make sense and above 300 or so hours per year whole ownership is worth looking into. Here is some core information to help you understand the options.

All of the major providers have expanded over the last few years. Many now offer a wide range of products and solutions to meet the needs of various clients. If you're looking at the different options and would like a good general overview then download our free Guide to Private Aviation, which includes details on charter, jet cards and fractional ownership. For detailed side by side comparisons of the leading jet card and fractional providers, a directory of charter operators, and our Aircraft Buying Guide then sign up for membership. 

The latest news and research on private jets and aircraft is included below.

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Flexjet attracted much attention at the recent National Business Aviation Association’s Convention and Exposition (NBAA2015) with the announcement that the private aviation company has placed a firm order for 20 Aerion Corp’s AS2 aircraft. The news makes Flexjet the first private operator to commit to buying the AS2, billed as the first supersonic business jet.

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Several recent forecasts show good growth in the sales of new business jets over the next decade. Some of the forecasts have the market growing for the next five years and then turning down. Others see consistent growth over the ten year period.

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Since its beginnings in 2007 as a regional air taxi in Georgia, ImagineAir has grown to offer service to some 900 airports along the entire east coast. President and CEO Ben Hamilton says that the company plans further growth in 2016 with the introduction of services in Southern California.

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‘Tis the season when Jet Card companies produce special offers on their products. These can range from lower buy in hours – think 5 hour jet cards – or special bonus incentives for purchasers. Here’s a quick summary of available offers this season.

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Since its launch two years ago, membership-based private aviation company Wheels Up has grown considerably. A recent round of funding is expected to make the company even stronger.

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This year VistaJet completed its transition to an all large cabin and long range fleet of Bombardier Challenger and Global jets. The company has seen impressive overall growth of 17% in flights, with flights in North America increasing by 159%.

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Having fast communications to the cabin, is an essential tool on board todays private aircraft. There are numerous choices for the services, technology and hardware. Options include varying degrees of bandwidth from satellite networks or air-to-ground services, coverage areas, security levels, operational features and the all-important terminals, antennas, routers and wireless access points. This article walks through the services, the providers, the equipment and considerations for choosing the best option.

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When you choose to travel on private aircraft, there are certain benefits that you expect to receive with every flight: the convenience and time saving factors of skipping long lines at commercial aircraft gates, the higher quality of service, a greater degree of travel privacy and flexibility, and of course the air of success that accompanies private jet travel. There is no doubt that these are all hugely attractive factors, no matter which aviation company you travel with.

As the largest private aviation operator, NetJets aims to go even further, offering a huge variety of lifestyle benefits that continue long after the plane has landed. In this article, we will take a look at the many perks that come with NetJets membership.

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The private aviation pioneer Wheels Up has been rolling out new services for all its members. These include special shuttle services, empty leg "hotflights" and member flight sharing.

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If you're in the market to buy a new aircraft, or even if you're just looking to charter a plane, the fuel burn rate is an important factor, along with the size, range, specs and so on. When buying a car, the fuel efficiency is easily determined and stated in the vehicle specifications. For aircraft, it is not so simple. And yet, the fuel costs can be 50% or more of the annual operating costs, running from hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for a light jet, to millions of dollars a year for heavy jets.

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Flexjet joined the Directional Aviation Capital fold about 18 months ago and since that time has been undergoing quite a transformation. We recently caught up with Christopher Bero, SVP Marketing at Flexjet to talk through all the changes that the company has been putting in place.

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The term "memberships" gets used a lot when referring to private aviation companies and the products that they offer. This article looks at the variety of different products that are referred to as "memberships" and will give you some clarity, so that you can understand whether a membership is right for you.

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Surf Air launched in 2013 and offers Californian consumers an alternative to the inconvenience and crowds of regular commercial air travel. Surf Air's concept is simple: a membership club for the skies. A fixed monthly fee entitles members to unlimited flights on their fleet of aircraft.

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Today's business jet aircraft cabins provide high definition video, surround sound audio, full color spectrum mood lighting, and complete cabin control right at your fingertips. Business jet passengers can literally have their home theater or office functionality from take-off to touchdown. But what are the things to think through in either a new aircraft or if you're looking at a used plane?

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For a limited-time this summer, Air Partner is offering a 5-hour jet card for fliers looking to "get their feet wet". Cards like these are a good way to explore whether a jet card is the right solution for your travel needs.

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The 2014 General Aviation Statistical Databook & 2015 Industry Outlook report was recently released. The annual report, compiled by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), includes details of new business jet sales in 2014. Last year saw a 6.5% increase from 2013's sales, with a total of 722 planes sold.

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Many charter aircraft operators stress safety and sound operating procedures, and indeed, every operator has to meet certain standards set by their governing civil aviation authority (such as the FAA). Wyvern is an independent company that ensures operators are applying best practices. At its highest level of rating, Wyvern offers the Wingman certification. When you fly with a Wyvern Wingman Operator, you know that you have chosen an operator who has gone the extra mile in safety and quality.

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Now in its second year, Magellan Jets is offering a 10 hour jet card to help children and parents visit college campuses. In addition to the aircraft, Magellan will coordinate all aspects of the trip. The pricing starts at $43,500.

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Sentient Jet recently reported that it grew revenue 17 percent to $178 million in 2014. Sales at the jet card provider increased 25 percent to $214 million year-over-year.

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The Citation CJ3, also known by its model number 525B, was first delivered in 2004 and was the third model in the line up of the popular CitationJet, abbreviated to CJ series. This article walks through the specifications and the various costs of ownership for the CJ3, including a scenario that includes charter revenue.

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As the market for large cabin private jets continues to grow, new lenders are emerging to help individuals and corporations finance their aircraft acquisitions. Global Jet Capital started last year and offers a variety of financing options, including operating leases.

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If you're weighing up whether to buy your own private aircraft or whether to buy a fraction, the simplest advice you'll hear is how much do you fly? But this is just a basic starting point. The real deciding points are how are you going to use it, what is your budget and what are your personal travel preferences.

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