Private Jet Charter News

New Jets Able to Span Half the Globe in a Single Bound

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Canadian aviation company Bombardier is aiming to displace Gulfstream as the world’s most expensive business jet with the introduction of two new models. The Global 7000 and 8000, which will cost about $65 million apiece, will beat the high-speed range of the $58.5 million Gulfstream G650. Both new private jets will have a high-speed cruise of Mach 0.90; the 7000 will have a range of 7,300 nmi at Mach 0.85, while the 8000’s range will top out at 7,900 nmi at Mach 0.85. Both will borrow elements from the existing Global Express XRS and 5000.

New wings, new tech and luxe amenities added to increased fuel efficiency will be the hallmarks of the new craft, aimed to appeal to ultra-wealthy customers in India, Asia and the UAE. The 7000 will have the largest cabin in business aviation while the 8,000 will boast the longest range. The 7000 will be able to fly from London to Singapore, New York to Dubai or Beijing to Washington non-stop with 10 passengers, while the 8000 can do Sydney to Los Angeles, Hong Kong to New York and Mumbai to New York non-stop with eight. The private aviation world is eagerly awaiting a jet like this. The Gulfstream 650 will be ready for customers sooner, but Bombardier is upping the ante with these jets. Having the range to fly nonstop from China to New York is one thing, but the ability to carry 8 passengers while you do it is quite amazing. Bravo to Bombardier, looking forward to seeing a full-scale mockup soon

New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Bahamas, London, & More One-Way Destinations

The following jets are available as one-way charter flights. Many can be combined to create complete round-trip travel. With over 10 years of experience as a private charter agency, Executive Charter Services has the reputation for excellence and safety that you demand.  For pricing and other company information, please visit our website or feel free to contact me personally at 866.359.3932.
Kevin W. Godlewski, President

CNN Mistakenly Reports Near Miss

United 747 Nearly “Collides” with Golden Gate Bridge
In one of the more over-blown video reports regarding low flying aircraft, an anchor in Atlanta for CNN emphasizes how “close” the UAL 747 comes to the Golden Gate Bridge.  Watch the video
According to the FAA, The agency had received no complaints about the flyovers performed Oct. 9 and 10 as part of San Francisco’s annual Fleet Week, FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer said. In the video, the jet makes a wide turn before flying low over the bridge. Kenitzer said the aircraft was well above the span, and blamed the angle at which videos were shot for making it appear closer than it actually was.  He said flight restrictions were in place in the area and that an air traffic controller was directing the plane’s altitude. United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said the company was showcasing one of its 747s to celebrate its longstanding partnership with San Francisco. “The fly-by was conducted as part of a well-publicized air show and with the utmost consideration to the safety of the public and the aircraft,” McCarthy said. CNN later aired this segment explaining their misinterpretation of the video.  Watch the video.  Why does every low-flying aircraft automatically draw comparisons to what happened on Sept 11, 2001?  CNN could have easily shown this same video depicting the same sensational visuals and yet explain that although the aircraft APPEARS to come very close to striking the bridge that it was really just a visual trick caused by the angle, distance, and depth perception from where the video was filmed.  CNN gets to roll great footage and yet educate their viewers about the real story.  Two phone calls, one to the FAA, and one to United Airlines PR department would have gotten the complete picture.  Instead, the rush to post/display/report sensational images resulted in much ado about nothing.  Perhaps that was the idea after all – ratings, hits, and blogs.

Many NY-FL, FL-NY One-Way Flights Available, Check Back Often!

The following jets are available as one-way charter flights. Many can be combined to create complete round-trip travel. With over 10 years of experience as a private charter agency, Executive Charter Services has the reputation for excellence and safety that you demand.  For pricing and other company information, please visit our website or feel free to contact me personally at 866.359.3932.
Kevin W. Godlewski, President

Thousands of airline flights cancelled due to dangerous ash plume

Earlier this week a volcano under an Icelandic Glacier erupted and spewed thousands of tons of ash into the atmosphere causing the cancellations of thousands of flights across the globe.  Currently all airspace in Great Britain Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, Estonia, and the Netherlands, is completely closed to all aircraft while airspace was partially closed in France, Germany, Poland, Sweden, Norway, and Ireland.  US airlines are cancelling flights to/from Europe stranding thousands of passengers. It is simply too dangerous to fly.

Volcanic ash clouds are a serious hazard to aviation, reducing visibility, damaging flight controls and ultimately causing jet engines to fail.  Encounters between aircraft and volcanic ash can happen because ash clouds are difficult to distinguish from ordinary clouds, both visually and on radar, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.  Ash clouds can also drift great distances from their source. The eruption in Iceland sent a huge plume of ash moving across the Atlantic, disrupting air traffic across Western Europe.

According to Boeing, flying through an ash cloud should be avoided by all means. The aircraft manufacturer says experience has shown costly damage can occur to aircraft surfaces, windshields and power plants, while ventilation, hydraulic, electronic and air data systems can also be contaminated. Critically, it says the ingestion of volcanic ash by engines may cause serious deterioration of engine performance due to erosion of moving parts and partial or complete blocking of fuel nozzles.  One former pilot said, “it’s like throwing a bucket of beach sand into the engine”.  But it is actually much worse, while the sand would pit and gouge the critically balanced surfaces of a high performance jet engine, eventually the sand would work its way through the system.  But the ash is much more insidious.  Volcanic ash contains particles, whose melting point is below that of an engine’s internal temperature. During flight these particles will immediately melt if they go through an engine. Going through the turbine, the melted materials rapidly cool down, stick on the turbine vanes, and disturb the flow of high-pressure combustion gases.  In the worst case this disorder of the flow may completely stall the engine, causing a complete shutdown of not only the propulsion systems, but electrical, environmental, and oxygen/pressurization systems.

Charging fees for carry-on baggage newest revenue scheme

Spirit Airlines, one of the first airlines to charge for checked baggage has again shifted the paradigm with a new policy that charges passengers for carry-on baggage.  Spirit calls itself an ultra-low cost airline, but this move screams of desperation and ultra-low class.  Spirit states that fliers are carrying more bags aboard and cramming more into those bags in an attempt to sidestep checked baggage fees.  The result of which is delayed boarding and departure times, jammed overhead storage areas, and short tempers.  Spirit hopes that the carry-on baggage fees will limit the amount of overhead baggage and reduce boarding time leading to better on-time performance, addressing a problem of their own creation, ironically, when checked baggage fees appeared.  Spirit’s Chief Operating Officer Ken McKenzie offered this limp explanation: “In addition to lowering fares even further, this will reduce the number of carry-on bags, which will improve inflight safety and efficiency by speeding up the boarding and deplaning process, all of which ultimately improve the overall customer experience. Bring less; pay less. It’s simple.”

In other words, Spirit is now charging you an extra fee to leave on time.

Perfect for PGA, NCAA Final Four, or MLB Spring Training

The following jets are available as one-way charter flights. Many can be combined to create complete round-trip travel. With over 10 years of experience as a private charter agency, Executive Charter Services has the reputation for excellence and safety that you demand.  For pricing and other company information, please visit our website or feel free to contact me personally at 866.359.3932.
Kevin W. Godlewski, President

Special Pricing on One-Way Private Jets

The following jets are available as one-way charter flights. Many can be combined to create complete round-trip travel. With over 10 years of experience as a private charter agency, Executive Charter Services has the reputation for excellence and safety that you demand.  For pricing and other company information, please visit our website or feel free to contact me personally at 866.359.3932.
Kevin W. Godlewski, President

New York, Caribbean, Skiing, Olympics

The following jets are available as one-way charter flights. Many can be combined to create complete round-trip travel. With over 10 years of experience as a private charter agency, Executive Charter Services has the reputation for excellence and safety that you demand.
From Major League Baseball Spring Training, Vancouver Olympics, the opening of the 2010 NASCAR, and PGA Golf, we have plenty of specially priced aircraft available for whatever you may need. For pricing and other company information, please visit our website or feel free to contact me personally at 866.359.3932.
Kevin W. Godlewski, President

Superbowl, Olympics, and more

The following jets are available as one-way charter flights. Many can be combined to create complete round-trip travel. With over 10 years of experience as a private charter agency, Executive Charter Services has the reputation for excellence and safety that you demand. For pricing and other company information, please visit our website or feel free to contact me personally at 866.359.3932.
Kevin W. Godlewski, President

Special Rates on Popular Destinations

The following jets are available as one-way charter flights. Many can be combined to create complete round-trip travel. With over 10 years of experience as a private charter agency, Executive Charter Services has the reputation for excellence and safety that you demand. For pricing and other company information, please visit our website or feel free to contact me personally at 866.359.3932.
Kevin W. Godlewski, President

2010 Shines Hope On Private Jet Travel

The holidays are over, and 2010 has arrived. With the coming of the New Year optimism and cheerful outlooks abound.  While the charter jet industry is still smarting from the PR punishment it took in 2009, some significant signs point to a much better 2010 and 2011.

The economy seems to be stabilizing after a very tumultuous year of highs and lows.  While it is not back to pre-2008-burst levels, at the moment it appears to have settled down quite a bit.  Travel budgets can be planned, staffing levels have stabilized, and corporate travel is increasing again.  Let’s face it, sales still have to be made, and clients still need to be visited – and there is no more efficient way to do that than aboard a private jet.CASE STUDY

Private air travel has been on the uptick month over month since June 2009 and all indications point to a continuance of that trend in 2010.  As we move further into the year some in the industry project flight levels and private jet demand to rebound significantly.

Let’s not forget the leisure factor as record cold temperatures settle in across most of the US.  Many clients prefer the ease and simplicity of travel via private jet charter as opposed to the odious and often delayed/cancelled commercial flights during the winter travel season.  There are few security hassles simply because you know everyone on your plane.  Imagine how easy and pleasant flying would be when you are able to pull up next to your plane, flash a photo ID, board and depart within 5 minutes.  Certainly, taking a private jet on the family trip to Disney, Aspen, The Superbowl, or the Olympic Winter Games is going to be more expensive that commercial travel, but sometime you just can’t put a price on quality time with your family.
 
And that is precisely what private aviation is all about – diminishing unproductive and wasteful time at commercial airports and aboard airliners, while increasing productivity and quality time in the air. 

1968 to The Donald: “We want the jet back!”

Recently, Donald Trump has placed his private jet for sale.  Until now, he has been winging his way around the world in a vintage Boeing 727-100. Circa 1968!  He has decided that an upgrade is in order, and who can blame him?  With the pool of gently used corporate jets growing with each bank failure and fractional sell-off, now is the right time to pick up a good deal.  The jet, registered abroad, is expected to fetch between, ahem,  $4M and $8M.  As shown below, the rich velvet and mint condition Naugahyde ought to be worth that much alone.  Yes, Mr. Trump, time for a new ride.

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Another Online Charter Agency Fails

In a classic example of the failure of the “One Size Fits All” philosophy, Virgin Charter has ceased active operations.  According to a company statement, “…due to the severe decline in corporate travel, Virgin Charter was unable to generate sufficient sales to underpin its business plan and has taken the difficult decision to close its doors.”

Richard Branson’s Virgin USA launched Virgin Charter in mid-2007.  Their model allowed charter users to make all arrangements via Virgins Web Site.  The business model was to charter aircraft owners/operators a fee based on a percentage of sales, but the buyer did not pay to use Virgin Charter
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We’ve recently seen the demise of two of the larger names in the charter business, Jets.com (formerly Charter Auction) and now Virgin.  Market conditions are certainly a major factor in the nationwide slowdown for charter agents and operators; however the business model that loudly proclaims to allow users to book charter jet solely online misses the point of private aviation.
 
Anyone can cruise the web to find accurate pricing for a private jet charter from New York to Aspen or Menlo Park to Las Vegas, but few will ultimately click to purchase an item with a $20,000 ticket price. The consumer wants to know details and speak to someone knowledgeable that can act as a consultant for him.  The online booking model works great for the airlines, because it’s all about filling seats, flying profitable routes at maximum capacity, rigid timelines and schedules, and keeping costs at an absolute minimum, while minimizing consumer flexibility.

Private aviation is different, and we should embrace that difference, not try to turn flying by chartered jet into a JetBlue experience.  This business is about providing personal relationships, flexibility, safety, security, and industry knowledge to those fortunate individuals who are in a position to consider a private jet alternative for their travel.  As the owner of a boutique private jet charter agency, I am saddened to learn of the demise of Virgin Charter, but at the same time – you can’t make consumers conform to your business model.  After all, if anyone could have made online private jet charter successful, Virgin’s and Branson’s reputation and brand-name recognition should have made them the one.

Crew on wayward jet said that they lost track of time while using personal laptops in the cockpit

I purposely waited to blog about Northwest Flight 188 overflying it’s destination until more information had come to light, but now that the NTSB has announced some details of their investigation, I wish to comment.  I’m not 100% sure I believe the laptop story.  I’m a pilot and can tell you from experience that despite conversations in the cockpit, navigating the aircraft, and other distractions inside or outside of the airplane, when ATC calls your tail or flight number, your attention is immediately refocused.  It is rare that ATC would have to call the aircraft more than twice to get the pilot’s attention.  Listen to the ATC feeds found here for an hour and count how many times the controller has to repeat an instruction more than twice – it almost never happens!  I find it hard to believe that both pilots could have been so engrossed as to have missed over an hour’s worth of radio calls and communication requests.
 
Flying any aircraft is complex and is surrounded by inherent risks.  Obviously as the aircraft becomes more sophisticated the potential of a systems breakdown increases.  At 500mph and 35000’ it would only take a few seconds of distraction during a critical period to miss the opportunity to keep the aircraft from entering an unsafe situation.  The outcome of this story could have been much worse.  Imagine if their distraction lasted longer, and the jet ran out of fuel.  Or if there had been severe weather such as the Air France jet from Brazil experienced a few months back.  Imagine how differently the “Miracle on the Hudson” might have ended if Capt. Sullenberger and First Officer Skiles were not ready to immediately analyze the situation, communicate the problem, and quickly determine the best resolution for a successful ditching.  If they had to spend any extra time bringing their focus back to the cockpit to regain situational awareness, hundreds of people might have died.  The airline industry, FAA, DOT, and NTSB do a great job of monitoring, self-monitoring, training, and reacting to help increase passenger safety.

I believe that FAA acted appropriately in this situation by revoking the licenses of two pilots who demonstrated a total deriliction of their duties to their passengers.