Is it a gloomy picture for the corprate aviation world as well?

[planemech669]

I was just wondering if there was any news from those working in charters and fractionals.
What is the out look in this sector?
Has it just been a no-growth no-loss situation for the last 10 months?
The only numbers that I have really seen pop up have been manufacturers numbers on slightly decreased new order shipments yet I haven''t seen any breath taking news on operations.

 

[Webster]

Actually, the charter industry is the feeling the direct opposite effect from September 11th. People who were able to afford to charter....but flew the airlines in the past...are NOW chartering. I have been a charter pilot for the past 6 years and my charter company is booming. This will be a record year for us because we have never been busier. My passengers say it is just too much of a hassle to fly the airlines anymore -- we have lots of new clients - a lot of business travelers.

I don't agree with the hassle stigma, but that is what they're saying.

 

[proud2badx]

I am a layed off licensed flight dispatcher and GA pilot,and have formed a small corporate flight dispatch company specifically for jet customers.
As most of us all know the REGS don't require the use of a dispatch release as in Part 121 service, but feel my services to the pilot, company and the customer greatly add to the safety of flight. I was wondering what the pilot felt about this subject and how well recieved my services would be meet.
It gets busy in the front office, and having an extra set of eyes on the ground, tracking your route and looking ahead for you can be very helpful and save alot of time and money for the overall operation.
I am aware that many of the frax ops have dispatch departments for these reasons, however smaller companies cant justify this cost, so I want to fill this nitch with a contract service plan.

What do ya Think? [:bigsmile:]

 

[Webster]

Good idea...but I can only speak for my company which operates about 6 aircraft and has about 25 pilots.

My company, as do a lot of charter operators, rely on the pilots to make all the realtime decisions. We do all our fuel planning, performance problems, flight planning, and make realtime decisions in the air...if we divert, weather, etc. It is always better to have extra eyes on the weather, but don't think my company would pay for something that the pilots have been doing and can continue to do. But I would like it.

 

[proud2badx]

I understand your reply completely, when I fly my C210 I don't need a dispatcher to tell me what I am already doing as a pilot, plus the regs make it my responsibility to be fully informed before I leave. My point would be from a customer selling point in the face of safety comparable to the airlines, and lowered insurance costs to the company.

I have a full ASD system, full airline flight planning and release system and all the weather information anyone would need to follow a flight from start to finish right here on my computer. Enroute communication can be via AIRINC, SITA or worse case Airphone, this way I can give you an enroute undate to weather, possible routing changes coming from ATC and NOTAMS that may pop up. Not to mention the emergency service i can perform if someone gets in trouble and needs to find the best place to go thats open, or has the right equipment for the problem ie aircraft, medical etc..

My service charges are pretty minimal in the scheme of things when your talking about flying corporate jets...

Maybe an Idea before it's time, but we only hear about the Paine Stewart accident that may have been avoided if a dispatcher was working that flight, what about all the things we don't hear about? [(]

 

[Bebop]

The word around NETJETS is:

Cessna can't build planes fast enough to meet our demand.

 

[ericcartman]

actually that is not what I hear.. 30% of customers are turning in their shares at end of 5 year commitment and there is NO equity left in those shares due to depressed conditions

am i WAY wrong?

 

[ericcartman]

I agree.. we boomed post 9/11 (we are a broker / former 135 operator) but since may it has been very slow... we have about 50% of our revenue coming from corporate travel agents and my guess is we lost a lot of biz to NetJets and Ebiz / Sentient... although we are hanging in there.

Where is your outfit?

Are you still with them?

We launched a second business which builds tools for 135 operators to share data and get more trips

We are also thinking about developing a community site just for 135 folks.. what do ya think?

It would focus on:
a) changing environment
B) new technology (Eclipse etc..)
c) and overall Part 135 as a BIG growth / futuresque type thing