When Comparing Charter Jet Aircraft, Is Bigger Always Better?

In the competitive world we live in, the general consensus in most comparisons is that bigger always equals better. We all want bigger homes, bigger cars or bigger boats.

But in matters of aviation, does size really matter? Is bigger always better? Well, first you need to understand the difference between the size options in corporate jets. There are three different classes of jet, starting with the smallest or Light Jets, moving up to Mid-Sized Jets, and continuing on to the largest, or Heavy Jets.

Heavy jets are the biggest class of business jets, but are they better than mid-size or light jets? That certainly depends on your definition of “better.” At Stratos Jet Charters, we define “best” dependent on what you are trying to do. Based on this definition, there are number of variables to consider, including your budget, the number of passengers you are traveling with and your itinerary.

Light jets are configured to seat six to eight passengers, have shorter ranges, smaller cabin sizes - which may make moving around inside the cabin more difficult during long flights, and baggage space can also be limited. Another consideration is that the lavatory configuration may consist of a potty seat with a curtain providing the only source of privacy. Although mid-sized jets are also typically configured to seat the same six to eight passengers, as expected their capabilities such as range, cruising speed, cabin room and cargo space all increase within this class of jets.

Continue upward to heavy jets, and you now have aircraft with greatly increased range and configured to seat up to 16 passengers, offering a full “stand up” cabin with plenty of space to move around during the flight, large capacities for baggage and a fully enclosed lavatory. Flight attendants, not present on light and mid-sized business jets, are another nice addition. Jet charter rates per hour and the speeds at which they travel also increase as the aircraft size increases.

If you have two passengers trying to hop over from Boston to Washington D.C. for a quick meeting, and then they will jump right back on and head home to Boston, the best jet for the trip would be a light jet. They are fast, efficient and inexpensive. With just two passengers on a one-hour flight, the comfort level is fine.

If you have four passengers flying from Atlanta to Phoenix for a couple days of golf, a mid-size jet will be the best option. On a three hour flight, 4 passengers with four sets of clubs would probably be a bit cramped on a light jet. You would certainly fit but the added comfort might be worth the added expense, especially if the trip is for a special occasion like an anniversary, a birthday or for entertaining important clients or good friends.

Flying from Miami to London? Your best option is probably a heavy jet. You’ll want to have enough room to stand up and stretch your legs, or lie down to get some sleep on the 7 hour flight. The cabin attendant will tend to all of your needs by providing you with meal and beverage service, and with the extended range, you won’t need to make a fuel stop in either direction.

So when chartering a business jet, bigger isn’t always better. The best jet is always the one best suited to your individual needs – one that has enough space for you and your luggage, enough range to get you where you want to go non-stop, if possible, and that has all the amenities you will need and expect for your trip.

There are also other specific flight requirements that we use to assist our clients in choosing the right aircraft for their trip, including things like high altitude capabilities, aircraft that are better suited for bad weather conditions or that can takeoff and/or land on short airfields, or that have specific cruising speeds or cargo capacity.

We will shine the spotlight on each of these individual capabilities, and the market leading jets in each category, in future posts. But the bottom line will always remain the same – at Stratos Jet Charters, we always focus on providing our clients with “The Right Jet for the Right Trip.”

Thanks,

Joel Thomas – President, Stratos Jet Charters

Our Aviation Security Partners Can Provide The Complete Protection That You Want And Need

At Stratos Jet Charters, our jet charter agent experts often arrange transportation for government officials, dignitaries, public figures, athletes and other high-profile clients who require additional security or support during their travel experience. International travel can also present unique security and safety issues that we have the ability to handle efficiently. As yet another component of our complete client service capabilities, we work in close proximity with our security partners every day to provide the protection that our charter clients want and need.

Our highly-professional security providers are exclusively dedicated to the aviation community, and have a long history of meeting and exceeding our clients’ expectations. They deliver total security solutions and service that is consistent, responsive and innovative – designed for the complete physical safety and protection of our clients and their passengers, as well as their property and their financial interests.

Our security partners are also committed to providing us with the best personnel in the business, trained to utilize state-of-the-art techniques in preparation of the challenges they face in today’s post-9/11 security environment. Our providers are also State Department approved, and include many former members of the US military. They also provide qualified security screening and security personnel for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Department of Homeland Security, and in support of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA).

Through our security partners we can provide highly specialized and customized services such as:
• Checkpoint and Baggage Screening Services
• Command and Control
• Ground/Airfield Security
• Cargo Inspections and Security
• Canine Screening and Patrol

So when traveling with Stratos Jet Charters, know that we can make arrangements for any safety and security needs or concerns that you may have. Please share your specific travel security requirements with your Stratos Jet Charters agent, and we will take it from there.

Your safety is of utmost importance to us, and we are dedicated to offering you the best, most highly-trained and professional security staff for your protection. This is just another of the world-class services that we are proud to offer our invaluable clients.

Joel Thomas – President, Stratos Jet Charters

Differentiating Beyond Price – Your Tool Kit For Making Intelligent Jet Charter Decisions Part 2: Aircraft Maintenance

Part 2 - Aircraft Maintenance and Your Safety and Security During Jet Charter Flights

When you hire Stratos Jet Charters as your air charter agent, it is our job to identify all relevant aircraft, ensure the proper certification, maintenance and safety of each plane and to create a competitive market for your charter flight. While there are some charter brokers who may understand all facets of the air charter industry, there are others with limited aviation experience who place a priority on their profit, and your needs second.

Determining the motivation of the broker you are working with can be a difficult task. So in order to help you read “between the lines”, we are actively working to educate our clients. With your safety in mind, we have created this educational series, a “tool kit” to arm you with useful information that will help you make the best, most educated decisions when you are chartering your next flight.

Our first topic centered on the issue of aircraft insurance verification and how important is for your protection. Now we move to a second and equally critical topic, the issue of aircraft maintenance.
When it comes to the maintenance of a Part 135 aircraft, there are different programs that can be utilized, such as CAMP, AAIP, factory maintenance or in-house maintenance. Aircraft maintenance is a major component in the hourly rate of your private charter flight. While the FAA has strict guidelines on the standards of maintenance for charter aircraft, the quality of that maintenance can vary when comparing maintenance facilities. If you are working with a broker, do they know who does the maintenance on the aircraft you will be flying? And if the maintenance is done in-house, for example, does your broker know what type of experience and certification this crew possesses?

With charter brokers who are not in business for the “long haul”, not only will your level of customer service almost certainly be diminished, but they may be willing to take more risks when it comes to your charter flight and your safety.

In their pursuit of profits, they may choose an aircraft operator who is also running at the lowest possible margins to remain profitable. Operators who run at such tight margins inevitably run into problems down the road. They can only run “thin” for so long, before they are forced to cut corners; from routine maintenance, to paying the best pilots and even retaining a quality dispatch crew. The business philosophy of these operators doesn’t leave much, if any, leeway when it comes to the issue of aircraft maintenance. This is certainly not a situation that you, your family or business associates want when boarding your next charter flight. Knowing that the operator(s) that your charter broker selects aren’t experiencing any financial difficulties or cash flow problems can give you the confidence and peace of mind you want and need during your next charter flight.

This is why you should never choose a charter broker or an aircraft operator based on price, and price alone. The safety and security of the passengers must be the primary consideration for every charter flight.

When you choose to work with an air charter broker, you will want to inquire about the broker’s aviation industry experience and knowledge of Federal Aviation Regulations as well as ensure the air charter broker provides you with the information requested in this Stratos Jet Charters Aircraft Charter Purchasing Guide so that you will be familiar with the air charter operator(s) that may conduct your flight(s). If the air charter broker is unwilling or unable to provide you with this required information, you should consider working with another agent, such as Stratos Jet Charters, who can provide you with the necessary information.

Of course, sometimes there are legitimate mechanical issues or problems that will arise, ones that are not the result in any way of improper maintenance or cost-cutting measures. After all, these are extremely complex machines we are talking about! In these situations, how will your charter broker handle the situation? If there is a mechanical problem of this nature during a Stratos Jet Charters flight, you can rest assured that we have backup aircraft sourced and waiting on standby for you. Our promise to you is that we will have another aircraft ready and available to you within 4 hours. This is all just another part of our commitment to you – our invaluable clients!

Joel Thomas – President, Stratos Jet Charters

Your Safety, And The Mission Of Stratos Jet Charters

Picture yourself in this situation. You’re on a jet that is headed for Minneapolis. Your flight seems unusually long. Then you suddenly realize that your pilots have over-flown the airport by more than an hour. Even scarier still; after landing, you receive word that your pilots may have been asleep during the flight.

For the 144 passengers onboard the Northwest flight 188, this nightmarish vision became a reality. Early reports indicate that the pilots flying the Airbus A320 out of San Diego were not asleep at the wheel, but were engrossed in a new, complicated crew-scheduling system. They were so distracted from their duties that they failed to respond to frantic radio calls from air traffic controllers on the ground in Denver and in Minneapolis.

The incident, which resulted in both pilots losing their licenses, could have been avoided had the pilots been restricted from using laptops during the flight. Currently, no federal rules exist to specifically ban pilots’ use of laptops and other personal electronic devices on flights above 10,000 feet. However, there are rules against unnecessary distractions during a critical phase in flight at any altitude; critical phases include taxi, takeoff and landing.

Furthermore, the pilots were distracted by the confusing crew-scheduling system, a system that should have been figured out on the ground, or by somebody else.

Incidents like these, though seemingly one-in-a-million, serve as proof that an experienced air charter agent is needed to ensure the safety of every FAR Part 135 jet charter flight. Stratos Jets agents evaluate the pilots schedule around the dates of every charter flight. We do this to avoid conflicts that might arise related to FAA duty restrictions or potential risk related to pilot fatigue. Additionally, we make sure that the pilots of your charter aircraft have plenty of experience behind the yoke and are fully alert during your charter flight.

Our personal mission at Stratos Jet Charters is to provide our clients with the safest, most well maintained aircraft, under the command of the most experienced pilots. Our air charter agents are experts in the field of business aviation and we want you to experience the best flight possible. Whether you’re flying from Philadelphia to New York or Paris to Washington D.C., your air charter agent is looking out for you. Since Stratos Jets doesn’t own or operate any aircraft, we spend our time making sure every flight is a safe one.

Joel Thomas – President, Stratos Jet Charters