Choosing the proper aircraft for each flight

As brokers in the private aviation industry, we take pride in our ability to match our client with an aircraft that not only suits their needs, but is also the right aircraft for the mission.

Several factors must be considered when choosing an aircraft to ensure that the client’s experience is second to none. The first consideration is the most basic; how many passengers will be aboard the aircraft? This will determine, for the most part, the category of aircraft (turbo-prop, light, midsize, heavy) used for the flight. As we all know, for a trip that involves 10 passengers or more a large cabin aircraft is the only option; however, it becomes a bit tricky when it is 8 passengers or less. This is where it becomes imperative to feel out the needs of the client; is their main focus price? Or comfort?

Let’s present a hypothetical situation; you have just received a call from a potential customer who has little experience flying privately. There are a total of 6 passengers, all of whom are adults. The routing is pretty typical; HOU-VNY round trip. If their main focus is price, a light jet is going to be the best option; it will get them to and from their destination in relative comfort at an economical price. This is still dependant on which light aircraft is used; a Learjet 35/31 will be a tighter fit than a Beech Jet 400. If, however, the passengers’ main concern is a comfortable flight, a midsize jet is going to be the aircraft of choice. Once again, the type of aircraft in the midsize category will need to be considered. A Hawker 800XP will provide a little more room than a Learjet 60. A Learjet 60 however, has more luggage capacity.

This brings me to my next topic of conversation; Baggage capacity. Referring back to the hypothetical flight, if the same 6 passengers have golf bags along with small overnight bags it is highly likely that the Hawker 800XP will not be able to accommodate the luggage. A Citation Excel may be a better choice with 87 cubic feet of baggage space. It is very important to understand exactly what the passengers will be bringing on board in the way of baggage. One of the worst situations that you can put yourself in is selling the customer an aircraft that will not fit all of their belongings into the luggage compartment.

I’m sure that some of us have had that uncomfortable phone call in our early days of a customer on the tarmac asking how you intend to get all of their golf clubs to their destination in time for their 7:30 AM round of golf… The third area to be considered when choosing an aircraft is the trip itself. The range of an aircraft will determine whether or not it is capable of completing the trip at hand. If the passenger would like a VNY – TEB with a total of four passengers and does not mind a fuel stop headed both directions, then a light jet will be just fine. If however, a fuel stop is not an option; a super mid such as a Citation X is in order. It is also important to remember that California to Hawaii cannot be reached by a light or mid unless it has been custom fitted with larger fuel tanks. The same goes for the east coast of the U.S. to Europe; a large cabin such as a Gulfstream GIVSP is ideal for this trip. In the world of private aviation there are so many different aircraft options; which in turn means many details to be considered. It is up to the broker to study this information until it becomes second nature; this will enable you to provide knowledgeable and professional assistance to all of your clients.

Range- The calculated distance in miles, which an aircraft is able to travel without a fuel stop.

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