The Enlightened Personal Traveler
Enjoy Life to the Fullest
Written and Produced by Mark Patiky
’Tis the season to be jolly … unless, of course, you are going to be among the more than 40 million passengers who will travel by airline this holiday season. On many counts, it’s been a record year for commercial airline decline. More than 50,000 flights were canceled in the summer months alone, and a quarter of the flights that did take off arrived late to their destinations. Between cancellations, missed connections and record numbers of lost bags, it’s a wonder travelers can reach their getaway spots with any time left to enjoy the vacation.
Former hedge fund manager Elizabeth Rice Grossman
knows that the best presents can’t be tied with
a bow. “I have three young grandchildren, and to be
able to go see them whenever I want to or send [my
own plane] to bring them back here is a gift,” says
the longtime Flexjet fractional share owner. “It doesn’t get any
better than that.”
For retired real estate executive and Flight Options fractional
owner Dick Michaux, family a thousand miles away — even when
they live in hard-to-reach places — seems just around the corner,
thanks to his fractional jet share. “We can land at a local airport
minutes from their home or ours,” he says.
And what fun is a family getaway if you have to spend half your
holiday getting there? “There are trips that I just wouldn’t take if I
had to go commercially,” comments John Thompson, chairman of
Toronto-Dominion Bank and a Bombardier Skyjet jet card customer,
who puts high value on making it easy and convenient to
bring friends and family together.
The Secret Revealed
Now you too can discover the secret of enjoyable travel. The
Enlightened Personal Traveler is this season’s wish list of great opportunities
to try and buy the best that private aviation has to offer. It
details the wide variety of options that open up the skies to every
schedule and budget, and it speaks to real people who are rediscovering
the simple joys of family togetherness in a manic, 24/7 world.
From jet cards that make great gifts to fractional shares that allow
you to work smarter and play harder to affordable new small jets
and planes you once only dreamed you could fly yourself, access to
a private aircraft truly is the gift that keeps on giving.
Aircraft Management and Charter
Charter not only offers the ultimate in private jet
advantages without the ownership commitment,
but it’s also the most affordable route, especially
for those who typically make round-trip flights
returning a day or two later, says Gil Wolin, vice
president, corporate communications,TAG Aviation USA, a premier
global aircraft management company. “You buy what you need
whenever you need it and simply pay as you go,” Wolin says.
“Charter also allows you to select a different aircraft for each trip
based on seats required and ultimate destination.”
Standards Vary
Critical standards for safety and service vary widely among the
thousand-plus U.S. charter operators; however, Wolin cautions
that a careful review of independent safety audit information is
imperative. FAA requirements are a bare minimum, he says. So
while the cost might be higher, work only with firms that meet
the toughest industry criteria and make safety and security an
uncompromised priority.
“I think the freedom that’s involved in having
a personal aircraft is much beyond
any material
possession. It’s a great way to celebrate
your success …
and it’s the best way I know to really enjoy life.”
- Steve Boone, Owner/President, Northwest Harley-Davidson
Seek Out the Best
TAG can take care of all details and arrange charter anywhere
nationally or globally through a select network of top independent
charter providers. Bombardier Skyjet similarly contracts for charter,
working only with an elite group of the nation’s best operators
that meets the most rigorous quality standards.
A Jet for All Reasons
As a new range of amazingly capable smaller jets comes to
market, many individuals are considering outright ownership.
Although new buyers often lack the inclination, experience or
resources to take on demanding ownership responsibilities, they
can rely on professional management firms to provide a turnkey
solution.TAG, for example, is one of the world’s largest and most
experienced firms, currently managing more than 100 aircraft at
over 50 locations in the U.S. alone. Each operation is custom tailored
to an owner’s specific needs. In addition, top global firms
like TAG can offer substantial volume discounts on key items like
fuel, maintenance, insurance and training — savings that invariably
offset management fees.
Based on skyrocketing interest in the new breed of small, affordable
jets,TAG has again taken the lead by establishing a light-jet management
program designed to accommodate shared ownership.Up
to four individuals in a similar geographic area can own a single aircraft
based at a convenient local airport and can book the airplane
by the day with no flight-hour restrictions, says TAG Very Light Jet
Program Manager Matthew Sheble.TAG takes care of scheduling,
operations and maintenance, and two highly trained TAG pilots are
dedicated to the aircraft to take you anywhere, anytime.
Fractional Ownership and Jet Cards
Fractional ownership proved that owning just part of
a plane can offer significant advantages over outright
ownership such as anytime, anywhere access or
access to multiple planes simultaneously. Now jet
cards are allowing travelers to experience the
unique advantages of fractional ownership without any of the ownership
commitment.
The fractional concept is simple: You invest in the desired
share size, pay monthly management fees for upkeep and maintenance
and a fixed hourly rate for time spent aboard.You’ll gain
all the tax benefits of ownership but none of the management
responsibilities — and wherever you find yourself, your plane is
just a phone call away.
Jet card programs offer the flexibility of charter combined
with the consistency, safety and reliability of fractional ownership.
But unlike charter, trips are charged on a fixed, per-hour cost and
one-way basis with no positioning or empty-leg fees. It’s an ideal
arrangement for those with flexible or unpredictable schedules
who want to avoid long-term capital investments. Most cards also
offer a full refund on any unused balance.
Marquis Jet Card
Marquis Jet heralded the new era of carefree travel by offering all
the benefits of NetJets fractional ownership without the long-term
capital investment. Sold in 25-hour increments, Marquis Jet Cards
are available in single-aircraft cards as well as combo cards, which
split hours between two different aircraft types. Card owners can
also upgrade or downgrade to their choice of aircraft at a specified
hour-interchange rate, so they always have access to the entire Net-
Jets fleet.And since NetJets is still the only fractional provider with
independent fleets based in Europe and the Middle East, a comprehensive
interchange program allows Marquis Jet Card owners
to travel seamlessly when abroad — and as safely, efficiently and
easily as they do in the U.S.
One Midwest insurance broker found his NetJets fractional
share to be so useful for his company that he purchased a 25-hour
Marquis Jet card for family travel. Now he separates his business
and personal use while retaining the same consistency, service and
quality. “We have four young children, and whenever we travel we
have about 77 bags, and I’m always afraid I’m going to lose one or
the other — either a bag or a child,” he jokes. “Traveling on a Net-
Jets aircraft gives us a level of safety that I really enjoy in addition
to some unique rewards,” he adds.
“One of the founding principles of this company was a commitment to providing the best quality of life to our employees,” says Jim Jacobsen, founder, chairman and CEO of Centerprise Group, a leading national tax-consulting firm based north of Houston. “We are dedicated to maintaining the necessary infrastructure in our organization to make that possible.” His Marquis Jet Card is an invaluable part of that: It’s the perfect way to minimize travel time and wear and tear while boosting productivity and quality of life.
Currently, Jacobsen has a Gulfstream G IV card, but often selects a Cessna Citation X for increased speed and the ability to land at smaller airports. In fact, both planes have become so strategically important that he plans to purchase separate cards for each plane to guarantee availability.
Though Jacobsen and his colleagues are flying close to 200 hours a year, he still prefers the flexibility of the jet card model, with no need to tie up a large portion of his company’s capital. “It lets us be a little more [financially] nimble,” he explains, “and for an organization like ours, that’s critical.”
While the cost is much higher than that of an airline ticket, Jacobsen is grateful to have a tool that provides him with the one thing he never has enough of: time. “I don’t want to be on the road five days a week,” he says. “If I can get it knocked out in a day, it provides the balance I’m looking for.”
Bombardier Flexjet
With adaptable programs and economical options, Bombardier
Flexjet is dedicated to giving customers exceptional leverage in
accessing business aircraft benefits. In addition to the traditional fractional
shares in Bombardier Learjets and Challengers, Flexjet offers
unique leasing opportunities in periods as short as 24 months.
To fine-tune their commitments, owners can take advantage of
innovative programs like “AnyTime Options,” which guarantees access
to larger or smaller aircraft or multiple aircraft in the same day, and
“Versatility Plus,” which allows owners to buy and sell extra hours
through an exchange pool. It’s paid off handsomely for one West
Coast-based advertising executive whose company owns a share in a
Learjet 60, but often trades up to the larger Challenger. “As an owner,
I get to buy up to 25% more hours in an aircraft of my choice,” he
says. “It’s been something that has helped us tremendously.”
In addition, the Flexjet 25 jet card, available in 25-, 30- and
35-hour increments on three Bombardier aircraft, offers the
opportunity to simply buy time without the ownership investment.
For increased economy, different pricing levels are available based
on one’s ability to schedule around peak travel times.
Bombardier Skyjet
Instead of booking charter trips one at a time with varying rates
and no guaranteed availability, Bombardier Skyjet offers a wallet-friendly,
charter-based jet card, available in 25-, 50- and 100-hour
increments with guaranteed access to small-, midsize- or large-cabin
jets. Skyjet utilizes an elite group of the nation’s top charter
providers — the highest-ranked for excellence in safety and service
— that also meets Skyjet’s own stringent quality standards.
Flight time is charged at the predetermined rates, but only for time
spent aboard. If you need a smaller or larger aircraft, you can
upgrade or downgrade using a simple conversion ratio. A combined
one-way/round-trip jet card discount-priced for even greater
savings is also available.
It’s the perfect solution for John Thompson, chairman of
Toronto-Dominion Bank, who retains a Skyjet Card to easily separate
his personal business and leisure travel. Unlike on-demand
charter,Thompson doesn’t need to worry about empty-leg or
repositioning charges when traveling with Skyjet. He also likes
Skyjet’s dedicated personal concierge service, which handles all
travel arrangements.
For the greatest economy,Thompson purchased the midsize aircraft
card, which also gives him the flexibility to select a smaller or
larger plane. But for those who prefer to fly exclusively on Bombardier
aircraft, Skyjet also offers Learjet- or Challenger-specific cards.
After a successful career as a hedge fund manager in New York City, Elizabeth Rice Grossman swapped hectic days on Wall Street for farm life in Ventura County, Calif. But while she loves the slower pace of country living, she still needs a way to move around quickly. With the closest commercial airport well over an hour’s drive away, she knew a private aircraft would be an excellent personal investment.
Grossman did not want the responsibility of owning a plane outright — although she was traveling about 150 hours a year for her new personal business interests — so Flexjet fractional ownership proved to be the perfect answer.
Grossman’s initial share in a Learjet 40 enabled her to serve on boards all across California and Washington and maintain investment properties throughout the West, many of them inaccessible by airlines. Recently, Grossman purchased a second share in the larger Challenger for long-term work in Hawaii and additional bicoastal travel. “It’s an unbelievable luxury,” she exclaims. “It saves you stress. It saves you hours of time. I’m really grateful that I have the opportunity to take advantage of it.”
Today, those fractional shares are paying big dividends by keeping her family connected. “Spending time with the people I care about is the most important thing to me,” emphasizes Grossman. “It’s value added to your whole life.”
Flight Options
Flight Options, owned by Raytheon Corporation, continues to
raise the bar with unique ownership programs. Flight Options
makes private travel increasingly affordable with a streamlined fleet
of small-cabin and midsize Hawkers, ultra-fast Cessna Citation Xs
and large-cabin Embraer Legacy 600s, plus innovative cost-saving
opportunities.
The versatile “Fractional First” plan offers the flexibility of
flying 80% to 120% of total contract hours within the life of the
agreement while paying management fees only on hours flown. Off-peak pricing — yet another way Flight Options is breaking the
fractional mold — adds even greater economy.
Based in airline-challenged Olympia,Wash., Steve Boone,
owner and president of Northwest Harley-Davidson, relies on his
Flight Options Hawker 400. “You just call and the plane shows
up,” he says. “It’s so nice to be able to own a plane and not have
to do anything.” Boone also appreciates the discounted travel rates
available through Flight Options’ “Departure Options” program,
which offers owners increased cost savings in return for greater
flexibility with departure times and specific aircraft requests.
“[With my Skyjet Card], there’s no stress. I have complete control over my schedule
so I can concentrate on playing golf, not on traveling.
It enables me to
take advantage of new opportunities and still get home to my family.”
- Bo Van Pelt, Professional Golfer
Lease options, some for as few as 12 months, offer enhanced
financial leverage.One such option is the popular “Buy 25, Lease 25”
program, through which owners can split hours between
different aircraft if desired, significantly reducing large capital
investments. Meanwhile, the brand-new “Fractional Interchange
Management” program allows buyers to purchase a whole plane
yet retain the advantages of fractional ownership, thereby gaining
benefits never before available to whole aircraft owners.
Combining the timesaving power of a fractional share with the
financial advantage of a JetPASS Ultimate Travel Card, any company
can act like a big firm and budget like a small one. “It’s a much
more efficient way to do business,” says one JetPASS Ultimate
owner. Cards are sold in fixed-dollar amounts with significant discounts
for off-peak travel, and customers can choose from any
small-, midsize- or large-cabin aircraft in the fleet at predetermined
flight-hour pricing.
Rancher Mike Miniat raises cattle, hunts big game and enjoys a good rodeo, but even this cowboy can’t rustle up decent airline service when he’s home on the range. Miniat, whose home and business stretches across 7,400 acres of pristine Colorado countryside, found nothing accessible about a commercial airport that’s a three-hour drive, some of it along treacherous mountain roads.
Fortunately, Miniat discovered the Flight Options JetPASS Ultimate card, and now he’s free to roam. “I live in a remote area in the mountains, but I can fly into our local airport, have my pickup pull right up to the plane and be home in 20 minutes,” Miniat says. “It’s the only luxury I really have out here.”
Flying direct to Honduras to discover new investment properties, frequenting small Midwestern towns for his cattle business or checking on his ranch north of Tucson, Ariz., Miniat’s jet allows him to be “far more aggressive” in his business plans. And since JetPASS Ultimate offers access to any plane in the Flight Options fleet, it’s perfect for his varying travel needs.
Currently, Miniat is averaging 50 hours of flight time a year, but he expects that to increase thanks to the ability to take advantage of discounted off-peak travel. “I live the cowboy life,” says Miniat, whose baggage often consists of merely a saddle. “I can pick and choose my travel days, and that cuts the cost significantly,” he adds. “I’m not the CEO of a big company; I’m just a rancher who wears nothing but blue jeans and cowboy boots, but I find [having a jet card] extremely beneficial.”
Page 1 2
