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Private Jet Charter: Always Make Sure Your Flight Is A Safe One When choosing a private jet charter company for your next flight, you will find numerous questions you ought to ask to ensure you're receiving not only the safest flight, but the best value for your money. Just what exactly is the experience level of your pilots and how regularly do they train? The most important safety component during your private jet charter flight is the level of experience of the pilots. To save funds, some operators will hire less experienced pilots that meet FAA minimal standards. More seasoned pilots cost more money to employ, while a less experienced aircraft pilot is willing to work for a reduced salary as they "pay dues" and gain experience. The FAA requires that the pilots for your private jet charter or fractional flight journey have between 1000 and 1500 hours of flight working experience. Many fractional operators, such as Netjets or Avantair, require 2500 hours of flight experience from their pilots. A few jet charter providers just adopt the FAA minimums and simply require 1000 hours of experience from their pilots. A few jet charter operators might use an experienced captain, but place a low time pilot in the right seat. What would happen if the captain became incapacitated during the flight and the low-time copilot had to take over? What if the pilots experienced an unexpected emergency they were not both equally well prepared to deal with? The higher-end private jet charter operators that are safety-minded recruit pilots that far surpass these minimum requirements. Very best practices in aviation demand that both pilots assigned to your flight have at least 5000 hours of flight working experience, with both pilots captain-qualified. Additionally, top level operators mandate their pilots attend simulator-based emergency training, such as provided by FlightSafety International and CAE Simuflite, at least two times per year. What is your safety record? The safety record of an operator is the most significant factor in choosing a private jet charter company. An operator who has been accredited by an independent third party puts high importance on basic safety, and has met a higher operational and safety standard than that regulated by the Faa. You can find out the safety record of the operator in several ways; 1) Contact the local office of the Federal Aviation Administration, known as the Flight Standards District Office, and ask if the operator has ever experienced any accidents or incidents. 2) Request a third party report from Wyvern, the market leader in aircraft charter operator safety reports. This report, known as the PASS (Pilot and Aircraft Safety Survey), covers the experience level of their pilots, their training currency, and safety data relating to the charter operator and aircraft. 3) Ask the operator what their safety rating is, and if they have had a third party audit of their operations. The principal industry auditors are ARG/US, Wyvern, IS-BAO and also the Air Charter Safety Foundation. A successful conclusion of an audit by any one of these organizations is critical to ensure the highest level of safety for your flight. The correct answers to these questions will guarantee you have chosen the right private jet charter company for your next charter flight. Aircraft Charter - What You Don't Ask Can Hurt You Whether you utilize the services of a charter broker or contract directly with an aircraft charter operator for your next private jet charter flight, the tough questions must be asked to ensure your flight meets all regulatory and safety standards. What Are Empty Legs And One-Ways In Air Charter Deals? Today's savvy private jet traveler has a host of options available when choosing a private jet flight from a charter service. The Meaning Of Aircraft Charter Safety Ratings When choosing an aircraft charter provider, it is important to determine whether the charter company you are considering meets the highest safety standards possible. Aircraft Spotlight: Citation Encore If you walk out onto a busy general aviation ramp anywhere in the world today, chances are good that you'll spot a Cessna Citation aircraft.
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