Business Jet Traveler » February 2013

Exit Strategy
February 26, 2013
Exit Strategy
Trip-protection insurance is popular with airline passengers who worry that a change in plans could mean forfeiture of airfare, prepaid accommodations and other upfront travel costs. Many air charter customers could benefit even more from such coverage, due to the amount of money at stake. Charter operators typically assess cancellation penalties that escalate as departure times approach.
The Xojet difference
February 26, 2013
The Xojet difference
Xojet is on a tear. Launched in January 2006 with a small staff and a few airplanes, the company now employs more than 350 people and operates 47 super-midsize business jets out of Brisbane, Calif.
The changing face of aircraft lending
February 26, 2013
The industry is already subject to substantial regulation. A Forbes 400 client purchasing an airplane recently faced the kind of scrutiny normally reserved for convicted felons. (Illustration by John Lewis)
Having emerged battered and bruised from the 2008 recession, aircraft lenders face fresh challenges. While worldwide economic woes linger like a bad cold that won’t go away, these lenders can expect accounting and regulatory changes that may have a significant impact on their business.
Haute Cuisine: This chocolate mousse hails from Brazil
February 26, 2013
This chocolate mousse hails from Brazil
This light, airy and delicious confection is a variation of a dessert born in France in the 1600s, following the introduction of Spanish hot chocolate.
The trips you can’t forget
February 26, 2013
The trips you can’t forget
If you’ve been flying privately for a while, you can probably name a few missions that stand out as being particularly memorable. Maybe it was a whirlwind business trip when you packed a lot of important–and profitable–visits into very little time. Or perhaps it was an impromptu ski trip you dialed up just because your favorite resort was reporting fresh powder.
Eurocopter EC145T2
February 25, 2013
Eurocopter EC145T2
The robust Eurocopter EC145 light/medium-twin helicopter, which has long been popular with EMS operators and the military (see box), is increasingly being ordered for executive transport.
Preparing to ditch
February 25, 2013
Preparing to ditch
It was his third try, and the first two hadn’t gone well. The man was seated in a bus-like facsimile of an airplane cabin suspended above what looked like an Olympic-size swimming pool. At the command of the leader of the exercise, the big blue “fuselage” plunged into the water and slowly turned upside-down.
11 Great Hotels and Resorts You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
February 25, 2013
Lilianfels, Blue Mountains, Australia
We asked three of our favorite travel writers to describe the finest little-known hotels and resorts they’ve discovered. Some are off the beaten path or new or do not advertise. Others are just plain obscure. All are certified great by our panel of globetrotters. Happy traveling.  
Jordan's Petra
February 21, 2013
Jordan's Petra
Dawn blew a gentle breeze through the entryway, but a few paces beyond, stillness prevailed. Unseen birds chirped wakeup calls and chalky dust stirred at my feet. I felt humbled as I trekked down the same path used by the Nabataeans, the people who prospered here 2,300 years ago.
Climb aboard–so to speak
February 8, 2013
Climb aboard–so to speak
While most aircraft completion and refurbishment centers these days can provide clients with a one-dimensional, computer-generated virtual cabin walk-through in various design phases, some centers now offer much more advanced 3-D virtual interiors. Others are creating real, full-scale mockups that let customers literally enter a replica of the cabin.

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Quote/Unquote

“Let me be straight with you. What I'd rather have is an airplane. We just had a third kid. I don't like flying commercial. I like to take my family to Hawaii. When I go east, I'd like to have pilots I know. ”

-Steve Jobs