Business Jet Traveler » October 2010

Why I fly privately
October 1, 2010
"Once you have sipped the sweet nectar of freedom, you don't go back. If I had to fly commercial and could stay in the suite in the top of a hotel or take a private plane and stay in just a room, I'd say, 'Give me the plane.' The airport experience is an on­going, deteriorating horror story." --political consultant James Carville  
It doesn't have to cost a fortune
October 1, 2010
If you fly only 100 hours per year, don't expect owning your own jet to be co
ELSEWHERE IN THIS ISSUE, YOU'LL FIND PLENTY of discussion about the tangible and intangible benefits of using business aviation, but what about the expenses? Nobody ever said flying privately is cheap, but the good news is that it can be less costly than you might think-if you take steps to minimize expenses.
By the Numbers: The bizav airport advantage
October 1, 2010
Supporters of business aviation often point out that there are more than 5,000 airports in the U.S. that are accessible by general aviation aircraft. But that figure includes everything from large international airline hubs to tiny grass strips.
You're safe on a business jet
October 1, 2010
ALL TRANSPORTATION METHODS INVOLVE some risk, but corporate/executive business jets enjoy a stellar safety record, with only one fatal accident since 2007. That's according to statistics on U.S.-registered aircraft from Robert E. Breiling Associates, an aviation-safety research firm.
Wi-fi in the sky
October 1, 2010
Aircell's GoGo service has been a homerun success for two simple reasons: the
One of the big advantages bizav has over airline travel is your ability to get more done by hitting multiple stops in a single day. Now, thanks to in-flight Internet services such as Aircell's GoGo Biz, Inmarsat's SwiftBroadband and ViaSat's Yonder Broadband, you can do more on the way, too.
A down-to-earth look at flight departments
October 1, 2010
“We couldn’t operate without the airplanes.”
WE'VE WATCHED CEOS SLINK AWAY RATHER than defend their aircraft and waited to hear from executives willing to go on record about the benefits of business aviation.
When there's no substitute for a business jet
October 1, 2010
Kimberly-Clark operated the iconic douglas DC-3.
Over the years, more than a few all-business-class airlines have tried to lure customers who might otherwise opt for private aviation. What we haven't often seen is a corporate flight department trying to morph itself into an airline with the same goal in mind. But that has happened at least once. 
Boeing's BBJ 3
October 1, 2010
Why would anyone need a BBJ 3? I got the answer a few years ago while touring
PLANETARIUM CEILINGS, gold-plated bidets and Louis XIV interiors may have fallen out of fashion for new Boeing Business Jets in this economy, but you can sum up the latest version of this private uber barge in one word: more. 
Retiring an outmoded jet
October 1, 2010
Today I dusted off a book that I've had for 45 years: Air Navigation, Department of the Air Force. Flipping through the book-which was a gift from an Air Force navigator, the father of one of my Cub Scout buddies-always stirs up memories. One concerns the time my buddy, Richie, and I submitted unsolicited pencil-sketch proposals for fighter jets to the Kennedy Administration.
Eight ways to make the most of your time on board
October 1, 2010
Some people call business airplanes time machines because they can dramatically reduce the number of hours and days it takes to travel from place to place. But flying privately does still require you to spend some time in transit. Here are eight ways to use that time more productively:

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Quote/Unquote

“[New billionaires in fast-growing countries] have to buy longer-range airplanes. If you’re flying from Mongolia to Nigeria, it’s either a three-day journey flying commercial or a nine-hour flight on your jet.”

-Steve Varsano, owner of London’s The Jet Business