2013 Readers' Choice Survey

In our most comprehensive reader survey to date, we asked more questions about more aspects of the private aviation experience than in past polls, and we received answers from a record number of subscribers—nearly 1,100 of you.

Many of the results confirm what we found in our previous surveys: contrary to what the general public seems to believe, many people who fly privately are doing so primarily not to enjoy luxury but to enhance their efficiency. For example, “save time” remains the number-one reason for using business aviation, followed by “ability to use airports that airlines don’t serve”—which is really just a variation on “save time.”

But there were some surprises.

Among the stats that caught our eye were the ones about how frequently readers are flying privately. When we asked how your flying has changed in the past year, the answers boiled down to “not much.” About 38 percent said they flew about the same amount as in the year before while 30 percent said they flew a bit or much more and an approximately equal number (32 percent) said they flew a bit or much less. But when we asked about the year ahead, we heard a different story: 46 percent expect to fly about the same amount, and 12 percent plan to fly a bit or much less. But a whopping 42 percent anticipate flying a bit or much more.

If that prediction proves even partly true, it will mean a good year indeed for business aviation.

Click here for the survey results.