135 charter startup

[bugchaser]

Anyone have experience starting a 135 charter operation. I have been thinking about this for some time and am looking for any advise that I can get. Would like to offer charter and pilot instruction. I have a good location picked out and feel there is a need for the service if it can be marketed correctly. Any ideas on the best aircraft for this type of deal? Any and all comments welcome.

 

[cvsfly]

Alot of patience and alot of money and anything is possible. We haven't made a dime yet with a BE-200 (only doing about 250 hrs of charter/yr and 150 corporate). Actually we are losing money, but the boss isn't using the plane that much (but doesn't want to get ride of it) and he wants us to have enough flying - so I'm no longer going to argue. Insurance costs are outrageous. You can't even get commercial insurance on some pistons. We are also in a soft but not bad market area. Only turbine operation going. Our market probably could use another piston twin (one other operator with a Navajo), but you would have to keep it flying 5-6 days a week to make any money. Start with your local FSDO. If they are friendly and helpful they may even tell you along the way what is required from week to week from them and that will take at least 6-8 mo. If they are not helpful, they just give you the info pack and you have to muddle through it to figure out what is required and that will take 1 - 1.5 years.

 

[Rick1128]

The ATL FSDO's website has the low down on starting a 135 operation. What is required, etc. Our FSDO refers anyone who talks about it to that website. Besides getting into see anyone at the FSDO is in for a shock. You now have to have an appointment and so on.

The insurance for our turboprop (PA42) is less than half of what it is for our pistons (CE421). Keep that in mind when looking at aircraft. And it will depend on your market. In some markets, it doesn't pay to even consider a piston aircraft. That market is over saturated. Then you will have to decide how big you need to be. If you are small enough, your paperwork requirements will be reasonably small.

Good luck.

 

[cvsfly]

.........
The insurance for our turboprop (PA42) is less than half of what it is for our pistons (CE421). Keep that in mind when looking at aircraft. And it will depend on your market. In some markets, it doesn't pay to even consider a piston aircraft. That market is over saturated. Then you will have to decide how big you need to be. If you are small enough, your paperwork requirements will be reasonably small.

Good luck.

Rick1128, I'd be interested in some details of your insurance on your Turbo-prop. Our's on the BE-200 (91 & 135) has gone through the roof (renewed 2/1/03 - up $15,000 this year, and $10,000 in 2002 and that only by reducing coverages) and I have no definative answers for the boss. Agent said a statistical report came out this year reporting higher accident rates on TPs resulting in increases for hull coverage. It was liability last year. Interested to know your hull coverage, liability, deductable, premimum, and pilot requirement stipulations. PM me if you can.

 

[g159av8tor]

Anyone have experience starting a 135 charter operation. I have been thinking about this for some time and am looking for any advise that I can get.

Here's an old 135 start-up adage: "In aviation, it takes a large fortune to make a small one."

Tailwinds...