What does it cost the owners to buy into the fractionals?

[miles otoole]

Actually you have to compare "apples to apples." To say a CJ2 is cheaper than a Hawker800 XP is a no brainer. However comparing a C Ultra to a Lear or CX, you would look at cost per mile. Faster means fewer hours to pay for (hourly rate) as well as the ability to utilize more hours per year in your contract which will lower the overall cost of the faster AC as capital costs (purchase price) and the monthly fees are fixed.

 

[mzaharis]

If you go for a program like Sentient Jet, which is a glorified charter operation, they charge $3,800/hour one-way, and $2,800 round-trip for a Beech 400A. They make many of the same availability and simplicity of access promises as the fractionals, but it is basically a pool of privately owned aircraft that Sentient charters. A bit like a Jetcard program, but without the central aircraft management. I'd guess that aircraft and flight crew quality would be more variable. The other nice thing is that you don't pay for capacity that you don't use.

This is from a guy with no personal experience - I only read the website, so take what I say for what it's worth . . .

http://www.sentientjet.com/pricing/jets/jets.aspx?cat=5&id=5721&pref=y

 

[miles otoole]

I wonder how many 500 hour part time $20 and hour FOs who never touch the controls fly through charter Sentient? Remember, you get what you pay for. I'd rather both my pilots be typed in relatively new AC and making a "decent" salary.

 

[English]

I wonder how many 500 hour part time $20 and hour FOs who never touch the controls fly through charter Sentient? Remember, you get what you pay for. I'd rather both my pilots be typed in relatively new AC and making a "decent" salary.

Alot.

I used to do Sentient charters through a former employer. I flew single pilot most of the time, but Sentient required two pilots. Although there were other qualified pilots at the company, the company always recruited local CFIs to sit in the right seat. My former employer made the Sentient paperwork look like they were emploees, but they weren't. In fact, they had absolutely no 135 training at all. They sat in the right seat when passengers were on board. They didn't work radios, pull gear or anything except provide good conversation to yours truly during the flight. On the empty legs, I'd let them fly. YIKES. Good thing they weren't flying with passengers on board, but ya know, it really wasn't their fault, having received no training and all.

 

[NJAowner]

Frax vs. charter

We can write for quite along time about frax vs. charter. Frax is definitely more expensive, but worth it. You may want to ask Payne Stewart (but you can't) about his flights on well maintained charter planes with experienced capable crews. His crash made many think twice about cheap charters you do not know well. Unfortunately for him, being a Flex owner, he should have waited the few extra hours for the FlexJet to arrive.

Fly safe.

P.S. -- how can we put a monetary value on knowing that Mr. NetJetWife is in the right seat of our flight. --- just being sarcastic NJW -- no harm meant. But it is true -- he is an experinced pilot and not all chaters have them.

 

[ozpilot]

With charter, you get what you pay for. In a fractional program you often get more than you pay for. On my last trip I flew an Be-400 Owner in the ten. Not only did he get a bigger airplane for his money but it actually cost him less since we got him there sooner!

 

[rajflyboy]

If you use charter for business you could write that off as well!

 

[GVFlyer]

I'm curious as to what kind of deals owners are getting in the fractional world right now.

What cost to buy in, how much management fee per month, and what cost per hour to fly.

I can help with the Gulfstream. GV quarter shares (the only fraction that make economic sense) are going for $9,625,000. Monthly management fee is $53,388 and each occupied hour is billed at $3,244.

GV

 

[LXJ31]

On the Payne Stewart thing, its my understanding that the LR-35 that crashed was part owned by either his agent or the guy they were doing business with in Orlando. He did not have a Flex trip scheduled as far as I know.

Another thing about charter V frax is recovery time. A fractional can have another airplane standing by very quickly when an airplane breaks. Even in Moosejaw.