Month: February 2015

9 Things You Didn’t Know About Aviation

ConfusionYou may think you know a lot about air travel, but let’s put that claim to the test. If you want to impress your aviation pals at your next get-together, take note of these nine interesting and little-known facts about aircraft:

  1. Commercial airline pilots and copilots never eat the same meal. Why? In the event that one of them gets food poisoning, the other will still be well enough to fly the plane. It makes you look at the airport food a little differently, doesn’t it?
  2. You lose about two cups of water from your body for every hour you spend flying. Most of the moisture is lost through breathing, and dehydration is a common complaint among passengers on long flights.
  3. Flight attendants have significant levels of first-aid training. They really are safety personnel and will likely be the first to assist you in an in-flight medical emergency.
  4. Statistically, flying is still the safest form of transportation after the elevator and escalator. In the rare event of a plane crash, you have a 96% chance of surviving.
  5. The word “stewardess” is the longest word in the English language that is typed exclusively using the left hand on a keyboard. (Go ahead and try it!)
  6. A commercial aircraft door will not open in flight — it can’t because it is actually bigger than the door frame itself and it’s designed to open inward, toward the cabin. To open the door while the plane is flying would require the equivalent strength needed to lift a 2,200-pound weight.
  7. Only 5% of the entire world’s population has ever traveled by aircraft; however, more than 80% of people claim to be afraid of flying.
  8. Ever wondered why so many people prefer V8 juice as an in-flight beverage? The ability to taste salty flavors is hindered by cabin pressure. So the juice, which is very high in sodium content, actually tastes sweeter in the air than it does on the ground.
  9. Most aircraft that fly internationally display their home country’s flag painted on or near the tail and facing forward on the left side of the plane, backward on the right side. This is because it imitates how a flag would look if it were hoisted on a pole above the plane during flight.

Contact L & L International if you need assistance in purchasing or selling a private jet. 
You can reach our sales specialists today at sales@L-Lint.com, call us any time at +1.305.754.3313, or visit us online.

Bizav: Not Just for the Corporate Giants

Business travelWhen most people think of business aviation, they imagine a large private aircraft used by a well-known conglomerate, filled with business people in suits making deals. But here’s a surprising fact: Smaller businesses, not the Fortune 500 giants, operate the majority of business aircraft. Specifically, a large majority (85%) of companies who own and operate business aircraft are small and midsized businesses (SMBs); the largest corporations operate only 3% of the U.S. business aircraft fleet.

Bizav is big among SMBs

Why is bizav so popular among SMBs? Many of the smaller U.S. businesses operate in markets across the country where commercial airlines have reduced or even eliminated services, leaving the private jet market to pick up the slack.

Owners of SMBs also realize that they get the same competitive advantage that larger companies do by investing in a business jet. A business aircraft allows them to compete efficiently and fosters productivity among their employees. Business owners with a business aircraft can quickly travel to more places — often visiting two or three places in a single day. And their aircraft are equipped with the latest communications technologies, enabling owners and executives to stay connected with their associates on the ground. Studies consistently prove that companies that operate business aircraft are more competitive, more productive, and earn greater profits than those that don’t.

A smart investment

Sure, the initial cost of an aircraft can be daunting for smaller businesses, but comparison studies show that when the costs of commercial airfare are combined with overnight expenses for food and hotels and car rentals, they typically exceed a private aircraft’s costs. Add to those overhead costs and the loss of time for traveling executives who are disconnected from the rest of the company while in the air — especially if their destination is not close to a major airline hub — and the benefits of a private jet really begin to shine.

In the fall of 2010, a study by NEXA Advisors and the NBAA found that the investment in a private aircraft was a smart one for many U.S. SMBs. Companies using business aircraft produced better financial results, posted greater top-line growth, and achieved better customer access, improving customer retention and securing new sources of revenue.

Private jets offer the same benefits to all businesses, regardless of their size. If your company leadership and sales employees travel frequently, take a few minutes to add up all their travel costs. You may find that a pre-owned private jet, combined with today’s lower fuel costs, could save your small or mid-sized business a significant amount of money.

Contact L & L International if you need assistance in purchasing or selling a private jet. 
You can reach our sales specialists today at sales@L-Lint.com, call us any time at +1.305.754.3313, or visit us online.

Find the Perfect Getaway This Valentine’s Weekend

Picnic with red wineAnother year, and another Valentine’s Day is almost here. As a jet owner, you have plenty of options for making the holiday memorable for you and your significant other. If you haven’t made plans yet, consider a spur-of-the-moment getaway to one of these three destinations — each perfect for a Valentine’s weekend retreat.

Napa Valley

A wine lover’s paradise, people around the globe flock to this destination in the summer months — but Napa Valley is also perfect for a winter season getaway. February is Cabernet season, and the wine makers and chefs of Napa Valley really get into the season of love. You and your partner can enjoy top-quality wines perfectly paired with tasty bites. Don’t miss Calistoga’s Castella di Amorosa, a picturesque castle set in a beautiful vineyard whose name fittingly translates to “Castle of Love.”

Virgin Islands

If you’ve been longing to escape winter’s cold and lounge on a beach with your favorite person, this is the place to escape on Valentine’s Day. This Caribbean paradise enjoys temperatures that stay between 70 and 80 degrees all year round. The breathtaking beaches of St. Thomas, the romantic seclusion of St. John, and the history of St. Croix give you lots of options. Enjoy the convenience of paying for your trip with U.S. dollars when you stay within the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Sedona, Arizona

Not just a haven for heat-seeking snowbirds, Sedona’s dramatic landscapes make it one of the most beautiful places in the U.S. The area boasts more than 100 hiking trails and adventure around every corner. A lively shopping scene and world-renowned restaurants make it a special place for your valentine. If you are mystically inclined, you’ll be glad to know that spiritual healers flock to the region to take advantage of the spirit-balancing powers of Sedona’s vortexes.

Whether you want a secluded beach getaway, a spiritual awakening, or a lazy day drinking wine in the sun, a private jet can get you there quickly and easily. Surprise your special someone with a Valentine’s Day weekend to remember.

Contact L & L International if you need assistance in purchasing or selling a private jet. 
You can reach our sales specialists today at sales@L-Lint.com, call us any time at +1.305.754.3313, or visit us online.

China’s Private Jet Sales Slow in Midst of Anti-Luxury Movement

Private Jet Parked Outside HangarThe private jet market is relatively new in China. Between 2009 and 2012, China’s mushrooming economic growth meant that increasing numbers of the population were able to amass large personal fortunes — and the market for new private jets was robust. Before 2013, no resale market existed for business jets in China, but since then at least two major Chinese companies have sold their corporate jets at a loss. The demand for private jets has drastically decreased, and industry experts predict a continued decline in 2015.

Corruption crackdown curbs jet ownership

One reason for the decline may be Chinese citizens’ reaction to their government’s recent crack downs on corruption. Despite the fact that many business aviation companies market their planes as efficiency tools, the public has long regarded jet ownership as a way to help government officials and business people collaborate on illegitimate business deals. The complicated interrelationship between business people and government officials in China does little to destroy this illusion.

A frugal mood

Another reported reason for the decline in favor may have something to do with the public problems of Chinese comic star, Zhao Benshan. Zhao has recently been plagued with rumors that his fortunes are fading, that his family was planning to emigrate out of China, and that his works have been banned in some countries. Zhao purchased a private jet — one of the Challenger series from Bombardier Aerospace — for 200 million yuan ($32 million U.S.) in 2009, but reportedly asked to return the jet after being hospitalized.

Zhao later gave up on the idea of returning the jet when he learned that he would take a large financial loss on the deal. The topic later resurfaced in late 2014 as continued rumors of his fall from official favor — combined with hints that Zhao might donate his jet to the government — have continued to influence the private jet market. The situation has resulted in a kind of butterfly effect. As long as the central government of China is stressing frugality in hard economic times, the wealthy will be compelled to postpone their purchase of a private jet and even withdraw their orders to avoid drawing unpleasant attention to themselves.

Chinese jets may flood the market

What does the frugal Chinese mood mean for the private jet market in China? Forbes writer, Russell Flannery, reports that both existing jet owners and would-be first-time buyers of private jets are now reluctant to invest in such luxury items. The government crackdown on corruption and a creeping “anti-luxury” sentiment under Chinese President Xi Jinping has caused a lot of second thoughts among the wealthy. The current mood in a country of such previous economic growth is emphasizing frugality, and owners of private jets are less willing to show off their pricey symbols of wealth in such a time.

As a result, up to 20% of China’s existing private jet fleet, including their corporate jets, could be going up for sale in 2015. Buyers in other nations could snag some great deals while the Chinese market looks bleak for new jet sales.

Contact L & L International if you need assistance in purchasing or selling a private jet.You can reach our sales specialists today at sales@L-Lint.com, call us any time at +1.305.754.3313, or visit us online.