Got a friend with a private jet you can borrow? It seems like a good idea: The aircraft is available, has a crew well-known by the owners, and costs significantly less than standard charter rates. But you’re not just doing a favor, you’re acting as a charter service — and doing so without the proper credentials is illegal.
The bizav community dubs these flights “Part 134 1/2″ in reference to the FAA’s Part 135 rules that regulate charter operations and air charter operators. While no statistical evidence exists to expose the extent of the practice, experts readily agree that illegal charters are commonplace.
Of course, the truth is that most of these flights occur without incident, so the likelihood of their discovery is limited. Plus, airports are businesses, and when they sell fuel, maintenance, and other qualified services to jet owners, they’re hesitant to report suspected illegal charters.
What’s the risk in friends helping friends?
Illegal charters are fraught with the potential for risk:
- Lack of oversight means less safety — If you’re flying on an illegal charter, realize that the pilot and jet owner are acting illegally, which could put you at risk.
- Lack of accountability per the FAA — When flights aren’t regulated, risk factors go up.
- Less stringent training and potentially less skill — This is a case of “getting what you pay for,” and in some cases the pilot may have less skill and training.
- Less security around aircraft maintenance — If the operator is already engaging in illegal activity, are you confident in the aircraft’s maintenance?
- Less drug and alcohol testing — There is potential for unregulated crews.
- Less flight experience — Some pilots use illegal charters to get more flight time, but wouldn’t you prefer to have a fully qualified and experienced pilot?
- Less insurance coverage — If the charter is illegal, you have limited recourse in an accident.
Protecting yourself from illegal charters
To minimize your risk of booking an illegal charter, follow these simple steps:
- Use your common sense. Extremely low prices are a warning sign because legitimate charter operators carry proper operating costs.
- Ask questions. A legitimate operator will readily provide its certificate number and tail number.
- Book through trusted sites. You can cut through the smoke and mirrors by working with trusted charter operators.
Follow these tips and you’ll be on your way to a worry-free private 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 305-754-3313, or visit us online.
Safety Standdown is an aviation safety training program that promotes pilot safety through personal discipline and responsibility. One of the most critical principles that inspired this program is the fact that human error is responsible for 80% of mistakes in aviation.
The program started in Wichita, Kansas in 1996 with just eight people. In 1999, it was opened to all pilots. The objective is to improve aviation safety standards through seminars, safety training programs, online resources, and tools to fight human error in aviation. The program is free of charge and catered specifically to pilots, crew, maintenance technicians, and managers across the aviation industry.
The 19th annual event, set by Bombardier Business Aircraft, is focused on attention-control techniques. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), four collisions involving Piper and Cessna aircraft have occurred over the past four years. Three of those incidents proved fatal. In one accident, two planes collided about 900 feet above ground when the pilots were monitoring different radio frequencies and failed to see each other.
After the four plane collisions caused eight deaths, the NTSB issued an official safety alert advising pilots of planes of all sizes to use fundamental see-and-avoid vigilance techniques throughout the flight and avoid head-down flying.
In another example of distracted flying that killed a pilot and passenger in Colorado in May, investigators recovered an intact GoPro video camera in the wreckage. Review of the content showed the pilot using his cell phone to take “selfie” photos of himself with several passengers the day before. When investigators found nothing apparently wrong with the aircraft, it was surmised that the pilot likely used a cellphone during the fatal flight.
Handheld mobile devices aren’t the only cause for distraction either. A distracted pilot in California was apparently focused on an electrical issue and failed to notice that his landing gear was not deployed. In that incident, the pilot and passenger were lucky to escape injury.
This year’s Safety Standdown event includes several thought-provoking topics:
- Inattentive? Are you talking to me?
- When all else fails, are you prepared?
- Emergency firefighting training
See the full agenda of workshops for the October event.
Commercial airline pilots increasingly use tablets, smartphones, and handheld GPS units in place of paper flight plans and navigation charts. Unfortunately, potential for distracted flying is growing as well. It turns out that distracted flying is likely to be hazardous, much like distracted driving.
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 305-754-3313, or visit us online.
You’ve probably heard about 3-D printing and recognized that it is one of the most disruptive technologies we have today. New advances in 3-D printing machines are allowing scientists and engineers to experiment with new materials, different configurations, and fresh strategies on efficiencies by mixing metal powders in new and innovative ways.
Just this year, the engineers of GE Aviation 3-D printed a mini jet engine — it’s the size of a backpack — and then took the engine to 33,000 rpm. This is just one of the more recent innovations. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cleared the first 3-D printed aircraft part — a housing for a sensor — to fly in commercial jet engines.
What are the benefits of 3-D printing in the aviation industry?
- Lighter-weight parts — Unlike traditional manufacturing methods that cut away material from a metal slab to make the part, 3-D printing uses an additive manufacturing model and ‘grows’ the part with layers of fine metal powder fused together with a laser. Lighter parts make for a lighter aircraft and more fuel efficiency.
- Faster production — With 3-D printing, aircraft parts can be created in a fraction of the time and leave behind far less waste material.
- Simpler designs — The number of components typically required to make an aircraft part is significantly reduced, resulting in far simpler part designs and less that could go wrong.
- Durability — Improvements in 3-D technology mean stronger, better printed parts — up to five times tougher than traditionally manufactured parts.
In the end, additive manufacturing, or 3-D printing, results in the ability to replace complex assemblies with lightweight designs that will improve the fuel efficiencies and environmental impact of jet engines.
What are the challenges posed by 3-D printing?
Technically speaking, the possibilities of 3-D printing seem to be infinite, but some of the challenges ahead for 3-D printing in the aviation industry include:
- Cost — 3-D printers themselves typically cost several million dollars each.
- Approval — Required safety standards for parts are not up to date with 3-D printing models.
- Legal challenges — If a part produced by 3-D printing reveals a flaw in the design after an accident, who is responsible?
- Intellectual property rights — It is possible to purchase an object and recreate it with a 3-D printer, but what legal protection does the individual who created the design have?
Airbus’ latest passenger aircraft — the A350 XWB — has over 1,000 components that were created by 3-D printing, so it’s clear that the future of 3-D printing is here and the aircraft industry is in full support.
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.
From its start in 2007, Nextant Aerospace has been the first and only company to capitalize on remanufacturing aircraft for the business jet market. For example, consider the Nextant 400XTi — a completely rebuilt Beechjet 400A/XP with a Williams FJ44-3AP engine and an integrated avionic suite from Rockwell Collins.
What Nextant did for the light jet market they are now about to do again for the turboprop market. The new Nextant G90XT was first introduced in late 2013 and reportedly will soon be available for purchase.
As with the company’s previous models, the G90XT will be completely refurbished and features a few surprises, including:
- single-lever power control to reduce pilot workload and increase safety
- integrated Garmin G1000 flight deck with fuel indicator
- ultra low-maintenance GE H75 engines for reliable performance
- completely digital pressurization
One of the most unique features of this model is the ergonomically designed cockpit and customizable cabin configurations. Purchasers can select a three- to five-seat executive configuration with “chairman’s workstations,” a mixed passenger-cargo option, and even a special mission/air ambulance configuration. The lavatory is also larger than most and includes a vanity sink. Baggage is stored at the rear of the aircraft.
Nextant’s test-flight program was reported as a success and a model was featured at EAA Airventure in Oshkosh, Wisconsin this summer. Some of the responses from test flights include a noticeable difference in power during takeoff and a general impression that cockpit noise levels are markedly reduced. The change in propeller position relative to the fuselage appears to be a successful combination for a quiet and comfortable flight for both pilots and passengers.
Once certified, Nextant will begin delivery of production aircraft immediately. The G90XT will sell for $2.6 million, which is approximately $1.2 million less than a new Beechcraft King Air C90GTx.
Nextant CEO Sean McGeough noted in recent interviews that the company listened carefully to what King Air operators had to say about what would make their experience better. He believes they are about to deliver a product that will include those improvements and have a significant impact on the business aviation market segment.
If you’re looking at an upgrade to a G90XT, L & L International can help you get the most out of the sale of your current aircraft.
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 305-754-3313, or visit us online.
