JetGuide

The Guy with the Dragon Tattoo

2012-02-11T09:26:00.000-08:00

OK, it is not really a tattoo, but Jackie Chan just got a brand new Legacy 650 private jet from Embraer with dragons emblazoned all over the airplane. Seriously? Having a sleek, new, state-of-the-art executive jet that can go roughly 4,000 miles on one tank of gas should be cool enough, but dragons? Jackie has always been THE MAN but he has just taken things to a whole new level...

Imagine flying this to the next Super Bowl!

The best part of the story is that Jackie was given the $30 million dollar airplane from the manufacturer in exchange for him promoting the Embraer brand in China and other global markets. So, there you have it - the action superstar turned private jet ambassador will now be using his charm to sell private jets for the world's third largest commercial aircraft manufacturer. (Boeing is still the largest with Airbus holding the number two spot.)

Why is this man smiling?

"This delivery is a moment of historical importance to Embraer because it solidifies an already long and successful relationship between China and Embraer," said Ernest Edwards, president of Embraer's Executive Jets unit.

By most accounts, this was a great move by Embraer - a company that is looking to dominate the private jet market, from entry-level to ultra-large aircraft. Hey, if I had $30 million collecting dust, I would certainly buy a Legacy 650. I mean, who could resist the charisma of such a huge cultural icon? If Jackie's pitch does not work, just make sure the prospect sees the tail of his sweet new ride. Talk about a closer!

Spotlight Review on PlaneRed Airline

2012-02-07T18:29:00.000-08:00

Plain and simple, PlaneRed Airline is worth watching. I just signed-up on their mailing list, and this quote is directly from the PlaneRed welcome email...

"Our goal is to revolutionize the way we fly. We don't think you need to get undressed to get on a plane. No more buying outrageously priced tickets. No more lost luggage. No more middle seats in a cramped cabin. And don't you think you deserve to always fly first-class? We certainly do. Simple and comfortable all-you-can-fly travel will soon be a reality."

This certainly sounds like an idea that could actually work. Here is a video of PlaneRed CEO Wade Eyerly discussing some of his specific plans.

The company's website (basically a launch page as of this writing) envisions an "All-You-Can-Fly Membership" that will be simple, first class, no hassle and, by most accounts, a much better alternative to the current TSA process experienced at major airports. All this for less than a grand per month! At minimum, do a Google search on PlaneRed. There is some great buzz on the company from some great publications. Who knows. They might actually be on to something BIG.

Spotlight Review on JetSuite

2011-05-20T17:21:00.000-07:00

Of all the new players in the constant-changing world of air charter, an operator by the name of JetSuite seems to have put together a product offering that is truly innovative and ground-breaking. Sure, other companies have made claims about making air charter more affordable, but at $999 one way on some flights for the entire airplane, JetSuite definitely appears to be "walking the walk". If that weren't enough, one can also take advantage of last minute empty leg flights offered by the company for as low as $499. This is all happening in the context of an economy that continues to struggle. One has to wonder if this type of business model will be sustainable. (That's another way of saying, better get while the getting is good!)

Surprisingly, the keys to JetSuite's apparent success seem very straightforward - use of a modern fleet (Embraer's Phenom 100), a limited service area (US West Coast) and smart marketing and promotion. Still, espousing a strategy and successfully executing it are two different things. This company is definitely worth a closer look.


One of JetSuite's Phenom 100s - gotta like that red stripe!

Virgin Galactic et al Continue To Make Progress on Space Tourism Goal

2011-04-19T20:44:00.000-07:00

While still a couple of years from commercial launch, Richard Branson and his Virgin Galactic space flight company continue to make steady progress towards their goal of taking tourists into space. Just recently, a BBC journalist was given an exclusive first look inside the spacecraft.

Despite the cramped space, Virgin claims to have deposits from 400 customers who are willing to shell-out $200K each for the two hour flight that will include at least five minutes of weightlessness. And, the view from what is essentially the Kármán Line and 62 miles above terra firma? It promises to be spectacular for those willing to make such a large gamble, both in terms of cost and the inherent risk associated with space flight.

Of course Virgin is not the only company looking to exploit the final frontier. Their space initiative seems to be just the tip of the proverbial iceberg...

At a recent Space Travel Summit held in Sofia, Bulgaria (who knew???), a number of other companies in addition to Virgin were highlighted including Blue Origin, Inbloon and Bigelow. Amazon co-founder Jeff Bezos is the founder of the Blue Origin; and, given the company's cloud of secrecy and Jeff's stellar history at Amazon, this is one that should be watched closely. Inbloon has opted to use a balloon vessel as opposed to the Blue Origin rocket approach - the negative being a near space experience with the positive being slightly less sting on the wallet at roughly $156K per flight.

No space tourism discussion would be complete without mentioning Space Adventures. Their claim to fame? This is the only company that (in collaboration with some serious partners) has actually delivered on the promise of private space flight. Dennis Anthony Tito is said to have paid $20 million spacebucks for the distinct privilege of being the first Space Adventures customer. Just recently, Space Adventures announced a partnership with Armadillo Aerospace - yes, you heard that right - for suborbital spaceflight. All jokes aside, given the track record of Space Adventures and their partners, Armadillo Aerospace should be on the short list for anyone looking to add space tourist to their cocktail party repertoire.

Sooner or later, an airline was bound to catch the space bug; enter KLM Royal Dutch Airlines who have announced that they too will sell commercial spaceflights in partnership with Space Experience Curacao. Like the other new market entrants mentioned herein, it would appear that KLM's partner is also making steady progress towards space tourism. Now that is one airline connection that would be worth the wait!

There certainly is no shortage of naysayers who think that Sir Richard's space odyssey - or, for that matter, all other related projects - will never achieve "lift-off" much less commercial success. Still, it is too early to draw final conclusions one way or the other, however Virgin's recent update certainly seems to be another step in the right direction. For those of us who hope and dream of someday venturing into space with a company like Virgin Galactic (even if only for a short while and for some serious money), we say "Godspeed Sir Richard!"

Per-Seat, On-Demand (PSOD) Air Charter is Here to Stay

2011-04-15T11:11:00.000-07:00

Per-seat, on-demand (PSOD) - an air charter acronym and new business model coined by the now-defunct DayJet air taxi company - has certainly taken its share of lumps but the concept is seemingly here to stay. The premise is a simple one. On any given private jet flight, an air charter operator sells a single seat on a as opposed to the entire airplane. The operator derives more business while the (presumably new) customer gets a seat on a private jet for a price similar to that of a full-fare airline coach ticket. So far, the PSOD concept and business model has proven to be as elusive as the quest for the Holy Grail. Besides DayJet, the aviation graveyard is littered with the remains of numerous other companies such as POGO, SATSair, FlyMiwok, etc. who tried but ultimately failed in refining the PSOD idea.

(For the right price, who wouldn't want this Gulfstream seat?)

So why did DayJet & Co. fail at selling charter seats? And, probably more importantly, why are others companies still trying to get blood from the same turnip? Upon closer inspection, DayJet used the Internet to allow customers to propose when/where wanted to go; and, with the help of proprietary scheduling software (now part of DayJet Technologies), this data was aggregated - the end result being an air taxi flight with multiple disparate passengers. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has used the term "opaque aggregation" as another way of describing the PSOD concept. Single travelers propose their travel preferences but they can not see the preferences of other travelers. If they did, that might be interpreted as a scheduled flight - a huge no-no in the regulated world of air charter. DayJet's ultimate downfall may have been the result of the mystery surrounding the new booking process. Also, in the context of a deteriorating economy, DayJet was targeting an entirely new market segment - one that puts a premium on customer education.

Of course, where there is a lot of money to be made (and such a desirably demographic), someone was destined to build a better mousetrap. Enter CoGoJets. (In case anyone is wondering, "Co" comes from "cooperate" and "Go" refers to the movement of people on "Jets." Cute huh?) The company purports to be a "member-based, social networking website designed for you to share private jet flights on a per-seat, pro rata basis." CoGoJets members share flights proposed by other members or, alternatively, they propose their own flights. Once mutually agreeable terms are accepted, the flight is booked and the shared flight takes place. While very similar to the DayJet business model, CoGoJets appears to have fine-tuned the PSOD concept; and, unlike DayJet, CoGoJets seems to have taken a more "bite-sized" approach. (Read: Much less of a capital outlay.) While only time will tell if CoGoJets succeeds, their membership is affordable, their service is straight-forward and these folks are worth a closer look.

Another per-seat company worth noting is Greenjets. Like CoGoJets, Greenjets offers the ability to share a flight with other members, thus affording each member a private jet flying at the lowest possible cost. The primary difference with Greenjets seems to be their emphasis on protecting the environment by flying a reduced number of jets. (OK, this seems to be a bit of a stretch but Greenjets certainly is not the only company capitalizing on the whole green movement.) In any event, Greenjets has generated an enormous amount of buzz and related press coverage since they launched their service. For anyone interested in taking a closed look at the PSOD model, Greenjets should definitely be added to the list.

DayJet certainly did not invent the idea of sharing a seat on a private jet flight; after all, people have been sharing air charter flights and related expenses on an informal basis long before the advent of the Internet and related social networking sites. DayJet did effectively boost the whole PSOD concept and, for that, CoGoJets, Greenjets and other players like Spectrum Air, Jet Charter Pool (JCP), Social Flights, and MyJet should be thankful. Aviation analysts have noted that no single business model will ever dominate the air charter market - there should always be room for a per-seat model and any type of derivation thereof. While only time will tell for sure, the idea of per-seat, on-demand air charter seems here to stay.