subject: Private Jet Charter: Questions You Should Ask [print this page] When deciding on a private jet charter business for your upcoming travel, you will discover numerous questions you need to ask to make sure you're receiving not simply the safest flight, but additionally the very best benefit for your money.
Just what is the experience level of your pilots and how regularly do they train?
Probably the most significant basic safety component throughout your private jet charter trip will be the experience level of the pilots. To save money, some providers will use much less experienced pilots that satisfy FAA minimal requirements. More seasoned pilots cost additional cash to hire, even while a less knowledgeable aircraft pilot is willing to do the job for a reduced wage as they "pay dues" and obtain practical experience.
The Federal Aviation Administration mandates that the pilots for your private jet charter or fractional flight have between 1000 and 1500 hours of flight practical experience. Numerous fractional providers, including Netjets or Avantair, demand 2500 hours of flight experience from their pilots. A few jet charter operators just use the FAA minimums and just want 1000 hours of working experience from their pilots. Several jet charter operators may hire an seasoned captain, but put a low time pilot in the right seat. What would happen in the event that the captain became incapacitated during the flight and the low-time copilot had to take over? What if the pilots encountered an urgent situation they were not both equally well prepared to cope with?
The top private jet charter owners that are safety-minded hire pilots that far exceed these bare minimum requirements. Ideal practices in aviation require that both pilots designated to your flight have at the least 5000 hours of flight experience, with the two pilots captain-qualified. In addition, top notch owners mandate their pilots go to simulator-based emergency training, such as supplied by FlightSafety International and CAE Simuflite, a minimum of two times per year.
What's your safety record?
The safety record of an operator would be the most crucial issue in picking a private jet charter company. An owner who happens to be accredited by an independent third party places increased value on safety, and has met a higher operational and safety standard than that managed by the Faa. You can find out the safety record of the operator in several ways;
1) Phone the local office of the Federal Aviation Administration, called the Flight Standards District Office, and inquire if the company has at any time experienced any kind of accidents or incidents.
2) Ask for a third party report from Wyvern, the market leader in jet charter operator safety information. This record, known as the PASS (Pilot and Aircraft Safety Survey), contains the experience level of the pilots, their particular training currency, and safety data regarding the charter operator and aircraft.
3) Ask the owner what their own safety rating is, and if they have had a third party audit of their operations. The main industry auditors are ARG/US, Wyvern, IS-BAO and the Air Charter Safety Foundation. A successful completion of an audit by any of these organizations is important to make certain of the maximum degree of safety for the flight.
The correct responses to these questions will guarantee you've chosen the best private jet charter company for your next charter flight.
