Aviation A-list

The following companies are taking the private aviation industry to new heights.
Velocity Jets

By Alexandra Ingersoll

Though once an elitist mode of transportation, due to the increasing hassles of commercial travel, the private aviation industry has drastically increased in popularity, thus losing its incantation of exclusivity. The sky is now filled with fractionally owned jets, and those jets are in turn engorged with unsatisfied clients who have been forced to compromise their personal time to accommodate incongruous flight schedules. Velocity Jets has taken on the commitment of returning private jet travel to its original form: personalized service, flexibility, and in-flight luxury, ensuring any journey—whether it is for business or pleasure—an affable one.

Based out of Fort Lauderdale International Airport, with outposts in New York and Los Angeles, Velocity Jets has dominated the private aviation market with their unparalleled service and offerings including private jet membership, aircraft sales and management, global aircraft charter, and worldwide tours. Their experienced team ensures premium service that is customized to fit any client’s needs, wishes, and desires. Isn’t that how it should be when one chooses to fly private?

Co-founders Patrick Harris and Jessica Osterneck, who share responsibility of overseeing Velocity Jets, both bared witness to a notable rise in their Jets Card service. The two agree that this can be attributed to the rising cost of private jet ownership, but more so to the hassle, maintenance, and wasted time that many patrons have experienced with their jet ownership. Numerous private wealth advisors have reported their clientele selling their trusted Gulfstreams and Lears, trading up for a Velocity Jets Card. With a minimum deposit of $100,000 the card grants clients access to a fleet of 5,500 jet types, ranging from turboprops to heavy jets. Clients are billed based on a guaranteed one-way or round-trip hourly rate. This membership ensures that clients will depart, spend the duration of their flight, and arrive in the utmost safety and luxury. With infinite flexibility and 365 days guaranteed availability, any jetsetter can now fly wherever and whenever without the headwind of long-term contracts or monthly management fees.

What sets Velocity Jets apart from the other sea of private aviation brands is their attention to detail. Each and every individual client is treated as though they are the one and only client. Velocity’s staff take special measures to get to know every passenger that steps foot on the aircrafts, including their likes, dislikes, allergies, trip itineraries…the list goes on. Customization is the key to a personalized journey, and Velocity Jets has certainly got this art down to a very fine “T.”

With Velocity Jet’s adamant attention to the minutest service details, it comes as no surprise that their safety standard policies are stringent. All of the aircrafts utilized by Velocity are ARG and Wyvern-rated, and all pilots and operators are held far above the FAA standards; both combined efforts have given Velocity the bragging rights of an incident-free safety record.

Though the Jets Card service is growing at a record speed, so too are their worldwide charter and tours, sales and acquisitions, and concierge services. It was no easy feat returning private air travel to its original status of private luxury for the world’s elite; Osterneck and Harris have not only completed the task, but also improved the art of world travel to a status that can—and always will be—attained through only one brand, Velocity Jets.

StrategicAir

By Monique Stringfellow

When StrategicAir formed in October 2007, it set out to revolutionize private aviation. CEO Keith St. Clair, the former chairman and founder of TraveLeaders (one of the 10 largest travel distribution companies in the USA), recruited his board of directors from among the most prominent names in private aviation and financing, all of whom could offer invaluable insight into various aspects of the industry. This meeting of the minds successfully formed a new breed of private aviation powerhouse, which is led by St. Clair; Kevin Parrott, EVP and CMO; Richard Oster, EVP and CFO; John Affeltranger, COO; and Chairman of the Board Mark Ginsburg.

At its inception, StrategicAir announced the acquisition of a number of private air travel companies that spanned the aviation industry. By consolidating brokerages, maintenance facilities, and aircraft into one privately held company, StrategicAir broke new ground in the private air charter market. Also, the company was the beneficiary of the FAA Part 135 and Part 145 certificates. With involvement at every step of the private air travel process, StrategicAir is able to control the customer’s experience from A to Z, making it more convenient, comfortable, and personalized than ever before, all available at a mere four hours notice. The company specializes in point-to-point trips to New York, Los Angeles, and South Florida. And unlike other companies, StrategicAir actually owns its own aircraft, which enables a wider range of price flexibility, creativity, and ingenuity compared to managed or brokered aircraft. Owning the maintenance aspects allows StrategicAir to solve problems instantaneously, preventing delays in a time-sensitive environment. This innovative business model is the result of the experience in the luxury travel and aviation industries garnered through the years by the company’s founders.

Now, StrategicAir is adding to its reputation for ingenuity with the introduction of the prepaid Limitless Sky Flight Card program, which offers discounted flight hours, available in four levels: Ruby ($50,000), Emerald ($100,000), Sapphire ($250,000), and Diamond ($500,000). Limitless Sky takes the ease of chartering one step further. Just one phone call to the team ensures the flawless handling of all the details, from takeoff to touchdown and beyond. The program enables members to charter multiple jets simultaneously, receive cabin upgrades, and enjoy increased options in cabin size. And, unlike many other programs, membership is transferable. The exact menu of benefits varies according to level of membership, but can entail catering, limo transfers, and the StrategicAir Concierge. At the Emerald level and above, waved landing, parking, and handling fees are included with participation. At Sapphire and Diamond levels, clients will be the beneficiaries of fuel surcharge exclusions and waived ferry fees on heavy jets. At every level, the Assist Privilege Card is included as part of the program. The privilege cards offer solutions and support for a number of emergency situations globally. The specific range of services was designed by aviation industry experts to ensure the most complete coverage and highest level of efficiency.

Limitless Sky promises to further the values upon which StrategicAir was founded–to present the client with the utmost in options, flexibility, safety, and efficiency–and the new program takes all four to the next level.

Leading Edge

By Monique Stringfellow

Picking out a private jet is a little more complicated than showing up at a dealership, giving a down payment, and rolling down the runway. Thus, Leading Edge Aviation Solutions was born out of necessity to help potential buyers sift through the ever-changing aviation offerings to find the ideal aircraft and aid in the acquisition process.

Leading Edge Aviation Solutions, one of the world’s most experienced companies in the aircraft acquisition and disposition arena, is aware that purchasing an aircraft, large or small, is a complex process involving multimillion dollar transactions. Leading Edge’s meticulously vetted team of professionals brings an unmatched level of expertise to both the financial and operational arms of aircraft ownership. The company’s experience is unmatched; in 2007 alone, the company’s purchase and sale transactions totaled totaled more than $1.2 billion.

At the acquisition stage, Leading Edge helps first-time aircraft buyers weigh the options, leading to an informed decision on the best aircraft to suit their individual needs. And even more experienced corporate fleet managers know that there are a number of factors that should be addressed prior to purchase. What makes the firm unique is an analytical and strategic approach to fleet planning. No other company has a team of advisors that implement a process that considers business and personal lifestyle objectives, historic and future travel, aircraft performance, tax strategy, depreciation, and aircraft residual values. These factors, combined with many others, compliment a process to help clients mitigate risk and make informed aviation decisions. Some of the nation’s biggest brand names and Fortune 500 companies rely on Leading Edge to guide them through the process.

Leading Edge launched in 2004, the result of a merger between Corporate Aviation Analysis & Planning and Wings Aviation International, two important leaders in the business aviation market. Each company had been in operation for over a decade when they joined forces in response to an evolving market that called for a more comprehensive set of services. Despite different backgrounds, the companies shared key values—passion, excellence, innovation, and execution—which carried over to Leading Edge.

These values continue to translate into every sector of the current operation. The company prides itself on employing a highly qualified staff that includes financial analysts with MBAs, technical consultants, business analysts, an aircraft sales force, and even a director of personnel placement. Led by CEO Joseph Carfagna and President and COO Brian Proctor, these professionals are qualified and knowledgeable in both aviation and business, a complimentary balance that ensures a more informed decision for the clients. This exceptional staff has successfully delivered more than 500 new aircraft and 200 pre-owned technical appraisals, and placed more than 100 aviation professionals.

With the world of private aviation maturing domestically and expanding internationally to include more clients than ever before, it is key to have experienced advisors who can lead businesses and individuals through complicated processes of finding the ideal craft. Using years of experience and in-depth knowledge of the ins and outs of the industry, Leading Edge develops and executes solutions that make the best sense—financially, operationally, and strategically.

Jet Charter Pool

By Felicity Sargent

While in the employ of a leading charter operator, Sam Chanana realized that there was a gap in the industry’s offerings. Private air travel is prohibitively expensive, and many of the jets were taking off for their destinations with a half-empty passenger load. Through an online networking site, charterers could be connected, therefore cutting the cost of travel without the passenger having to endure indignity of being corralled with the masses on a commercial carrier.

In 2001, the business plan for Jet Charter Pool began to form in Chanana’s mind. Six years and a round of investors later, JCP’s online portal went live, and was met with much fanfare. The online networking portal successfully allows business travelers to communicate and share the cost of jet charter.

Using JCP is remarkably simple. Once one member creates a trip, the flight details are sent out to JCP members with similar travel habits. Within 24 hours, the members who express interest are collected in a new category, and JCP contacts charter companies for quotes. The price per seat is determined from those quotes, and the interested travelers are given an option to purchase a seat on the flight.

This process effectively customizes high-end travel and allows people of a certain means to work together to save time, energy, and money. The company caters to a niche market of executive and business professionals, athletes, and entertainment personalities. These likeminded individuals share the common bond of travel being absolutely fundamental to their career; they are frequently en route to major cities across the country for business. JCP provides a way for them to travel in style.

A flat monthly fee deters those outside of the target demographic from participating in the program, creating a sense of security amongst JCP’s privileged clientele that the other individuals on the private flight will be in a similar trade. Each member’s online profile displays basic information, such as age group and habits, as well as a picture. This helps dispel any uneasiness that may arise from traveling with strangers. The option of creating a private flying community is also available.

JCP offers prorated memberships, depending on length of commitment (three months, $299; six months, $499; 12 months, $999). Each membership includes trip alerts, quote requests, JCP Group services, and communication dashboard tools. Though still young, the company has experienced gargantuan growth, success, and interest; as such, these rates will only be offered for a limited time. So before embarking on your next business venture, pay a visit to www.jetcharterpool.com, and share a private charter with someone you trust.