How To Charter a Business Jet: A Beginners Guide

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How much does it cost to charter a business jet? Do you know what are all the steps necessary to charter a jet? For those who do not have or have not been very close to the subject, chartering an executive jet can seem a little complex, given the different types of aircraft and details to be taken into account.

However, with some valuable tips it is possible to charter without major complications and difficulties, saving time and money. Follow this article – which brings a kind of guide for beginners – to understand the main points to be considered and know how much it costs to charter an executive jet of air taxi.

Differences Between Aircraft Types

Before understanding how to charter, it is important to know the different types of aircraft available for service and those that differ from one another. With varying sizes, the choice will depend mainly on the number of passengers, baggage requirements, budgets and route, among other preferences.

The light and medium jets, such as the Embraer Phenom 300, Nextant 400XTi and Citation XLS, for example, accommodate four to eight people. Because they are smaller, faster and more efficient, they are interesting for small groups, or even for couples on special occasions, on flights of two to three hours.

Super midsize and large cabin jets, like the Legacy 600 or Challenger 350, are a good choice for a larger number of passengers, up to 13 people. With these aircraft models it is possible to make trips of five to six hours, without stops.

Another option is the transcontinental range jets – among them is the Bombardier Challenger 850 and Gulfstream G650 -, which are suitable for long-haul flights, crossing a continent from one end to the other, for larger groups and corporate trips. Because they are more spacious, some aircraft have flat sleeping beds, larger bathrooms and different cabin class configurations.

In addition, there are also turboprop aircraft models, such as the Caravan, Pilatus or King Air, which, despite their lower cruising speeds, have a robust construction and are reliable and efficient. This type of aircraft can operate on short runways, such as the one at Angra dos Reis airport, in Rio de Janeiro.

Board The VIP Lounge

Did you know that when flying in a private jet, departures and arrivals can happen in two ways, depending on the airport, and they do not cover the main terminal? In Congonhas (São Paulo), for example, the passenger goes directly to the executive hangar, which has an entire service structure. Called FBO (acronym in English for Fixed-base Operator), it is there that the entire process for takeoff will be done.

The other way of boarding is through the passenger terminal, but in a private and separate area. This happens when the airport does not have fixed hangar structures, as at Santos Dumont Airport (Rio de Janeiro) or when the commercial terminal is not fully integrated with the general aviation terminal (in the case of Guarulhos Airport, in São Paulo). When chartering a business jet or other air taxi aircraft, an appointment is made with the customer so that the handling (handling) goes to him and takes him to the VIP lounge – specific for general aviation. There he will have access to a whole support structure, with sofas, meeting rooms, bathrooms, bar, food and drinks.

In this location, the passenger waits until boarding the aircraft, which is done by means of a van that leaves him on the runway next to the jet. In these two cases, travelers do not go through the standard commercial aviation procedure. There is no need to check in, check baggage or go through the x-ray. And this convenience is one of the great advantages of business aviation. There are fewer points of contact and fewer steps, saving the customer much more time.

How Much Does a Charter Business Jet Cost?

The cost of air taxi service will depend on several conditions and among the most frequent variables is the estimated cost per hour or per km / mile traveled, the amount of landing fees at the airport, the cost of FBO due to the handling and use of the hangar, overnight price and minimum flight or minimum travel fare, in addition to the flight coefficient.

Chartering an air taxi plane can cost anywhere from R$ 21,000 to R$ 100,000 for jet flights or between R$ 13,000 and R$ 75,000 for turboprop aircraft. Helicopter charter, on the other hand, can cost just R$ 3,500 for a short one-hour transfer or up to R$ 50,000 for a longer executive flight. In this article we explain, in detail and in a very complete way, how much an air taxi costs and what are the factors considered when making this account. It is worth noting that the final value will consist of fixed operator costs and variable costs, added by a margin of 5% to 10%.

If you are not willing to pay for the charter of a private jet or do not have a budget, some interesting options are to buy a shared flight or an empty leg. In the first case, the passenger will be able to choose, on the Flapper platform itself, a seat on a scheduled flight already shared with other travelers. The second situation occurs when the plane takes off without passengers on board. In both cases, prices are more affordable and may make more sense for what you are looking for at the moment.

How To Charter A Business Jet: See an example

Now that you have all this information, the process for chartering a business jet at Flapper and understanding how much an air taxi costs becomes more user friendly. Below we will show an example of the complete step by step on the website, on the São Paulo – Angra dos Reis route.

As soon as you enter the Flapper website, log in, via Facebook or username and password, or create an account to be able to consult flights. In the source field, just select the option São Paulo, SAO, and, in destination, I look for Angra dos Reis, ANA. Then, select the preferred date and time of departure and the same for the return, in addition to the number of passengers. Click on search (in the magnifying glass) and the aircraft options, as well as airports, available for the period in question, will appear on the screen. Select the one that best fits your need.

By clicking, you will see what the jet offers in terms of amenities, as well as the certification details, photos and air taxi price of your search. Click on the “Book” button, check the details of the operation and select, below, the option “Consult availability”. Next, you must agree to the user terms and click on “Proceed”. A service chat window will appear on the screen and you will be able to check if the jet in question is available for the desired date and continue chartering.

Guarantees Of A Certified Company

Working with a certified company for charter a business jet its essential to have an operation with guaranteed safety procedures. Since 2019, Flapper has been associated with Wyvern, an American executive aviation audit company. With the certificate, Flapper is recognized for complying with all international operational safety standards.

In addition, all flights offered are operated exclusively on safety-inspected aircraft, in accordance with RBAC 135 or 121, or their foreign equivalent. Flapper also also works closely with local civil aviation authorities, including ANAC, DGAC, EASA and FAA, to ensure that each aircraft has valid airworthiness and maintenance certificates.