How to Choose the Best Jet for Your Flight

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When accessing our website or our mobile platform for Android or iOS, you, our customer, have certainly noticed the different models of aircraft that Flapper offers for your leisure or business trip. Several options are totally comfortable and reliable models that can be booked both very conveniently and almost instantly. From twin-engine piston engines, ideal for reaching the most remote airports, to intercontinental executive jets, our portfolio is designed to meet all your demands.

Aviation is made of choices that unite several specific factors, the most important being: time, cost, and versatility. Therefore, uniting these three main aspects becomes the preponderant factor when choosing which aircraft is most suitable for each type of flight. In this sense, when the choice is not restricted to matters of personal preference, a wide range of options are available. We want to help you in your choice: through the dozens of possibilities offered by Flapper, let’s get to know some of the main models of planes at your disposal, and how they can be fitted to your needs.

Turbo Propellers Versus Jets: Which is Faster?

Although generic, at first the best answer to this question is: it depends. Therefore, in order for us to make a fair comparison more in line with reality, we will compare two highly experienced and established aircraft in business aviation, the Beechcraft King Air B200 turboprop and the Embraer Phenom 100 light jet.

Considering a flight between Curitiba (Aeroporto do Bacacheri – SBBI) and São Paulo (Aeroporto de Congonhas – SBSP), a flight whose total distance considering the ascent, cruise, and descent procedures is 390km, we have two scenarios:

• Beechcraft King Air B200: The great asset of the King Air family and the most versatile and robust executive turboprop in history is the combination of a comfortable and pressurized cabin at a cruising speed that is unique in its category. Therefore, many air taxi operators have units of these aircraft in their fleet, allowing them to offer operating capacity in most Brazilian airports. Flying on the route between Curitiba and São Paulo at an altitude of 21,000 feet with a cruising speed of 550km/h, the trip aboard the “king of the air” will last 53 minutes.

• Embraer Phenom 100: The very Brazilian Phenom 100, a project born in our country and accepted with great success around the world, has established itself as one of the best options for light executive jets in executive aviation. Designed to serve both large airports in metropolises such as São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Buenos Aires as well as medium-sized cities with smaller airports, such as Passo Fundo (RS), Campina Grande (PB), or Sinop (MT), it combines the speed of a jet aircraft with the versatility so desired by those who need executive aviation. On a flight between Curitiba and São Paulo aboard the small Embraer jet, at an altitude of 27,000 feet and a cruising speed of 700 km/h, the travel time will last around 41 minutes.

In certain short-duration stages there are no great advantages in the time factor that would offer a huge competitive advantage between a jet aircraft and a high-performance turboprop. A difference of 12 minutes for the same flight, with the same distance and the same operational requirements gives the King Air B200 the trophy in terms of value for money. For passengers, there are no significant differences between the two aircraft. Both have a modern, very comfortable cabin with a low noise level and seats in the “Club Seat” arrangement, in addition to the comfort of a pressurized cabin.

The use of a jet becomes advantageous when we analyze a flight in stages of longer duration. On a flight between Curitiba (Aeroporto do Bacacheri) and Brasília International Airport (SBBR), the difference in travel time becomes more significant. Considering a distance of 1,500 km between the two capitals and all flight procedures for ascent, cruise, and descent, the King Air B200 will complete the route in 2h25, flying at 30,000 feet with a cruising speed of 650 km/h. The Phenom 100 will do the same route in 1h39min, flying at 41,000 feet with a speed of 750 km/h.

In this case, considering travel time and distance, the Phenom 100 appears to be the more suitable model.

Choosing Your Aircraft Through Flapper Platforms

Now that you understand the main differences between turboprop and jet aircraft, we will help you make the best choice between the aircraft that we have available on our platforms, in the different scenarios that will illustrate how your decision can be made. 

• Scenario 1: This is a flight between São Paulo (Campo de Marte Airport) and São João da Boa Vista, in the interior of the state of São Paulo, a city close to the border with the state of Minas Gerais. For this trip, we offer the most varied types of aircraft, from twin-engine pistons to light executive jets. However, considering the distance of the trip and the proximity of the two cities, the cost-benefit factor takes precedence over the travel time. Therefore, the best choices are the Cessna C208 Grand Caravan or the Beechcraft King Air B200. Both are capable of offering a safe, comfortable and suitable trip for the type of flight.

• Scenario 2: In this scenario, we will use as an example a trip between Rio de Janeiro (Jacarepaguá airport) and the Brasília International Airport in the Federal District. Considering the distance between the marvelous city and the capital of Brazil is about 1,500km, the difference in flight time between turbo-prop aircraft, such as the Beechcraft King Air B350 or Pilatus PC-12 and jet aircraft, contemplating the Cessna Citation CJ1 and the Embraer Phenom 100, can be considered a decisive factor during your selection process. With a difference of up to an hour in flight time between the Pilatus PC-12 and the Citation CJ1, and with very similar costs, choosing the Cessna jet proves to be the most appropriate decision.

• Scenario 3: We will now consider a flight between Porto Alegre (Salgado Filho International Airport) and Manaus (Eduardo Gomes International Airport). In this type of flight, so that the non-stop operation can be carried out, the range of options becomes restricted only between jets. However, even if the flight time difference is very small, the comfort factor and availability of luggage space will be very important in the choice. We therefore have two excellent options: the Hawker 850XP, with full operating capacity between the two capitals, and the Embraer Legacy 600, a jet derived from the world-famous Embraer Regional Jet (ERJ) line of jets. As the Hawker 850XP has a modern cabin, but with fewer seats than the Embraer jet, in addition to having a larger cabin in the Legacy 600 for doing business or for greater comfort for a family, the Embraer Legacy 600 is a sensible choice.

As we have shown, choosing the best plane for your trip depends on several factors. That’s exactly why Flapper has a wide range of options, always thinking about your comfort and the type of trip you want. In our channels you, our customer, will not only be able to consult the options available for your trip, but will also see all the technical details of each plane, such as: range, passenger capacity, luggage space, internet availability, and entertainment system, plus other important details. We proudly have the most complete platform for chartering executive aircraft in Latin America.