New Charter Aircraft

meritflyer · March 31st, 2006, 22:27

Do you guys think a Pilatus PC-12 would be a good aircraft to start a charter company on? I have heard that some of the big biz guys wont (or even cant due to life insurance) fly on a single engine aircraft. The operating costs are very reasonable considering the cabin size, speed, altitude, useful load, and range.

Advantages/Disadvantages?

Your thoughts are appreciated as always.

meritflyer

Kingairer · March 31st, 2006, 22:38

Id fly it.

Texasspilot · March 31st, 2006, 22:47

When I was doing contract work on the citation I talked to a guy who ran the charter dept. next door pretty regularly and we got to talking one day. I asked him how come the company only owned 1 aircraft but had corporate depts put thier 91 planes on the 135 cert. He told me..."We learned a long time ago that owning your own airplanes is no way to make money in the charter business"

take if for what its worth.

As for size, speed, etc....its pretty good but it all depends on where the customer wants to go.

BCTAv8r · March 31st, 2006, 22:53

I read a local article about a guy who started what is now a considerably succesful charter company and he started out by renting airplanes.

wheelsup · March 31st, 2006, 23:36

I had the opportunity to spend a few hours in the front of a PC-12 one afternoon. Nice looking plane. I would love to find a local PC-12 company and fly it corporate-ly single pilot with a good company.

http://www.planesense.aero/index_content.htm

The above company started out in Nashua, NH where I got my private. At the time they were the largest PC-12 operator in the company. They grew so much they moved to Manchester, just up the road. They've been sucessful enough with it as a fractional program. They started atleast circa 2000, because that's when I was getting my private.

Timbuff10 · April 1st, 2006, 00:43

The pilot in my says it would be great but the smarter side of me says that no one that you would be targeting as customers would be willing to ride in a single engine single pilot airplane.

That being said, from what I have heard, it isn't the single engine thing that scares off most people, it is the single pilot aspect. Can't say I blame them either.

Nick · April 1st, 2006, 01:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by wheelsup

Nashua, NH where I got my private

You too eh?

Quote:

Originally Posted by wheelsup

http://www.planesense.aero/index_content.htm

The above company started out in Nashua, NH where I got my private. At the time they were the largest PC-12 operator in the company. They grew so much they moved to Manchester, just up the road. They've been sucessful enough with it as a fractional program. They started atleast circa 2000, because that's when I was getting my private.

Planesense / Alpha Flying is doing great and they are of course now under 91K flying a lot all over the northeast and further. $440,000 per year to buy a fraction of the PC-12 and then there is an hourly cost.

A Delta JFK B-767ER FO co-founded the operation. To answer the thread starter the PC-12 seems to be a very nice plane, from things I've read about it and being shown the ones at MHT.

PilotJT · April 1st, 2006, 01:29

I work at a FBO and we charter out the PC-12 ALL the time... Great Plane. Just a little slower than most, but it works great overall!

Casper · April 1st, 2006, 02:44

great aircraft...

TripleSticks · April 1st, 2006, 10:58

Epps at PDK has a slew of them and they charter all the time. I would definitely ride and fly it. In fact. I would love to fly it. It's a very impressive plane.

March 31st, 2006, 22:27	#1
meritflyer Old Skool Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Winchestertonfieldville Posts: 6,802	New Charter Aircraft Do you guys think a Pilatus PC-12 would be a good aircraft to start a charter company on? I have heard that some of the big biz guys wont (or even cant due to life insurance) fly on a single engine aircraft. The operating costs are very reasonable considering the cabin size, speed, altitude, useful load, and range. Advantages/Disadvantages? Your thoughts are appreciated as always. meritflyer __________________ The simplest answer tends to be correct.

March 31st, 2006, 22:38	#2
Kingairer Old Skool Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Nomadic...World Wide Boobie Bungalow Bouncer Posts: 3,215	Id fly it. __________________ "I do not proofread"

April 1st, 2006, 00:43	#6
Timbuff10 Old Skool Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Coloradan in Orange County, CA Posts: 3,235	The pilot in my says it would be great but the smarter side of me says that no one that you would be targeting as customers would be willing to ride in a single engine single pilot airplane. That being said, from what I have heard, it isn't the single engine thing that scares off most people, it is the single pilot aspect. Can't say I blame them either. __________________ My Photography My Airliners.net photos

April 1st, 2006, 02:44	#9
Casper Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: I dont care Posts: 194	great aircraft... __________________ At the top of the food chain when you look below you, you see nothing but smiling faces, when you are at the bottom and look up....you see nothing but buttholes. DO328-300 IAI 1124 Westwind

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March 31st, 2006, 22:47	#3
Texasspilot Old Skool Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 2,080	When I was doing contract work on the citation I talked to a guy who ran the charter dept. next door pretty regularly and we got to talking one day. I asked him how come the company only owned 1 aircraft but had corporate depts put thier 91 planes on the 135 cert. He told me..."We learned a long time ago that owning your own airplanes is no way to make money in the charter business" take if for what its worth. As for size, speed, etc....its pretty good but it all depends on where the customer wants to go.

March 31st, 2006, 22:53	#4
BCTAv8r Old Skool Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Florida Posts: 6,254	I read a local article about a guy who started what is now a considerably succesful charter company and he started out by renting airplanes.

March 31st, 2006, 23:36	#5
wheelsup Old Skool Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: _ Posts: 5,611	I had the opportunity to spend a few hours in the front of a PC-12 one afternoon. Nice looking plane. I would love to find a local PC-12 company and fly it corporate-ly single pilot with a good company. http://www.planesense.aero/index_content.htm The above company started out in Nashua, NH where I got my private. At the time they were the largest PC-12 operator in the company. They grew so much they moved to Manchester, just up the road. They've been sucessful enough with it as a fractional program. They started atleast circa 2000, because that's when I was getting my private.

April 1st, 2006, 01:29	#8
PilotJT Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: MCO Posts: 45	I work at a FBO and we charter out the PC-12 ALL the time... Great Plane. Just a little slower than most, but it works great overall!

April 1st, 2006, 10:58	#10
TripleSticks Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 259	Epps at PDK has a slew of them and they charter all the time. I would definitely ride and fly it. In fact. I would love to fly it. It's a very impressive plane.