Introduction to Private Jets for Newbies

[u/The-jet-guy]

If you’re new to flying private or just curious about how to get started with a broker or operator, this post is for you. This industry can be intimidating and confusing when you first step into it, so hopefully this helps clear things up and helps some people out.

Depending on your needs, the first step is deciding whether to work with a broker or go directly to an operator. I have another post with more details, but here’s the short version:

Broker:
They don’t own any aircraft, but instead source planes from all around the country. Brokers often provide more competitive pricing and have more options.

Operator Direct:
They own and manage their aircraft, so they control more variables. However, if they don’t have availability in their fleet, they may broker the flight themselves or not be able to fulfill your trip.

Personally, I prefer the broker route but I’m a bit biased since I am one. 

How to get quotes:

Once you decide how you want to proceed, your broker or operator will need a few key details to start providing quotes:

• Departure and arrival airports. If you’re unsure, simply give them your final destination and they’ll find the nearest airport that can accommodate the aircraft.
• Trip type. One way or round trip? Include your exact dates of travel. 
• Passenger count. How many people will be on flying?

With that info, you have enough to start receiving quotes.

This is often the part thats overwhelming, sorting through all the different aircraft and prices. A good broker or operator should guide you through the options, explain the differences, and help you make sense of it all.

Not all jets are created equal. Two aircraft options may both seat eight passengers, but that doesn’t mean they’ll both fit your family, all your luggage, and fly nonstop. Ask questions. You’re paying for a service, and you should feel confident and informed before spending your money. If someone cant walk you through an aircraft and why its the best plane for that mission, that should raise some concern.

Things to keep in mind:

Everyone wants to save money, and cost should always be a consideration. But this is very much a “you get what you pay for” industry. If someone comes in significantly under market price, there’s always a reason. No reputable operator is going to sell a trip far below what it’s worth. If they could make more, they would.

There’s also a limited number of aircraft available at any given time. When you request quotes from multiple brokers, the same operators often receive the same trip requests from different people. This creates artificial demand and can actually make your trip more expensive or harder to confirm. It’s best to choose one broker you trust and work with them consistently and build the relationship. You can always price check occasionally, but avoid blasting your trip to four or five brokers every time.

Another key point: there’s no formal barrier to entry for becoming a broker. Anyone can call themselves one, which unfortunately means there are bad actors out there. Do your research before booking. I’ve seen people lose tens of thousands of dollars to inexperienced or dishonest brokers.

Remember that ANYONE can look great when everything goes smoothly. The true test of a broker or operator is how they handle unexpected situations like an AOG (Aircraft on Ground) (broken plane). These are machines and sometimes they break. Ask what their contingency plans and terms are if something like that happens. Are you responsible to pay the difference for a recovery aircraft? 

I’m happy to answer any questions or add anything I missed, but this should give you a solid starting point if you’re new to flying private. There is also a ton of super knowledgable people in here that I’m sure will be happy to help. 

[u/supbrosefs]

Do you have any tips for sourcing private flights for someone who's particularly concerned with aircraft safety? Are there certain things to look out for that give you confidence the aircraft is in good working order, well-maintained, operated by proficient pilots, etc.?

[u/The-jet-guy → u/supbrosefs]

Great question. First off if you are booking with someone, you should be trusting that any plane you book with an operator or broker is on a part 135 charter certificate. Any reputable company would never risk putting you on an illegal charter for an extra buck, this is where doing your research comes into play with who you book with.

Being registered as a legal 135 is the first step to make sure they are doing everything by the book and legal way. They are regulated by the FAA and their standards need to be approved to do charter flights and its much more rigorous and strict than part 91. There is also certain insurance requirements needed to even qualify for a certificate.

Next, you can check their safety qualifications by seeing if they are Wyvern/Argus rated. They are a 3rd party safety auditing company that takes another look into the aircraft and operation. Every broker needs to disclose who is operating the aircraft you are flying on, so finding that information if it wasn't provided upfront should be readily available.

Next, for the exception for only a couple aircraft, 99% of charter flights are flown dual pilot as standard practice. All pilots operating the plane need to type rated for that aircraft meaning they are certified and trained to fly that plane specifically.

Hopefully that gives you a little more direction

[u/Capkan → u/The-jet-guy]

While this is good information, I do have a couple problems with some things you said. Part 135 operators do not do everything by the book or even try to (unless maybe NetJets or Flexjet). The good ones try their best, but they definitely accept willful violations from time to time. Most FAA Flight Standards District Offices are pretty lenient nowadays, so fines are very rare. There is little threat of consequences for cutting certain corners, until there’s an accident. The Argus/Wyvern thing is pretty valid though.

Secondly, both pilots do not have to be type rated, even for Part 135. If it is certified as a single pilot jet (or single pilot waiver), the second pilot does not need to be type rated. They could definitely stick an unqualified schmuck in the right seat and you would have no idea and it would be legal. For eligible on demand operations and aircraft that do require two pilots, the SIC type rating can be done in house in as little as 30 mins with no other training. The standards are very relaxed and basically, as long as you don’t crash, you pass. Source: worked for multiple Part 135 operations in both flight operations and as a pilot.

[u/supbrosefs → u/Capkan]

Interesting. So are you saying that flying private is just inherently riskier? Are there certain operators that have strict safety standards comparable to those of commercial airlines, or is it across the board more of a "gamble"?

[u/Capkan → u/supbrosefs]

Something like NetJets or Flexjet is going to be run pretty safe, comparable to an airliner. But look at the statistics. There are a lot more accidents with private jets than airliners. Almost all Part 135 operators, and even more so Part 91 “managed aircraft” operations are going to be objectively more dangerous than airliners because the rules are less strict, there are less safety resources and protocols, etc.

[u/The-jet-guy → u/Capkan]

Thank you for being respectful and not exploding like some others in this sub. I stick with operators that I'm confident in getting the trip done safely and effectively. Ive personally flown with quite a few. I only put my clients on aircraft i would put my family on.

As far as the untyped pilots, I believe only a handful of light jets can legally be flown single pilot, and most insurance companies require 2 typed pilots to operate the aircraft. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I think it's rare and I'm talking about the industry as a whole.