How To Own A Jet | Charter Flight | Jet Buying Guide | Fractional Ownership

Fly in Your Own Jet

Sick of commercial flights? Well, if you’ve the money, you don’t need to stand in check-in queues and eat plastic airline food any more. We bring you the guide on how to go about owning your own jet.

Ever dreamt of flying high? Now we’re not just talking about ‘flying high on life’, but also and actually, quite literally, flying in the sky, through the clouds, amongst the stars and all that. In a machine that belongs to you and one in which the décor and the fittings are to your taste. Sounds good? Then splurge on your own privately owned jet.

Besides it being the fulfillment of a dream and a status symbol, why else would one want to buy a jet? Well, because one has the money, for starters; because one really needs one, being another reason; to gift it to one’s wife on her birthday a la Mukesh Ambani style, for three; and finally, because it caters to your needs at your time and at your discretion since it is at your disposal. If you are a frequent flyer, piling on the air miles, it obviously means you spend way too much time lounging about airports. Buying a private jet in such a scenario makes sense, because in the long run it’ll work out to your advantage. Think of all the time you save. And time is money. So in other words, think of al the money you save!

Corporate India is waking up to the fact that jets are of great benefit and advantage to their position and standing, not to mention their business deals. With international ties being forged in the areas of business and finance, the need for company owned business jets has seen a significant rise in the past couple of years. From a mere two dozen, the number has crossed well over one hundred. And with India shining, the need is only going to increase.

So how does one go about buying a jet?

Well, first it would be prudent to decide what you are looking for. Are you looking for something purely for pleasure and personal reasons, like whisking your family off to an exotic location for a holiday? Or do you need something to conduct your business meetings in, while traveling between cities and negotiating deals?

If it’s a flying boardroom that you have in mind, then they are normally not so expensive. Corporate owned jets and planes are comfortably done up with all the necessary amenities including Internet and satellite communication systems so that one can stay in touch with ones colleagues and employees at all times.

If it’s a luxury that you wish to indulge in, then you can go berserk on doing it up the way you want. If money is no object, then you can customize the interiors however you like, adding extravagant facilities that say volumes about you and your personality. Books, DVDs, artwork, state-of-the-art music systems, beautifully done-up restrooms, a tastefully made-up bed…the list is long, the list is endless.

However, who’s to say that a fancy, spruced-up jet that you’ve lovingly lavished with attention and detail can’t be used for business purposes? All the better to take your clients’ breath away with, my dear! A private jet can cost anything between $12 million and $58 million. And the cost can obviously keep soaring depending upon the add-ons that you commission.

Of course, you can’t really get away with EVERYTHING. There are certain guidelines to be adhered to, certain regulations to be followed.

There are smaller jets available like the six-seater and eight-seater from Cessna, which would put you back by roughly $2 million. The mid-sized Cessna gives a superb performance and is quite the speed master in air! There are lots of used models available too, but you definitely need to give it a once over by an expert before you commit to buying it.

However, if size and performance both matter to you, then you need to look at the bigger aircrafts. Most business houses prefer the Boeing 737. Converted into a business jet, it gives them room, comfort and all the facilities they need!

There are things to remember though, while buying a plane. Besides the cost of the aircraft itself, you need to budget for an experienced pilot and flight-staff, fuel prices and maintenance costs. You need to make sure that your high-flying machine is in tip top condition at ALL times! After all, you don’t want to be faced with a technical difficulty in mid-flight, especially since there’s no way you can just pull over to the side and pop open the hood!

Besides buying a plane outright, there are other options to consider…

Air Charter Flights

An air charter company allows corporate houses as well as individuals the opportunity to book a flight for their use, be it business or pleasure, at their convenient timing. In other words, it is just like hiring an entire aircraft to be at your service. The cost of chartering a private jet is usually by the hour and it also depends upon the size and type of craft that you lease. It works out much better than buying a private aircraft if you’re not that frequent a flier, and it also means not having to depend upon fussy commercial airline schedules!

One of the problems with chartering a jet is that you don’t get priority as it is on a first come first serve basis. The same principles of hiring a taxi apply! And in a sense, that’s just what it is, an exclusive air cab service!

TajAir is the country’s first air charter company. TajAir has operations worldwide. Not only does it own and control a high-tech hangar and traveler’s lounge, it also operates the passenger and baggage screening area from an exclusive entrance at Mumbai’s International Airport. Cuts out the long lines and waiting!

Company executives and head honchos have used TajAir to conduct business and accompany foreign delegates to various meetings and work related sites all over the country. TajAir’s services have also come in handy for chartering marriage parties as well as ferrying clients to pilgrimages and holiday destinations.

Fractional Ownership

For business purposes like getting to meetings on time, a chopper can be the perfect solution!

This is a rather new concept in India and it’s about to catch on quick. Instead of owning an entire aircraft, like a jet or helicopter, you can possess one at the fraction of its cost without any ownership liabilities, and yet enjoy all the benefits of a privately owned air carrier. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? Well, it is true. You share ownership with others like you and you end up enjoying all the advantages that such a program has to offer. It is very much like having your own private airlines and aircraft, where you decide the time of arrival and departure and you can cram in as many destinations as you want, all so that you can fly back home to your loved ones and be with them rather than being holed up in a hotel somewhere. It’s like being a member of an elite club where you have access to special services and benefits. This amazing idea is being introduced to India by Club One Air.

So if you’re all ready and set to buy a jet, partially or wholly, go for it…the sky’s the limit!