Back in June of 2021, in the midst of some pretty horrid market conditions we launched the first twenty five ACCESS cards in a stealth fashion.
We kept marketing to a minimum so those who followed us on our journey could be the first to experience the new offering.
The card program was the first of its kind in Australia, many have conceptualised and tried, but never managed to get the product operational.
In February we managed to effectively sell our initial release out, and prepare to launch the next 15 cards.
Fast forward to this morning, we had our card holder and her family arrive to some special treats and a nice chilled bottle of bubbly to celebrate our 100th demand hour.
An incredible way to start their long weekend in Tasmania.
We always knew ACCESS would be impactful – either by making private more affordable, easier to consume or understand. But it’s had a far greater impact than we first thought.
We are giving our card holders their lives back.
Appreciating how much time we have given back to card holders based in Regional Victoria who can now be on location at their farm in Central Queensland within 2 hours where it used to take a full day of road and commercial travel.
Or getting a father back to his children in time for dinner after a day on the ‘road’. Where in the past he used to spend several days travelling to achieve the same outcome.
We aren’t about transactions, we’re about people: our card holders.
Because when you have a true understanding of what impact you have on people, it makes all of our pain and hard work in building this product worth it.
We are so proud, so grateful and so excited for what’s to come.
While the content is correct, the headline and messaging is somewhat misleading, and the context is everything.
Flight tracking works through combining several public aviation surveillance data sources, such as radar, scheduling, and airline flight status data, into a flight tracking service provider, such as Flightradar24 or ADSBExchange. But the key to real-time flight tracking rests in a relatively new technology called ADS-B, or automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast, which has allowed Elon Musk’s private jet to be tracked.
ADS-B is a surveillance technology in which electronic equipment onboard an aircraft automatically broadcasts the precise location of the aircraft via a digital data link (Airservices Australia, 2022). These signals can be picked up by ADS-B receivers on the ground (and in the air, for increased situational awareness and safety) and fed to flight tracking service providers who are able to overlay this information in real-time, accurate positions of aircraft. ADS-B is increasingly mandated by civil aviation authorities, with “roughly 70% of all commercial passenger aircraft equipped with an ADS-B transponder (Flightradar24, 2022). General aviation is far lower, while military aircraft may disable ADS-B for tactical reasons.
Ultimately, ADS-B is a safety-enhancing technology that improves the situational awareness of airborne aircrew. Some flight tracking websites do allow flights to have their ADS-B information not shown, but in the case of Elon Musk’s jet tracking Twitter-bot, ADSBExchange does not allow this.
Real-time flight tracking should not be portrayed as a safety or security risk, as it really is an airborne safety-enhancing capability. A privacy issue, perhaps, but aviation safety arguably takes precedence.
Interstate border restrictions are crumbling on the East Coast.
And there’s a growing number of travellers who don’t want to wear masks or be forced into isolation after a commercial flight is declared an exposure site.
This is why private aviation is the natural alternative.
But in the past deciding who to book with, what jet to select, confusing pricing options and inconsistent experience can really defeat the purpose of the ‘stress-free’ promise.
We’ve doubled our card holders in the last month, have seen a 500% jump in inbound interest and we are adding more value outside of the flying program.
Three reasons ACCESS will be the talk of the summer.
1. Palatable price point
After the annual membership fee, you only pay for the time you’re physically in the jet. This could be half the cost when compared to chartering with another broker.
Whether you’re flying one way, overnight or staying for five weeks it does not impact the fixed, all-inclusive, occupied hourly rate of $3,995 for the four seat Citation Mustang jet.
The way you book ACCESS flights is unmatched. You can utilise our app, WhatsApp, SMS or email.
Then there’s the experience. A streamlined fleet of jets that look and feel the same, the in-flight meals (included in hourly rate) available to/from major airports is clean and wholesome and caters to all dietary restrictions.
Finally, being able to plan your annual travel budget couldn’t be easier. The only variable you need to consider is the flight duration.
3. Additional value
Our card holders join ACCESS for the flying, but stay for the added value.
We’ve secured member-only rates for the best five star hotels in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Members can also receive discounts on our premium Sydney chauffeur as well.
ACCESS members will soon be able to take their card overseas – but more on that at a later date.
We have a huge vision for this program far beyond what you see today, so get in early and enjoy the offering at todays price point.
To maintain sound availability over the summer we will be capping our memberships so if you’re interested in joining the program please reach out via the link below, or apply via the app.
We’re pleased to inform you that the latest version of the Airly app is now available.
Less bugs, more features and better experience.
Let’s explore some of the new features.
ACCESS at your fingertips
We’ve added in all the functionality and features of the newly-launched and popular program, ACCESS.
You can request an ACCESS membership, book and manage ACCESS flights as well as manage prepaid hours.
Enhanced SHARED features
A flow on benefit from the ACCESS program is the reduction in seat prices along SHARED routes.
It’s also now easier to share your itinerary with others and we created preferred departure time selections (only available to SHARED members) to help group members together for the purpose of flight activation.
Improved charter flow
The development team have improved user experience, flow and visuals on the charter-specific sections as well.
To enjoy the new features please update your app or click here to be taken to the appropriate app store.
Did you know you can take your pets on private jets.
We’re extending our private jet membership programs to include your four legged family members.
2020 and 2021 have seen a large number of interstate relocations. And thanks to border restrictions the reduction in commercial flights have seen four legged family members get left behind.
We continue to hear heartbreaking stories of furry family members being stranded due to hotel quarantine requirements or the huge backlog experienced by animal transport providers.
So we’re in the process of enabling your pets to also be included into the SHARED and ACCESS program free of charge.
What does this mean?
It means you can now use your SHARED or ACCESS membership to transport your pet without the need for you to be on the aircraft.
How will this work?
Simply advise your member care team that it will be your pet travelling, and we’ll guide you through the process.
Airly will also send your dog or cat a luxury gift after the flight.
When can I book?
You can book using your SHARED or ACCESS membership now!
WE WANT TO HELP
If you, or someone you know, is currently separated from their dog or cat please contact us and we’ll work to put some flights together using our SHARED platform to help reunite family’s with their best friend.
Whether it’s a pandemic or change of plans, you shouldn’t be penalised for changing or cancelling your private jet flight.
As Australia enters a ‘hokey pokey’ phase of lockdowns and border closures we’re commonly asked what happens to your flight if plans change, or you get caught up amongst the lockdowns?
Whether you choose to book a trip with Airly or another provider, make sure you understand the requirements and penalty’s involved with changing or cancelling your trip.
If you’re not familiar with ACCESS, this product allows you to book from a streamlined fleet of jets for an all-inclusive fixed hourly occupied rate. That means members don’t pay empty positioning fees, overnight fees or lounge fees.
If you’re on the jet for one hour, you pay for that hour. Everything is included!
And best of all, unlike the SHARED program, flights are confirmed on booking – and you have the entire jet to yourself and your guests.
But one of the most impressive facets of the program is our cancellation and change terms.
We ask for 72 hours notice if your schedule changes if possible. But if your plan changes last minute we won’t charge any cancellation or change fees (so long as we haven’t already positioned to pick you up).
And if lockdowns or border closures get in the way there’s no penalty, ever.
A private jet product that is simple to understand, easy to predict, accessible to more at a far more palatable price point?
Private jet brokers don’t own aircraft and simply sit in between you and the private jet operator.
It’s no secret that there’s been a considerable uptick in private jet charter in Australia. Customers new and existing are making the most of increased availability of jets.
For new customers, it can be quite exciting to book your first private jet charter. The feeling of finally ‘making it’, or giving in to the utility and benefits of flying private.
While some private jet brokers have closed down during the pandemic, others are making the most of this uptick. However they can get a little greedy when it comes to pricing your trip. Let us explain.
How do private jet brokers price a charter?
When you provide your itinerary to the broker, they’ll try to get some further information from you such as preferred cabin size, budget and any other requirements outside of the normal to help make a decision on what operator to approach.
Operators will provide the broker with a price to facilitate your trip. The broker will then add a margin (5-20%) and present you with some options.
All of the process so far is very common, ethical and standard practice.
But what if you only fly one way, or the jet returns empty back to its home base during your stay at the destination? Empty capacity is then generated, in which brokers will then attempt to sell the newly created ‘empty leg’. This is when some brokers get a little greedy.
Should the broker sell the empty leg, they’ll keep all that revenue for themselves. There’s a fair chance you’ll have no idea about it. So what’s the problem with that?
You are paying full price for that empty leg to be created and sold. The broker has added their fee to your price (their profit), and are now making thousands of dollars on top of that thanks to you. We call it the double dip. So what can you do about it?
Negotiate a revenue share deal with brokers
In the name of fairness, you should ask your broker if any empty legs are attached to your flight. If that answer is yes, ask for a share of that empty leg revenue. There is no reason for the broker to not work out a deal to make everyone happy.
If they say no, it may be time to thank them for their efforts and find a more transparent company to work with.
How does Airly share empty leg revenue?
In the past few months we have credited or refunded tens of thousands of dollars back to our charter customers from the sale of empty legs, or combining their itinerary with another customer’s saving on empty positioning fees.
When pricing your flight, we will advise if empty flights are going to be marketed, and how much of a potential refund you will receive on the successful sale of said empty flight. We refund or credit at least 80% of empty leg revenue back to you.
Here’s some recent examples.
On the 17th of April we refunded or credited a total of $9,100 to two separate customers by selling their attached empty legs on a one-way trip.
On the 2nd of May we were able to sell three empty legs attached to a one-way charter. A total of $10,000 was credited to the customer’s next flight.
On the 8th of May we combined two itineraries onto the one jet saving both of our customers $4,000 each.
On the 11th of May we combined two itineraries onto the one jet saving both of our customers $3,000 each.
In summary, a good private jet broker can help guide you through the confusing world that is private aviation. But in order to find a good broker you need to keep them honest.
Look out Forbes and AFR, here’s Airly’s submission of JetList – the top 10 celebrities who own their own private jet.
Airly’s inaugural JetList
The JetList ranks private jets owned by celebs ordered by price at the time of purchase.
10. Tom Cruise – Gulfstream GIV ($36m)
We like this entry for the fact it’s a little old school. Mr Cruise’s 1998 Gulfstream is still a beautiful jet in its own right. Combined with his classic P-51 Mustang you can tell Maverick loves the nostalgia of aviation.
9. Jay Z – Challenger 850 ($40m)
Beyonce reportedly paid $40m USD in 2012 for the Challenger as a Father’s Day present. What a present!
The 850 is the largest of the Challenger range, seating up to 19 passengers with some of the seats converting to beds for longer flights. The jet also features two bathrooms in the cabin.
8. Jackie Chan – Embraer Legacy 650 & 500 ($50m)
It’s no secret that Jackie Chan is an avid Embraer fan. He purchased his Legacy 650 for $30m USD in 2012. In 2016, Chan added a brand new Legacy 500 to take care of shorter trips for $20m USD.
We’re yet to see Jackie buy into the new Embraer Praetor range, so watch this space.
7. Jim Carrey – Gulfstream V ($59m)
One of the greatest comedians is the proud owner of this Gulfstream V purchased for $59m USD.
Carrey makes his 1998 jet available for rent when he’s not using it, for around $8,000 an hour.
6. Oprah Winfrey – Gulfstream 650 ($70m)
Ms Winfrey joins other celebrities who have upgraded their jets to the latest and greatest.
Oprah’s previous aircraft was a Bombardier Global Express XRS, showing no loyalty towards her jet manufacturer.
5. Kylie Jenner – Bombardier Global 7500 ($72m)
This is a perfect ‘top-shelf’ purchase in the Global 7500. The pink-branded jet is capable of flying 14,260km non-stop.
Reaching a three-comma status via her makeup brand, ‘Sky Ky’ was just one of Ms Jenner’s big ticket items during a spending spree in 2020.
4. Donald Trump – Boeing 757 ($100m)
Purchased from Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 2011 the ‘T-bird’ has become an iconic jet in the sky’s.
Normally a jet liner, the Boeing 757 was refurbished to accommodate 43 passengers with bathrooms featuring 24 carat gold fixtures!
Having spent the last 4 years on Air Force One we’re not quite sure where Mr Trump sits following reports of him flying on a Citation X ($4m USD) in recent weeks.
3. Bill Gates – Gulfstream 650ER x 2 ($140m)
As we researched on our JetList, we were surprised to see the Microsfoft founder owns a single Global Express ($40m).
However, after further digging, we learned that Mr Gates and his foundation also own 2 x Gulfstream 650ER private jets, valued at $70m USD each. The Bill & Melinder Gates Foundation also owns 2 x Challenger 350’s via NetJets, and other smaller aircraft.
2. Mark Cuban – Various ($280m+)
The popular internet billionaire broke records in 1999 paying $40m USD for his Gulfstream V. It was the largest internet transaction at the time!
Since then Cuban has also added two Boeing Business Jets to his hangar. One of which is used by his NBA team, the Dallas Mavericks, and the other his Boeing 767 which he also makes available to charter.
1. John Travolta – Various
Taking our inaugural number one place is John Travolta and his fleet of jets. When you can land your jet in the backyard and park it out the front of your mansion, it’s hard to not give him top billing.
It’s difficult to get a combined value of his fleet. With a vintage Boeing 707, Challenger 601 and EA500 being just 3 of his 6-11 aircraft.
They said I’d never build it; that if I built it, it wouldn’t fly; that if it flew, I couldn’t sell it. Well I did and it did and I could.
William P. Lear, founder of the Lear Jet Corporation, and designed of arguably the world’s first business jet.
On February 11, 2021, Bombardier, who purchased the Learjet company in 1990, announced an end to production of all Learjet private jets. This marks a sad milestone for aviation, for it heralds the end of an era. For decades, since the company’s first aircraft, the Learjet 23, the name Learjet was synonymous with private aviation, business aviation, and aviation leadership.
While the Learjet name may be consigned to history, fortunately business and private aviation manufacturing, innovations, and business models continue to thrive.
Bombardier Learjet 75 Liberty
History of Lear Jet
The first Learjet 23 was delivered in 1964. It was the brainchild of inventor, businessman, and high-school drop out William (Bill) Lear. Over 46 years Lear was granted over 120 patents, contributing significantly to radio and aviation. He is, however, best known for creating a new category of fast and efficient business jets, and a brand that to many is the definition of a business jet. Before Lear Jet there simply was no business or private jet category – VIPs, states-persons, and celebrities that could afford to fly privately were limited to airliner-type aircraft.
The Learjet 23’s genesis began in Switzerland in the 1940s, where the Flug- und Fahrzeugwehrke Altenrhein (FFA) company was developing a domestically designed and manufactured fighter jet – the FFA P-16. The P-16 was never introduced into service and the program cancelled in favour of the proven British Hawker Hunter – but Bill Lear saw promise in the aircraft’s fundamental design as a business jet, having previously and unsuccessfully based preliminary designs on a US experimental aircraft named the Mississippi State University XV-11 Marvel.
In 1960 Lear founded the Swiss American Aircraft Corporation in Switzerland and began work on the initially-named SAAC-23 Execujet. In 1962, frustrated by slow progress in Switzerland, Lear moved SAAC’s factory tooling to Wichita, Kansas and renamed the company the Lear Jet Corporation. Production began in 1962 with the first flight of the Learjet 23 taking placing the following year. On October 13, 1964, the first production aircraft was delivered and over a two year production run 101 Learjet 23s were delivered.
Aviation Week – 5 July 1965
Learjet Legacy
Fast forward 25 years, and it was the Learjet 31 that ultimately delivered on Lear’s vision of the definitive business jet.
Only 200 Learjet 31s were produced between 1988 and 2002, with many of these still in service. Often referred to as “the Porsche of the sky,” the 31 combines the empennage-mounted engine design with the distinctive “Longhorn” wing configuration. With seating for eight passengers, the jet is capable of climbing at over 5,000 feet per minute, reaching cruise altitude of 47,000 feet and 0.81 March in 28 minutes. A service ceiling of 51,000 feet puts the Learjet 31 in rarefied air. With efficient fuel consumption and field performance, both the Learjet 31 and the slightly upgraded 31A are still favoured by many passengers and operators today.
Learjet 31
Having sold a significant portion of his company to the Gates Rubber Company in 1967, the Gates Learjet Corporation was acquired by Integrated Acquisition in 1987 and renamed the Learjet Corporation. In 1990, Bombardier Aerospace purchased the company and initiated a clean-sheet design and marketing of the “Bombardier Learjet Family.”
The Learjet 60 was the first of this new lineage, followed by the Learjet 45. Similar to how the 31 revolutionised business aviation, the Learjet 45 fused the operating economics of a light business jet with the comfort of a mid-size jet, while remaining true to Learjet’s excellent performance. The Learjet 75 is the final jet to bear the Learjet name, with first delivery having taken place in 2013 and production ceasing this year.
Learjet 45
The future of business aviation
The end of the Learjet marque is nostalgic, but should not be seen as a bellwether for the business aviation industry. For several decades, the business and private aerospace industry has been increasingly fragmenting – offering a relatively small pool of consumers an excessive amount of aircraft options. By comparison, the commercial aviation sector has consolidated to effectively two manufacturers – Airbus and Boeing. The private jet industry has several – Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault, Embraer, Gulfstream, and even Airbus Corporate Jets and Boeing Business Jets. For reference, Airbus and Boeing delivered 723 aircraft in 2020, while global business jet deliveries numbered 644.
Consolidation is a natural part of the evolution of any industry as technologies advance and market expectations grow.
The business aviation industry is likely behind commercial aerospace in terms of industry consolidation maturity. A Deloitte 2017 analysis of the merger and acquisition trends in aerospace and defense anticipated (generally) that “aerospace and defense companies would increasingly look to M&A (and joint ventures) as a means to grow, specifically by expanding product portfolios, gaining new technical capabilities, and expanding into new geographies.”
Deans, Kroeger & Zeisel, The Consolidation Curve, Harvard Business Review, Dec 2002
This industry consolidation is good for operators, owners, and travelers, in bringing cost efficiencies and technological advances together. Competition is healthy, and we can expect there to remain a handful of business jet manufacturers; but some consolidation in a high-capital, regulatory intensive, and difficult to enter industry is beneficial for all.
While the brand may not be seen on aircraft beyond this year, over fifty years of Learjet’s innovations and progress will continue to serve Bombardier’s business aircraft competitive advantage, and deliver value to operators and travelers.
Dassault Aviation’s philosophy behind their successful Falcon range is simple – to enable business aviation. In this article we take a look at the Falcon 2000LX.
That is, Dassault’s vision is to help others realise the benefits of business aviation, such as corporate development and growth, as well as traveling flexibility. Having delivered over 2,500 Falcons, Dassault have been a market leader in the wide cabin, long range aircraft segment for over 50 years. Additionally, through Dassault Aviation’s Defense business, the Falcon jet range benefit from the advanced technological innovations developed for combat aircraft, including cockpit systems, digital flight control systems, head-up displays, flight qualities, and aerodynamics.
History of the Falcon 2000
The Falcon 2000, certified in 1994, introduced several features that progressed the private jet beyond its tri-engined predecessor, the Falcon 900, and set the Falcon family on its successful trajectory to an industry leading marque. A decade later and the Falcon 2000LX improved on the 2000’s features through modified wings and blended winglets, improving climb performance and range.
Falcon 2000LX touches down in Sydney
Last week, a newly Australian-registered Falcon 2000LX landed at Sydney Airport. From a comfort perspective the LX’s 6.1 ft tall, 7.7 ft wide, and 26.3 ft long cabin is spacious, light, and well-appointed for its extended range capability. Although the aircraft is designed to hold up to 19 passengers, the newly arrived one is luxuriously configured for eight passengers with the cabin arranged in two distinct areas of a forward double club arrangement, and the rear with four-person conference table plus a two-person lounge available once the seat belt sign is extinguished. Two of the forward area seats can fold down, allowing comfortable lie-flat napping. The windows are large, filling the cabin with natural light, and the forward seating area offers in-seat audio-visual facilities. A comprehensive galley, stand-up lavatory, and 134 cubic feet of accessible baggage space round out the long-range comforts of the Falcon 2000LX.
From a performance perspective the sharp looking winglets make an incredible difference over the standard 2000. Although the LX has the same airfoil and wingspan of the Falcon EX, the winglets increase the LX’s range by 200 nautical miles to over 4,000 nautical miles with eight passengers. From Sydney Airport, this range grants access to destinations from New Zealand across to much of South East Asia. The winglets also help the jet climb to FL410 in just 18 minutes, powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW308C engines that provide slightly more thrust and performance than the 2000, and provide the jet with a cruise speed of 482 knots at 39,000 feet.
A pilot’s delight
The elegant and modern dual-crew cockpit employs the functional and simple Rockwell Collins Pro Line 4 fully-integrated avionics suite, centred around the Honeywell EASy Avionics panel, and four large flat panel display screens. The aircraft comes standard with an Allied Signal Flight Management System, Collins Doppler weather radar, and a dual channel Integrated Avionics Processor System.
The Falcon 2000LX embodies the benefits of business aviation through its understated performance, and inherent flexibility. But perhaps most notably, it exemplifies Marcel Dassault’s famous quote, “for an aircraft to fly well, it must be beautiful.”
And now, it is available to Airly members and charter clients.
