This post is one in a line of Private Jets VIP’s educational series that will help our VIP clients stay well informed and be able to make the right decision when chartering an aircraft.
Private Jets VIP works to educate it’s current and future VIP clients with regards to business air charter. At Private Jets VIP we feel that a well-educated charter client is a satisfied client. Total client satisfaction is what Private Jets VIP is known for and is non-negotiable. We attempt to exceed all client expectations on each and every flight.
Business aircraft available for charter generally are operated under FAR Part 135. Some aircraft operators decide to operate under a FAR Part 135 certificate as opposed to Part 91. There are advantages and disadvantages associated with both arrangements; each operator must weigh its own needs and obligations when making this decision.
The principal advantage of operating under a Part 135 certificate is that an operator then can lease the aircraft to gain additional utilization of the aircraft and, therefore, offset the fixed costs of owning the aircraft. These commercial operations can be most beneficial and compatible if the aircraft is used infrequently by its owner.
Some disadvantages also exist. As a Part 135 operator, the company is a certificate-holding entity in the eyes of the FAA and must comply with specific requirements in regard to paperwork, maintenance and training. As a certificate holder, the operator is subject to additional surveillance from FAA inspectors and has less flexibility in conducting flight operations, e.g. legality of starting instrument approaches when weather is below minimums, takeoff minimums (there are none for Part 91), flying to airports with no weather reporting equipment, crew rest, etc.
Scheduling flexibility and control are more complex because aircraft may be obligated to lease or charter commitments. Insurance, accounting and tax considerations all will change under any lease or charter arrangement. Rather than obtaining their own FAR Part 135 certificate, some aircraft owners will place their aircraft on someone else’s Part 135 certificate. This is known as piggybacking, or managed charter.
The owner of the aircraft will pay for the conformance of the aircraft to the Part 135 regulations, but the 135 certificate holder will hold FAA operational control of the aircraft when conducting charter flights. Piggybacking situations can take many forms; therefore, key issues such as who supplies the crew, whose insurance policy covers, who dispatches flight when the aircraft is operated Part 91 for the owner of the aircraft, etc. must be addressed in advance and included in the air charter management agreements.
Private Jets VIP Charter Hotline: 1-855-847-5387 (1-855-VIP-JETS)
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