Posted by Michael Krantz on Thu, Sep 09, 2010 @ 10:24 AM
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, with Marvell Semiconductor founders at the company's Santa Clara headquarters, is headed to Asia on a trade mission accompanied by business interests, including Marvell. (Associated Press / September 8, 2010)
Arnold Schwarzenegger will be flying to Asia today with an entourage of about 30 state employees. The private jet is being paid for by a Chinese billionaire who's hoping to boost foreign relations and help raise revenue for the state of California. California is still burdened with a $19 billion budget deficit which costs taxpayers roughly $52 million every day. Schwarzenegger stated that his travels are aimed at helping the budget and growing California industry. The six-day trip will include visits to Japan and South Korea where Governor Schwarzenegger plans on visiting US troops. All travel expenses are being provided by private donations and Schwarzenegger is extremely proud of his ability to save taxpayer money. Some legislators, however, say it is better to spend public money than to rely on private interests who may expect something in return. Critics, economists, and other legislative leaders are questioning the effectiveness of the Governor’s plans, but the people of California have their fingers crossed hoping that something good will come from the trip.
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Posted by Michael Krantz on Wed, Sep 08, 2010 @ 04:16 PM
Have you ever wondered what the difference was between the Gulfstream GV, G500, and the Gulfstream G550 private jets? When looking to charter a jet, it is important to know the exact ins and outs of the aircraft that you are planning to fly on. Obviously, we make it a point to supply the best aircraft possible when you charter jets through Magellan Jets, but it’s still good to know all the facts!
When examining the interior of the Gulfstream GV, G500, and the G550 it is important to research and learn all about the amenities and cool gadgets on board. The G500 and G550 are both equipped with a PlaneView cockpit, which is currently the most advanced flight deck in business aviation. The systems in each aircraft are based on Honeywell’s next generation Primus Epic integrated avionics suite. The G500 and G550 are both equipped with Gulfstream’s signature Cursor Control Device (CCD). The CCD aids pilots in flight planning, navigation, and communications in flight by improving the way that pilots interact with the PlaneView avionics system. Although the GV does not offer CCD or PlaneView, there is a new option to install PlaneDeck which converts the displays from older tube-style displays to LCDs, and offers much of the same features. PlaneDeck is also Synthetic Vision System (SVS) capable. The optional Synthetic Vision Primary Flight Display (SV-PFD) adds to the enhanced situation awareness even in zero visibility conditions right on the main cockpit display (instead of a separate screen).
Gulfstream PlaneDeck featuring SVS and EVS
All three aircraft (GV, G500, & G550) have Enhanced Vision System (EVS). EVS significantly improves situational awareness by providing an infrared video feed of the environment and presenting the pilot with a clear view of runway markings, taxiways, and the surrounding landscape at night or in the worst weather conditions. Each aircraft is also equipped with autoland, a system that fully automates the landing phase of an aircraft’s flight, with the human crew supervising the process. Gulfstream has been able to manufacture each aircraft with the best Flight Management Systems, ensuring additional safety, comfort, and efficiency.
The cabins aboard each Gulfstream combine productivity with exceptional comfort. The signature oval windows provide ample sunlight and a continuous supply of 100 percent fresh air throughout the cabin keeps passengers comfortable on long flights. With options for four distinct living areas, three separate temperature zones and a choice of available configurations that seat up to 18 passengers, passengers are able to indulge in complete business luxury. Maintaining contact with the home or office is even easier with a host of standard communication features: a fax machine, a printer, a wireless local area network and satellite communications are all available as options. Cabins arranged as separate groupings encourage working, dining, entertaining or resting to help keep fresh and productive.
Gulfstream G550 Cabins
These aircraft are three of the most popular private jet charters and are well established in ultra-long range and large cabin category. The Gulfstream GV, G500, and G550 are three extraordinary airplanes that offer extensive range and impressive speeds without sacrificing cabin comfort. Gulfstream has been manufacturing airplanes for over 50 years and is used to setting the standard for business travel. They have a top-rated service center network that stands ready to provide assistance on six continents. If we were to recommend an aircraft for a long, luxurious business travel, you better bet it’s a Gulfstream GV, G500 or G550.
| Performance | GV | G500 | G550 |
| Max Range (Mach 0.80) |
6,500 nm |
5,800 nm |
6,750 nm |
| Max Operating Speed |
Mach 0.885 |
Mach 0.885 |
Mach 0.885 |
| Max Cruise |
51,000 ft |
51,000 ft |
51,000 ft |
| Max Takeoff Weight |
90,500 lbs |
85,100 lbs |
91,000 lbs |
| Design Specifications | GV | G500 | G550 |
| Engines |
Rolls-Royce BR710A1-10 |
Rolls-Royce BR710C4-11 |
Rolls-Royce BR710C4-11 |
| Rated Takeoff Thrust |
14,750 lbs |
15,385 lbs |
15,385 lbs |
| Typical Seating |
14-18 |
14-18 |
14-18 |
| Length |
96.42 ft |
96.05 ft |
96.05 ft |
| Height |
25.83 ft |
25.10 ft |
25.10 ft |
| Wing Span |
93.50 ft |
93.06 ft |
93.06 ft |
Posted by Michael Krantz on Wed, Sep 01, 2010 @ 01:12 PM
Want to be invincible in the sky? Nowadays anyone can track your whereabouts especially while operating in public airspace. The company FlightAware.com grants users accessibility to view a wide range of flights and their scheduled routings. When an aircraft is operating in controlled airspace their identification number must be clearly visible on the fuselage. This goes for private flights too! Pilots talking to air traffic control are broadcasting their whereabouts and intentions on public radio frequencies, making it even easier to listen in on the open skies.
Aircraft owners have the option of blocking their location from being released to the public (aside from radio transmissions that the pilots may make). You can also block your tail number with the NBAA (National Business Aviation Association) which operates and maintains the BARR (Blocked Aircraft Registration request) in conjunction with the FAA. Companies and owners like to do this when they're regularly transporting high-profile passengers or travelling to controversial (or sometimes dangerous) destinations. Alternatively, private flights operated by management or charter companies may identify themselves by flight number, which can be changed trip to trip.
According to Erictric.com, Apple CEO Steve Jobs has recently requested that his tail number be blocked. Jobs currently owns a Gulfstream GV with the epic tail number N2N. Although his plane can't be tracked online, bloggers, reporters, and journalists can still always snap a photograph of his plane and quickly update his whereabouts to the internet.
Posted by Michael Krantz on Mon, Aug 30, 2010 @ 02:05 PM
An upcoming “Big Boys’ Toys” event that will be held in Abu Dhabi is expected to attract top aviation customers around the world. The four-day show at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre will take place February 2-5, 2011. Big Boys’ Toys comes at the right time as the business jet market is heading towards an incline in the region and UAE . The business jet market is poised for steady growth with orders of more than 200 units expected to be delivered to the region by 2015. Currently, the Middle East region accounts for approximately 6 percent of the global business jets market. Demand for another 400 units is expected in the next eight years as the market continues to grow tremendously. The Middle East, especially the United Arab Emirates, has experienced significant demand for private charter flights as business executives continue to travel both to domestic and international destinations. The exhibitors aim to meet the needs of high net worth customers and owners of private jets. The event will offer companies the ideal platform to highlight the latest offerings in services and jet models to the wealthy and top business executives.
Demand for helicopters has also risen in Dubai and the surrounding region for a variety of jobs including emergency rescue, sightseeing, security services, and VIP travel. With the expansion of oil and gas exploration in the Gulf, helicopters are able to travel and provide supplies to offshore rigs. The Dubia Helishow, which is the Middle East’s largest trade show for the helicopter industry will be taking place November 2 to 4 of this year. The helicopter event will feature the latest offering from leading helicopter manufacturers and suppliers of specialized technologies and services from around the world. The Middle East plays an important role in private aviation, providing critical capabilities to international customers and helping drive the global supply chain for aviation products and services.
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Posted by Michael Krantz on Fri, Aug 27, 2010 @ 11:40 AM
After seeing a huge increase in demand from private flights, St. Kitts will be constructing a new private jet terminal. Construction of the multi-million dollar private jet facility at the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport is scheduled to start in February of next year (2011). The project will be developed in several phases starting with an FBO (fixed base operator) which will include a VIP lounge. The FBO will be between 1,000 and 1,500 square meters. There will also be around 350 square meters of office space. The private jet terminal will be designed with state-of-the-art features that will include top class amenities, a business center, and related offices and facilities. One of the main themes of the terminal will be environment friendliness. The designers are hoping to spark a new movement for the island and private aviation. The first phase of the project is expected to be completed by August of 2012. The initial investment will be in the region of US $6 million and will require domestic and international expertise in order to complete. UK based Veling Aviation Limited Consultant, Michael Dingemans, stated, “The principal objective is to build a product that can only enhance the country and its reputation as a premier tourist destination. This in turn will attract further foreign direct investment.” The new addition to St. Kitts will mark a significant step forward in the transformation of tourism on the island.
Posted by Chris Patten on Wed, Aug 25, 2010 @ 06:09 PM
AOL Travel reported on their blog on August 13th about the rapidly rising fees for airline travel. Did you know some airlines are now charging you for carry on baggage and at least one airline is now charging more for seats closer to the exit of the aircraft—ostensibly to make the boarding and de-boarding process quicker. At Magellan Jets we know that you don't want to have to worry about endless fees and charges tacked on after the face. We always quote you all-inclusive pricing so you know up front how much your charter flight will cost. Voyager jet card members take it one step further by including complimentary ground transportation and catering! When you book empty legs with several passengers you can sometimes fly for less than the cost of first class tickets (not even counting bag fees, seat fees, and booking fees!) Live chat with us, call us at 877-550-JETS, or email us at info@magellanjets.com for more information!
We're beginning to sound like a broken record. It was just in May that we last examined the extra fees increasingly imposed by airlines, and they are at it again. New fees, part of a practice dubbed "unbundling," include peak travel surcharges, fees for standby, early boarding, and seat assignment, many sneakily hidden in the overall fare. The Department of Transportation estimated that now airlines present passengers with more than 100 additional fee options. So what do you need to know before you book?
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Posted by Chris Patten on Mon, Aug 23, 2010 @ 01:43 PM
The FAA places very stringent safety measures on any new aircraft. A new type of jet (Gulfstream G550, Bombardier Global Express, Cessna Citation X, etc) must meet many requirements for test flights and performance under extreme conditions. Not anyone can build a plane and have it certified to carry paying passengers! There are many safety steps that have to be taken when a new jet is being tested, but here are some of the biggest (and most interesting!)
Get a Design Approved
Before you even start building new aircraft manufacturers like Boeing or Cessna have to ensure that they can meet the FAA’s standards for the process of actually building the new aircraft. The FAA likes to see that you have the proper equipment in place and the right training and safety procedures to keep errors from happening when new jets are being built. If you’re using new fabrication methods (a new type of welding or creating a new composite material) then those methods have to be tested by themselves before you can use them for a new aircraft!
Perform Ground Tests
Before the new aircraft leaves the ground for the first time it has already been heavily tested. Test pilots spend a lot of time taxiing the jet at low and high speeds checking for stability, controllability, and handling characteristics. They'll test the engines by throttling them up to full and then pulling them back quickly to make sure they won't quit. They also make many mock-takeoffs—accelerating to takeoff speed and then stopping as quickly as possible to test the brakes and see how quickly the new jet can come to a stop.
Complete Flight Tests
Once you build your first test aircraft—and often it takes many years and many millions of dollars to do so—you begin a rigorous series of test flights to examine every aspect of the new jet’s characteristics. This gives the manufacturer a chance to figure out all the data that goes into the aircraft’s flight manual. Pilots refer to these flight manuals every time they fly to perform the calculations necessary to go safely and efficiently. Many aircraft have well over 1000 hours of flight test time before they’re certified to carry passengers!
Perform Systems Tests
When you’re cruising comfortably at 45,000 feet, you want to know that the jet you’re on is going to stay comfortable! Test pilots take new jets up to high altitudes to run the systems through a gauntlet of challenging conditions. They make sure the cabin will stay pressurized (very important since the air at 45,000 feet is more than 5 times thinner than the air at sea level) and at a comfortable temperature. They also make sure things like the lights, the flat screens, the window shades, and the sound system all function the way they should. During this phase the pilots also check all their systems like autopilots, flight instruments, and de-icing equipment.
Pass Safety Tests
We’ve all heard that airplanes are the safest way to travel, but have you ever wondered why? After all when you’re flying on a private jet you’re travelling in a metal tube 8 or 9 miles above the ground at close to the speed of sound! The secret is the tough safety testing done on any new aircraft coming into the market. Test pilots check everything from stall speeds (when the aircraft is going too slow for the wing to produce lift) to performance during engine failures to how to fly the aircraft if all the electrical systems stop working. During this phase of the test process they develop procedures for every kind of emergency so that future pilots don’t have to come up with solutions in a real emergency! The procedures they develop maximize safety even in hazardous conditions and every pilot trained on that aircraft learns these procedures by heart!
This is just a snapshot of everything involved in taking a new jet from concept to design to product. The process, which has been developed since the airmail pilots started flying for hire in the 1920s, is centered on the idea that safety and reliability can be achieved in the inherently risky world of aviation. Add on the crew training and safety inspections, along with reliable third parties like ARG/US and Wyvern, and you can be confident that your next charter flight will be safe, efficient, and comfortable!
Chris Patten is an FAA licensed commercial pilot and a Flight Support Specialist for Magellan Jets.
Posted by Michael Krantz on Wed, Aug 18, 2010 @ 09:05 AM
An exclusive three-day private jet exposition catering to China’s elite was held this past weekend at the Hongqiao International Airport in Shanghai. A Gulfstream G450 was on exhibit the first day of the event, allowing visitors the chance to see a cutting-edge private jet.
The China Business and Private Jet Expo featured a display of private jets, demonstration flights, and exhibition pavilions. It was the first show of its kind on the Chinese mainland. As it's economy rapidly grows, China is trying to prime the market for a massive increase in demand that will open airspace for private jets in the near future.
Magellan Jets has great relationships with several private jet charter providers that can operate to and within China. We are excited to be available to such a rapidly developing area of the aviation community.
Posted by Michael Krantz on Tue, Aug 10, 2010 @ 04:27 PM
A New York judge granted bail for Steve Slater, a JetBlue flight attendant who is accused of cursing out passengers on the airplane’s public-address system. It was also reported that the flight attendant grabbed a handful of beer from the galley, pulled down the emergency slide, and made a daring escape onto the tarmac. Slater was arraigned this morning in a Queens’s courtroom on charges of criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and trespassing.
Police and prosecutors claim that the 38-year-old airline industry veteran lost his temper Monday afternoon when a dispute broke out between him and a passenger. Apparently a rule-breaking passenger defied requests to stay seated then accidentally hit Slater in the head with her luggage near the beginning of the flight. When the plane landed in New York, the woman was angry at the fact that her bag was not readily available. The female passenger became outraged and began to curse at the flight attendant. Prosecutors said that at some point, Slater abruptly and angrily addressed the passengers on the plane’s intercom. JetBlue Airways Corp. made a statement claiming that they are working with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and Port Authority Police in an ongoing investigation. They also said that the safety of its customers and crew members were never at risk.
It is frightening enough to have a fight break out on a plane and it is even more frightening when it’s with one of the flight attendants onboard. Every passenger wants to have the best experience possible while flying, why should they have to deal with all that chaos? Here at Magellan Jets, we can guarantee that a situation like this will never occur on your private jet charter. We make sure that the flight attendants onboard have the necessary skills and traits to make you feel comfortable and safe. Fly private with Magellan Jets and you won’t have to deal with another commercial airline quandary!
Posted by Chris Patten on Mon, Aug 09, 2010 @ 08:16 AM
Did you know thousands of private jets are flying on empty with full tanks of fuel?
Empty seats, that is!
There are a substantial amount of private jet charter flights that are booked one way. Other times, an aircraft will fly empty to pick up passengers. With an estimated 3.4 million flights in 2009 crisscrossing or even leaving the country, the potential for an empty cabin—known as an empty leg flight—is tremendous.
By now you must be thinking aircraft owners must hate empty legs. You’re right. They make flying more expensive, waste fuel and take away from recovering the cost of owning an aircraft. With rising fuel prices empty legs can make some trips profitless and impractical.
Without someone willing to buy the aircraft’s return trip, what’s an owner to do?
Wait.
That’s right. They hang out at the destination—sometimes for days. They, in this case, includes the flight crew. Paying the flight crew to go to dinner and lounge at the hotel is expensive, but not as expensive as an empty cabin at 30,000 feet.
In the past, an airplane would fly passengers to their destination, refuel and return. That’s now history. With today’s soft private air market and rising fuel costs, owners will bend backwards to find and accommodate a customer to pay for the ride back.
That could mean modifying the return trip, say to a nearby destination, so that at least some of the trip is compensated. Or, potential travelers may be offered a deep discount, sometimes up to 50 percent off the usual fixed fare.
Empty or not, the private jet must eventually return to its base to fly other trips. So there’s lot of incentive to negotiate.
By now, you must be asking “So how do I take advantage of this?”
With all the waiting and dealing going on, the data base of empty legs is larger than ever, but there’s just one portal to accesses this information. That portal is on the Magellan Jets Web site. Go to the Web site, scroll down, click View Empty Legs and be prepared to be overwhelmed. Magellan Jets has the industry’s exclusive software designed to search and display empty legs.
The site displays hundreds of empty legs going to some of the most popular destinations—Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Boca Raton and Nantucket—and featuring every aircraft from Beech Barons to Gulfstreams. You can search for trips by location and date, both domestically and overseas. When you locate a leg that suits your needs, complete the request form and submit it. A Magellan flight specialist will assist you with the details and pricing.
The whole transaction from the time the customer requests an empty leg to any negotiations and special requests takes just a few minutes, according to Anthony Tivan, Magellan Jets president.
Magellan Jets will even auction some of the most popular routes and destinations for its members—but not on the courthouse steps. Magellan Jets takes routes with fixed costs and allows charter companies, owners and flight departments with Part 135 certificates to bid for your business, sort of like several banks competing for your mortgage with ever better rates and points. That drives up competition and drives down prices, so members benefit by saving thousands of dollars.
Everybody wins. The traveler saves a bundle. The aircraft operator avoids a loss and Magellan Jets makes a sale.