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When looking for a private jet charter company for your next flight, there are certain questions you must ask, if only to ensure you will not only be safe during the flight, but that you also get the best value for your cash.

 

Pilot Experience and Training

 

Definitely, the most important safety issue when it comes to your private jet charter flight is the pilots' experience level. As a way to save money, some operators may hire less experienced pilots who meet no more than the minimum standards set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). More experienced pilots are more expensive to employ, while less experienced ones are usually willing to settle for a lower salary in exchange for experience.

 

The FAA requires private jet charter or fractional flight pilots to have flight experience of at least 1000 to 1500 hours. A good number of fractional operator pilots are required to have at least 2500 hours of flight experience. Certain jet charter operators just impose the FAA minimums, which isn't very good news for clients. Some operators may hire an experienced captain, but put a less experienced pilot in the right seat. Again, not very reassuring.

 

On the other hand, higher-end private jet charter operators are more conscious about safety, making sure that their pilots far exceed the FAA's minimum requirements. Aviation best practices dictate that both pilots have at least 5000 hours of flight experience, and that both are also captain-qualified. Furthermore, A-list operators oblige their pilots to take annual simulator-based emergency training courses.  Click here for more info!

 

Safety Record

 

The safety record of an operator is a very important consideration - even more important than experience - for those looking for a private jet charter service. An operator that with independent third-party accreditation puts great value on safety, and satisfies higher operational and safety standards than those imposed by the FAA. You can learn about an operator's safety record in different ways:

 

> Call the Flight Standards District Office (local FAA office) and inquire whether or not there have been accidents or incidents involving the operator.

 

> Request a report from Wyvern, the top provider of reports on aircraft charter operators. Specifically, ask for the PASS (Pilot and Aircraft Safety Survey), which covers the pilots' experience levels, their training, and the company's safety statistics.

 

 

> Ask the operator if they have a third-party audit of their operations and what their safety rating is.

 

The primary industry auditors include Wyvern, IS-BAO, the Air Charter Safety Foundation and ARG/US. If the company has passed an audit by any of these organizations, you can be assured that they are operating along the highest safety standards that can exist in the aviation industry, visit website here.