A survey by occupational psychologists Robertson Cooper and consulting firm IG Management found that the productivity levels of airline frequent flyers was seriously diminished due to lack of freedom to travel at convenient times, and other commercial travel-related hassles. They claim this results in a significant financial impact to companies who put their executives on commercial flights.
Professor Ivan Robertson of Robertson Cooper says that “frequent flyers visit the doctors for psychological health problems around three times more than non-travellers and are at a heightened risk of poor health.”

The case is being made by some that travel by corporate jet may provide significant savings over the long term due to reduced stress-related health expenses.

Considering a recent Carlson Wagonlit Travel Business survey which indicated airport security lines and flight delays are the top two negative impact items, I don’t find it much of a stretch to claim corporate jets may indeed provide a financial benefit.

More info about the Robertson Cooper report here.

The first full-blown Middle East Business Aviation show (held at Dubai Airport’s Expo site Jan. 31 - Feb.1) did not disappoint the organizers, attendees or salesmen. The official total attendee figure was 2,417, which is respectably close to the organizers projected 3,000 for the two day event. The overwhelming picture painted from the booths was that the quality of attendees was exceptional. There were 31 business aircraft parked on static display, which was right on the numbers projected by the MEBAA. The dates for the next show have been set for Nov. 23-25, 2008 and will then alternate biennially with the Dubai Airshow. 

Aviation Week

The Wall Street Journal claims that “flying mansions” are becoming more and more prevalent among the super-wealthy, and says that even double-decker planes like the 747 and even the A380 are not too much plane for executive use.

“Boeing says the majority of private buyers for new planes are from the Middle East, but that Americans, Europeans, Russians and Asians are also starting to place orders. The company says seven of its orders from private customers are for Dreamliners, and the other four are for 747-8s, the planned update to its storied jumbo jet. (Private buyers were the first in line to order versions of the 747-8, it says.) Those who order now — in other words, who have signed purchase contracts and deposited about 10% of the purchase prices — will typically get their planes in a few years. Customers for the A380 may have to wait longer still.”

The article describes some costs associated with these big planes:

“The new airships are, of course, expensive to operate. Maintenance and fuel costs are astronomical compared with those of smaller jets. A 747-400 costs about $10,500 an hour to fly. An A320, by comparison, costs around $3,000 an hour, according to consultants BACK Aviation Solutions, while a Gulfstream G550 costs about $2,300 per hour.”

In the article Fancy flights on the ascent Reporter John Gittelsohn of the Orange County Reporter reports that private jet travel has surged in Southern California of late, while commercial traffic has leveled off.

Orange County’s private jet growth exceeds the national rate, mostly because of the number of wealthy people who live, work or vacation here. As local private jet traffic tripled, the total number of private jets in North America grew 66 percent to 10,000 total aircraft.

Another point made is that due to increasing SEC and other government scrutiny, third-party jet ownership is becoming more prevalent: “Instead of owning outright, more corporate users are chartering or purchasing fractions of jets.”

Does the CEO’s mother need to get aboard the corporate jet with her oxygen tank? Better be darn careful about how you manage that situation.

The Feb 2007 issue of Business & Commercial Aviation Magazine discusses at length what FAR Part 135 pilots and crews need to know to avoid a $32,500.00 fine (each leg!) for improperly transporting a Category 2 “Dangerous Good.”

According to the article, carriers should not fall into the trap of thinking that a passenger’s oxygen supply is from an “FAA Approved” vendor, and is good to go.

The fact is that you need to establish an “approved program” for carrying such items as oxygen tanks, and will have to provide the tanks via a medical supply organization that you have audited for safety and quality controls.

The article specifically mentions Aviation Mobility in Charlotte NC as a supply house offering a Part 135-approved program.

Just announced via the newswires: General Dynamics Appoints Joe Lombardo President of Gulfstream; Bryan Moss to Become President Emeritus

On April 9, Joseph T. Lombardo will become executive vice president of its Aerospace business group and president of subsidiary Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, succeeding Bryan T. Moss. Lombardo, who has been Gulfstream’s chief operating officer since 2001, will report to Nicholas D. Chabraja, chairman and chief executive officer of General Dynamics.

The image below, as reported by knoxnews blogs shows the private jets departing the Super Bowl. If these planes were imaged to scale, I guess they’d be the “biggest” business jets of all…

Tradearabia.com reports that a boom in the business aviation market there is creating demand for more pilots and that Saudi Arabia will establish an aviation club with the aim of teaching more Saudi nationals how to fly. The club was announced by Prince Sultan bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud at the Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA) exhibition in Dubai last week. Prince Sultan explained the growth in demand for Saudi/gulf business jet services:

‘It is also due to the fact that passengers and clients have recently experienced a dip in the services offered by commercial airline companies, internationally. There have also been some complications in the procedures of booking flights. In addition to that, Saudi businessmen are extremely active and need private jets to be even more effective at what they do. Some Saudi businessmen start their day flying to Kuwait at 0800 hrs in their private jets then fly back to different cities within the country to follow up on their business. Another factor is that Saudi Arabia is a big country and traveling from the north to the south is much more time efficient in a private aircraft,’ he said.

Greenpoint Technologies is the company that sponsors this blog, and their VIP interiors business experienced a record-breaking 2006. Due to the ongoing growth in demand for their services, they’ve recruited and promoted several key industry players into top management positions.

Several weeks ago, GTI co-founder Jon Buccola was appointed to the position of Chairman where he will focus his attention, with GTI’s board of advisors and senior management, to plot the strategic planning for the company.

Scott Goodey has been appointed President of Greenpoint. Goodey has been with GTI since 2002, and has been responsible for directing and overseeing all program activities at GTI for the past four years. “Our customers respect Scott’s knowledge and statesman-like demeanor. Most of all, he knows how to get it done,” says Jon Buccola, GTI owner and CEO.

Sloan Ponomarchuk has been appointed Executive Vice President. Ponomarchuk has been with GTI since 1990, and has been Vice President of Sales and Contracts since 2005. Jon Buccola GTI owner and CEO says “Sloan brings seventeen years of aviation experience along with a strong leadership style to our company. She exemplifies the GTI Vision; Focus, Adapt, Deliver, in her dealings with our customers, and her team.”

Pete Schneider has been appointed Senior Director of Program Management. Schneider has been with GTI since 2002, and has over twenty years in many facets of the aerospace industry.

Steve Daschel has been appointed Senior Director of Engineering. Daschel has been with GTI since 2005, and has over twenty-two years of engineering and management experience in aircraft interiors, structures, and systems.

Dale Linder has been appointed Senior Director of Supply Chain Management. Linder has been with GTI since 2006, and has over twenty-two years of management experience in aircraft systems and subsystems. A key priority for Linder will be implementation of Greenpoint’s new ERP system – Dynamics AX later this spring.

The Arizona Daily Star reports that the DunnAir Business Jet Completion Center has folded. From the article:

“DunnAir Business Jet Completion Center planned to fill a hangar at Tucson International Airport with corporate jets being outfitted with all the touches executives wanted. The company expected to employ up to 600 workers, many from the pool of 800 Bombardier laid off from its own finishing operation starting in 2004.
But DunnAir never lived up to those plans. At its height, the company employed about 55 people.”