Full-service aircraft management covers everything from training employees and managing flight crews, to handling maintenance and meeting FAA requirements.
We Consider Full-Service Private Aircraft Management Essential
Making the most of any private jet travel experience starts with letting the professionals handle the backend logistics. One of the best aircraft ownership solutions available is full-service aircraft management; professional help dedicated to prioritizing safety and keeping costs in control can mean total peace of mind during sky-high travel.
What makes aviation management solutions a necessity? These services are essential to running a stable and safe charter business, keeping the flyers comfortable and aircraft operation staff satisfied with their delivery.
The management and maintenance of such operations can be a very complex and expensive feat, but it’s necessary that charter managers pursue resources that can assist with tasks like oversight, logistics, flight planning and more.
Every aircraft requires some type of management; the owner is managing their airplane on their own, or they’re relying on an aircraft management company. If they want to charter their private jet when it’s not in use, an aircraft management company can do the heavy lifting and provide a safe, relaxing, and convenient experience for flyers.
There are two types of aircraft management: Part 91 and 135. We’ll touch more on this below.
Charter managers also have the opportunity to bring in additional income for private aircraft owners by chartering for third parties, making it a win-win situation for all involved.
But what exactly goes into aircraft management, and what can you expect from a private charter that’s managed under a full team? Let’s take a closer look at the importance of flying a charter under airplane management.
Understanding Aircraft Management
At its core, aircraft management are quality control services provided by an aircraft management team. From aircraft maintenance and managing flight crews, to training employees, scheduling and dispatching flights, these are just a few of the task items that fall under the umbrella of aircraft management.
This process is designed to ensure the aircraft in question are working at their full potential, maximizing overall efficiencies and productivity as long as they’re a part of an active fleet.
In some cases, people may try to pay aircraft owners for use of their planes that are managed
Aircraft Management: Part 91 and Part 135
Part 91 is for 100% owner usage. Part 91 governs the flying use of the asset; these regulations are for the sole flying use by the owner. This means that others can fly on the plane, but it must be at the owner’s or fractional owner’s expense. In other words, Part 91 aircraft management is appropriate when the sole use of the aircraft is entirely private, at the owners leisure.
These individuals use a third party management system to take care of everything, so there’s no need to hire outside employees like a caterer, crew hirer, pilot, etc. The downfall with this type of management is the inability to enter your aircraft into a type of commercial air service.
In some cases, people may try to pay aircraft owners for use of their planes managed under Part 91. However, this is illegal and comes with a lot of risk.
Aircraft owners who wish to generate revenue from their plane for commercial use must operate under Part 135 regulations. Because of the additional maintenance and operational requirements these aircraft owners have to spend more time and money – in this case, owners need to prioritize an optimal experience for all flyers involved.
Because this type of management allows for the commercial use of an aircraft, the FAA established a strict standard, designed to ensure the continuous, safe operation of the aircraft. This generally leads to a higher standard of maintenance, crew experience safety, a defined scope of operational use, reduced fuel costs and much more.
Some of the downsides of Part 135 management include more wear and tear (based on use by multiple parties), limitations on your own last minute availability, maintenance expenses and more.
What Does Aircraft Fleet Management Entail?
Management in aviation services goes beyond cleaning and maintaining the inside of the plane; an aircraft management company is responsible for ensuring all of the day-to-day operations of the aircraft are performing as well as possible, with the idea of continuing service as long as possible.
Some of the most common tasks that fall under an aircraft management provider’s agenda include, but are not limited to:
- Repairs and maintenance. An aircraft management provider must organize routine aircraft repairs and maintenance. This allows checking in with pilots and crew members about activity and issues that have occurred while in flight and on the ground. Regular mechanics maintenance can ensure you won’t have to invest in the replacement of major aircraft components in the future.
- Tracking aircraft functions. Checking in with flight crew members on current or potential issues allows for an aircraft management company to keep the planes running as planned to keep fleets on schedule and ensure passenger and crew safety.
- Managing finances and overseeing financial reports. Aircraft managers can organize finances regarding fuel consumption, maintenance, and more.
- Implementing safety programs. Health and safety programs are essential for the wellness of crew members and passengers on every flight.
- Managing and training crew members. An aircraft fleet management service provider can also provide training for crew members and take over as overall manager for support.
- Adhering to Federal Aviation Administration regulations
When adhering to FAA regulations, specifically Part 135, a manager has the ability to lease out the aircraft, as explained by Holland & Knight:
“If the manager is certificated as an air-taxi operator under Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) Part 135, then in addition to managing the aircraft, the manager may lease the aircraft and use it to generate revenue from third parties. A common arrangement is for the charter-manager to pay/credit 85 percent of the revenue generated from third-party charters to the owner as lease payments.”
Why is Private Aircraft Management So Important?
Research by the International Civil Aviation Organization details effective management as one of the most important goals of aircraft owners and operators alike:
“The aviation industry’s socio-economic impact at both the domestic and global level should not be underestimated or dismissed to the side-lines. As air transport demand grows at a faster rate than system capacity, an efficient and effective management of system capacities becomes essential to the operation and wellbeing of the future global air traffic system.”
By providing aircraft management services, jet owners and charter flyers can have peace of mind that their aircraft is safe and stable. The point is to ensure that the plane operates its best for as long as possible, but these services go beyond plane integrity. Aircraft owners who invest in aircraft management services can ensure they’re following FAA regulations, prioritizing crew training and updating software and technology to provide a strong, protected service for flyers and aircraft owners alike.
How to Find t he Best Aviation Management Company
Finding the best aircraft management solution is made simple with Stratos Jet Charters, Inc.
Whether you are looking for a dedicated team to manage your private jet for your own personal and corporate use or you would like your private aircraft to generate income through charter, Stratos has a solution.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulates general aviation through Part 91 and Part 135 operations; Part 91 for non-commercial and Part 135 for commercial aircraft operations.
If you’re flying for personal reasons, Part 91 aircraft management solutions make sense. With our airplane management system and Part 91 expertise, we’ll manage aircraft maintenance, avionic repairs, pilot and crew recruitment and training, and flight scheduling and coordination.
For commercial business endeavors, Part 135 aircraft management is best. With this service, we’ll provide on-board support, monitor the aircraft and help drive revenue.
No matter what your aircraft management needs are, we’ll provide a white glove, turnkey solution to keep your aircraft in peak flying condition
Contact Stratos Jet Charters, Inc., directly if you’re interested in earning charter revenue or looking for full-service management of your own private aircraft.
