Flight Options’ drive to modernize and simplify its sprawling fractional-ownership fleet is ahead of plan, as the company works to persuade share owners to move to new, more reliable aircraft to cut its operating costs.
Streamline
“We have seen good progress. We are slightly ahead of plan in terms of modernizing the fleet,” says Cameron Gowans, chief marketing officer. Launched in November last year, Flight Options’ “future fleet” program is a five-year effort to reduce the types operated from 12 to just four, to improve reliability and consistency.
Flight Options grabbed a large part of the fractional market by offering cheaper shares in used aircraft, but is now losing money because of their high maintenance costs.
The future fleet will comprise the Beechjet 400A/Hawker 400XP light jet, mid-size Hawker 800XP, high-speed Cessna Citation X and super mid-size Embraer Legacy. Flight Options operates around 200 aircraft and after modernization expects to have around the same number.
Fleet modernization will “dramatically improve” Flight Options service consistency, says Gowans. “We do not need four light jets. We will have a larger fleet of Hawker 400XPs and the customer will know the aircraft will show up.”
Flight Options is offering owners incentives to move to new aircraft. Anyone buying a 1/32nd share in a Hawker 400XP by 16 December, for example, will get an extra 25h flying a year free, for a total of 100h.
Offer
“Incentives are keyed to the new aircraft. They are more reliable and cost less, and we can share that with the customer,” says Gowans. Flight Options is structuring its new offerings around its future fleet, including its 75:25 program, which for a 1/8th share provides 75h a year in one aircraft type and 25h in another. Available combinations are the Hawker 400XP/800XP, 800XP/Citation X and 800XP/Legacy.
Source: Flight Daily News
