Hello again,
Thank you very much for your replies. It really shows how big the Euro GA is.
Some of you have approached me on PM and I have put you in contact with the idea’s owner.
As far as I know, this operation might or not might be profitable depending on the expected flights, that is. If everything is set but you have a flight lets say every two weeks, I am sorry but this won’t work out. About the AOC, it’s true, it’s expensive but you can always relay on a Guernsey or Malta company and add your a/c to their existing AOC (at a fee). My suggestion is to start as a fractional ownership with potential passengers (maybe 4-5 guys will fly +100h/year because they need to fly for business), you can even create blocks of hours. Kind of private aviation club where all the passengers are owners at the same time. After some time of operating on this manner, marketing, mouth-to-mouth, etc…it’s time to analyze the market and make predictions. Hopefully you will have the data to see if a CAT operation (with all the attached costs) will be profitable or not. If the answer is YES, you can start thinking about AOC if not, carry on with the fractional ownership. Just my two cents.
Regards
Are these AOC or fractional ownerships? Different business models.
Get1jet PC12 and tbms are running all year over Cannes and STP, https://www.get1jet.com/en/
Jetfly and globair operates PC12 also in europe. One testimony says at jetfly, 3500€ net/m for captain, 2100 for 1stOff, (http://forum.aeronet-fr.org/viewtopic.php?t=39048)
We have some alumni in our FTO, regularly picking up copilots, but usually in FTO, young wants to go jets or airlines.
Some, possibly all, the existing AOC SET might be operated multi crew in any event, even if the type is single crew?
How many SET AOC are in operation? A Finnish PC12 outfit and a couple of French TBM operators?
greg_mp wrote:
single pilot IFR would be reduces as VMC or day time operation?
Only for turbojet are two pilots required. Turboprop with <9 pax seats can be flown single pilot under ifr (and at night). At least thats what ORO FC 200/202 say.
Won’t there be an issue in winter also? single pilot IFR would be reduces as VMC or day time operation? I am very interested by this topic as I am exploring this type of operation.
The Channel Islands, particularly Alderney, would be ripe for this type of operation, but you would never get a single engine AOC.
I am assuming that he did a proper check of the operational possibilities to fly commercially to the fields that he has in mind. Various fields still have limited opening times for commercial ops or would need PPR or have other restrictions.
Many NOTAMS ago I had this plan to set up an outfit at LESB with a couple of DA42s which would have been a very convenient service as an island hopper and a little beyond. However, LESB does not permit that, because it’s not a ‘customs airport’ and my pledge that it would strictly be for national flights did not cut it. There is no X-Ray machine, and my offer to buy them one got refused because ‘the people would have to be trained and maintained current in operating such a machine’. Ah well, I guess the real reason was that the handling companies at LEPA really could live without ‘unfair competition’ that would erode their nicely priced services, and operate on Z and Y plans, avoiding slots…
You could ride piggy back on an AOC for 3500 a month dependent on type and ops. There were companies around who would let you however my understanding that after the Irish/Spanish accident things got slightly more difficult.
However in principal there should be no issues on the assumption that SOP are checked and carried out. Issues arise when one party decides not to bother. It has to be built on trust and transparency which would appear to be in short supply today.
