DISTANCE CARD became a concept in 2015 by Peter Maestrales, Owner and CEO of Airstream Jets.  

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Fly Airstream Jets to the Bahamas and start the adventure of a lifetime aboard IMPULSE.

A large yacht boasting three staterooms.  IMPULSE also offers a huge sunpad for relaxing and sunning between shore excursions, a hot tub on the flybridge, a salon with satellite TV, and plenty of dining areas to enjoy the delicious food and drink prepared by your own personal chef.

Chartering IMPULSE allows you to spend time in the hip and happening destinations like the Atlantis Marina, while also exploring the out islands to find the perfect deserted beach.

Airstream Jets has partnered with IMPULSE to provide you an unforgettable luxury vacation experience.  With simplified air travel, take-off for the islands aboard a private plane and set sail with your one-of-a-kind sailing itinerary.

Learn more about IMPULSE and book your flights with Airstream Jets.

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Take advantage of this amazing deal on DISTANCE CARD, the revolutionary jet card offered only by Airstream Jets:

• $5,000 discount on a Gold DISTANCE CARD package
• $500 discount on a Silver DISTANCE CARD package

Combining the convenience of a jet card with the flexibility and value found only in on-demand air charter. Come experience travel your way with Airstream Jets and DISTANCE CARD.

Offer is valid through the month of July (2020).

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Hundreds of unforgettable experiences beckon at Auberge Resorts Collection hotels, resorts and residences. Find your next perfect moment and create lifelong memories with this package deal from Airstream Jets and Auberge Resorts Collection:

• • $5K DISCOUNT ON YOUR PRIVATE JET TRAVEL OR $1K DISCOUNT ON A DISTANCE CARD PURCHASE (with a booking at Auberge Resorts)
  • IN-FLIGHT CATERING PACKAGE
  • DAILY BREAKFAST FOR TWO (2) (In room dining or Hotel’s restaurant that serves breakfast daily)
  • ROOM UPGRADE UPON ARRIVAL TO THE NEXT ROOM CATEGORY, BASED ON AVAILABILITY
  • WELCOME AMENITY UPON ARRIVAL, HOTELS CHOICE
  • EARLY CHECK IN / LATE CHECK OUT, BASED ON AVAILABILITY
  • $100.00 RESORT CREDIT PER STAY
  • COMPLIMENTARY GROUND TRANSPORTATION TO/FROM AIRPORT AND RESORT

Book your resort stay online at Auberge Resorts and use the promotional code ASJ2020, or by calling the resort property specific Reservation Team and asking for the AIRSTREAM JETS room rate.

To book your private air travel, get a quote online or call us toll free (888) 835-JETS

Booking window available June 1st, 2020 – December 31st, 2020. Restrictions and blackout dates may apply property to property.

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Trip Example #1

(PBI) West Palm Beach, FL → (TEB) New York, NY

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Trip Example #2

(HPN) White Plains, NY → (VNY) Van Nuys, CA

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Trip Example #3

(PSP) Palm Springs, CA → (MDW) Chicago, IL

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Trip Example #4

(DAL) Dallas, TX → (FXE) Fort Lauderdale, FL

* All competitor prices are extrapolated from company marketing materials or information published online via third parties. Competitor prices and estimated trip costs are mathematically calculated based on available information. Competitor pricing is subject to change and additional fees may apply. Prices are based on a two week advance confirmation and do not include Federal Excise Tax (FET).

Stop buying time and start saving with DISTANCE CARD

 

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The post Make Sure Your Private Jet Pilots are Qualified appeared first on Airstream Jets.

Last Monday, the Business Aviation Industry mourned the loss of two more cherished pilots who crashed on approach to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. These crew members were operating a positioning flight in a Lear 35 corporate jet from Philadelphia International Airport only 80 nautical miles to the Southwest. The aircraft (N452DA) had already completed at least two other flights into Teterboro the week prior, but conditions were very different on Monday May 15th as reports warned of strong crosswinds and gusts.

The NTSB is still conducting its investigation so we will not know the reason for this crash for at least a month or so when their preliminary report is released. So I will not speculate on the cause of this particular crash, but the fact that this was a short flight has reminded me of how important proper flight planning is for positioning flights.

In my experience, during a long career as an air charter, air ambulance, and cargo pilot, as well as a Part 135 operator, I have acknowledged the continuous dangers present with what we call a “short hop”, “short leg”, or “repo leg”. There are many extremely dangerous factors to consider in this type of flight.

The average positioning flight time is usually 30 minutes or less which indicates the aircraft will not climb to a normal cruising altitude, therefore putting the aircraft into more congested airspace for the entire duration of the flight. Positioning flights usually take place in the morning prior to a much longer flight, so there’s a good chance the pilots can be concentrating more on planning for the longer flight or “live leg” in which passengers are on-board, and the short leg just becomes a means to an end. And, given the degree of mental alertness, it could easily happen that the crew complacently thinks this leg is a “piece of cake” and doesn’t require as much flight planning, especially if the approach is familiar and has been successfully completed in recent days. But, in reality it requires the most flight planning because on short flights everything is happening so much faster, and weather conditions change.

Attention to detail is everything and affects much of what we do in life, but in an airplane, we’re talking about details that can mean life or death. With that in mind, I believe positioning flights are more susceptible to complacency by losing some of that attention to detail, because the short flight just seems automatic. Now weigh in another hypothetical factor: let’s say, for example, the fuel was cheaper at the departure point and the crew put on a full load of fuel, then the landing weight could be close to the maximum. Now all of a sudden you have a recipe for disaster should any more complex or unforeseen variables emerge, such as wind shear.

Who’s flying the short leg is another consideration. Every flight on every plane automatically incorporates some training. But, here again things are happening so fast on these legs, the concentration should be on successfully getting the plane moved safely and making sure the strongest pilot is flying this leg. In terms of scale, if you were to assess the dangers of a 500-mile leg versus a 50-mile leg, the probability of an accident would be off the charts.

Here’s an example: let’s say a crew is has a long flight and the next morning they will have to position the aircraft for another flight. If this positioning leg can be done within crew duty and they will be able to get the continuous rest they need for the next day’s flight, then, in my opinion, they should plan for enough fuel to continue to tomorrow’s departure point while they are still in the flying mode mind set. That way the crew won’t have to rush a positioning leg if there is an unforeseen delay or weather becomes a factor.

In conclusion, I think more flight departments should place added attention to the positioning flights of their aircraft by creating a positioning flight safety program into their training schedule that incorporates, as many as possible, of these normal and unforeseen variables and scenarios.

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The post Private Jet Safety appeared first on Airstream Jets.

In recent years, much debate has occurred around the existence of a professional pilot shortage and the impact it will have on global aviation. Many argue the pilot shortage is a myth, hyped by various corporate interests. But make no mistake, the shortage is real and there is much evidence indicating it is already upon us.

For aspirant aviators, this simple supply/demand imbalance suggests more opportunity in the future of the field. However, serious consideration should also be given to the continued developments in drone and autonomous technologies and the impact these will have on the future of Commercial Aviation. It is for this reason, in particular, that I believe Professional Pilot to be a very risky career path for young people today.

When we look at how rapidly drone and autonomous technology has progressed, it seems obvious the pilot profession will risk becoming obsolete sometime within the next decade or two. The first clear sign of this is that the US military is already utilizing this technology and has been for some time now. In addition, there are significant efficiency, safety and economic incentives for commercial operations to capitalize on the benefits of this technology.

Counter arguments to the pilotless cockpit debate usually focus on the assumption the general public would simply never be comfortable enough to ever implement it, or that a growing private aviation sector will absorb the job vacancies created by commercial carriers when they go pilotless. I understand these points and how they make sense to many, but neither will save the profession.

The flying public will be transitioned into pilotless flights. First, cargo flight operators will begin implementing the technology to increase efficiency and reduce costs. The successful and safe operation of pilotless planes by cargo carriers will lay the foundation for transitioning the public. After achieving success in air freight, commercial carriers will begin easing the public into the idea of pilotless cockpits for passenger flights, by creating service centers at airports where pilots report to land-based operations and “remotely” co-pilot (SIC) multiple aircraft simultaneously. During this stage of the transition, the aircraft would technically still have two pilots, but only the Captain (PIC) would be on-board. Computers have already reduced cockpit workload to the point where this would not be a problem. In the second stage, the SIC and PIC are simultaneously operating multiple aircraft from the remote locations with various redundancies in place to ensure safety. From there the machines will continue to assume more and more operational control, as they have already been doing for decades. So this is a natural progression and it has been happening right under our noses all along.

The argument that professional pilot jobs will be absorbed by private aviation is also false. The reason is because the efficiency incentive is actually magnified on smaller General Aviation aircraft such as corporate jets. Aside from eliminating crew duty limitations, just think about the percentage of aircraft volume utilized for the cockpit and traditional avionics in a smaller airplane. For example, a Boeing 767’s cockpit and avionics probably utilize less than 5% of the total volume of the aircraft. But compare that with an average 8 passenger corporate jet and the crew and avionics are taking up at least 20% of the total volume for the entire aircraft (percent figures are general guesses, researching the exact volumes will not help make this point). Haven’t you ever wondered why airplane cockpits are not roomier up there?

The answer is economic efficiency.

I did not always hold this viewpoint. If you asked me 5 years ago, would I ever see Commercial Air Carriers operating flights without pilots in my lifetime, I would’ve scoffed at the idea of trusting a computer with our lives at 35,000 ft. Yet sometimes the ability to reexamine things we believe we are certain of, is the real key to gaining a better understanding of ourselves, the world we live in, and what the future has in store for us.

Historically, human error has proven to be by far the biggest threat to Aviation Safety. And while it is true that deeper knowledge and better pilot training has improved the overall safety of Air Travel, the machines have still progressed faster than professional pilots in terms of increasing safety.

So while nothing, including computer automated processes and programming, will ever be 100% risk free, this transition will ultimately make both Commercial & General Aviation operations safer and more efficient. These innovations are positive advancements for humanity that should be embraced. Unfortunately, those who choose to remain blind to this future reality will be left behind. Only Aviators, who can recreate themselves and adapt to a whole new industry, will be left.

The post Is becoming a Professional Pilot still a wise career choice? appeared first on Airstream Jets.

Capt. Gus Maestrales: Lake Erie CJ4 tragedy reminds us of the importance of 2 pilot operations

Another day of combing Lake Erie turned up empty Tuesday, as intense search and recovery efforts continue for the six passengers aboard N614SB, a Cessna Citation 525 jet that disappeared last Thursday night shortly after takeoff from Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland. Bad weather today and rough water create very low visibility and make the search even more challenging. But, continue it will until conclusive evidence is found.

Several additional search and recovery operations have joined the efforts. The New York State Police, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Akron Fire, Toledo Fire and the Cleveland Metropark Rangers are all engaged. Today, there were seven vessels with four dive teams, searching in 35-45 foot water within a grid measuring around 2.5 miles from east to west and 2 miles north to south. Air and shoreline search efforts continue, too. Police have confirmed that a bag recovered Sunday near the Shoreby Club, in Bratenahl, a Cleveland suburb, came from the Lake Erie plane crash.

The Pilot was identified as Columbus-area businessman, John T. Fleming, the CEO of Columbus-based Superior Beverage. He and his wife, Suzanne, along with their teenage boys, Jack and Andrew, had gone to the Cleveland Cavaliers game on Thursday night, along with a neighbor and a neighbor’s daughter. The plane took off from the (BKL) airport just before 11 p.m., heading home to Columbus. Within one minute, the plane was dropping toward the lake at a rate of 3,700 feet per minute. It vanished from radar, and so far, crews have picked up only a slight ping, which hasn’t been enough to give them an exact location of where the plane went down.

The Cessna CJ4 (CE-525C) has been touted as “the perfect choice for anyone looking for an entry-level private business jet. It is designed to be extremely economical, both in purchase price and operating costs: the CJ’s systems are simple, making it easy to fly and operate by a single pilot.”

This is such a heart-wrenching tragedy for these two young families enjoying a special holiday outing together, bright and hopeful for the New Year. Yet, John T. Fleming, an experienced pilot, was flying a high-performance aircraft alone. There was not another pilot aboard to help should some unforeseen event occur… a heart attack, stroke, whatever, even food poisoning has occurred in the cockpit, and more commonly, vertigo. This is a, possibly fatal, spacial disorientation pilots can experience when flying over areas, such as water, with no reference to the ground. Once vertigo sets in, unless you are quick to catch it, and that means you are a professional pilot or flight instructor, then it is, for all practical purposes, over for all on board. The pilot will totally lose the aircraft in less than 30 seconds with no turning back. This is exactly what happened to John F. Kennedy, Jr.

Why do the airlines have two crew members aboard? Why do most FAR Part 135 jet charter operators require two pilots on every flight even though FAA regulations allow for single-pilot operations on certain jet models? Certainly, the captain could fly the aircraft completely by himself, but the second pilot is there for just these reasons. If the captain becomes incapacitated; If one pilot is drifting and getting vertigo the other pilot is there to catch it! Also, there is so much to do in a jet with navigation, radio, weather, and all that’s going on…especially at night!

Having 16000 hours and a pocket full of ratings, as well as being an instructor, flying my family or any passenger alone is unthinkable to me. A pilot needs to have a little fear, great respect, knowledge and common sense. Passengers need to know not to get on an aircraft without two qualified pilots. I certainly have great compassion for these dear people, who are no longer with us, but I know the tragedy could have been avoided. The FAA needs to address this situation, because these incidents happen more frequently than we like to think.

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