First off, I manage and fly a Citation Ultra, which I fly single pilot.
Second I have been managing corporate flight dept. for about 15 years. I fly about 587 hours average a year, in the Pacific Northwest US. So I get it done.
For those that can't cut it single pilot, don't bother writing in.
For those that have never started and managed a flight dept, your opinions are without merit.
Break even points, seat per nautical mile, all this is for the accountants, and only confuse the issue. Charter sucks, in that it is someone else makeing a buck off of you, and only the most desperate of pilots, ie, lack of experience, quals ect tend to go to charter. Fractionals are a step up, but spendy, and again, given the pay, your get pilots that come up short, but make thier case when the Part 91 pilot/manager is totaly imcompetent. They look really good compared to the idiot that can't keep a plane up in the air, can't keep costs down, and doesn't have the ability to fly anywhere, anytime. Fractionals make sense to the flight dept. that flies 75 hours a year, paying to imcompetent pilots to sit around, because the company really doesn't want to fly with them. Its the boss's fault really for hiring these guys.
- Ask your boss what he likes, and research what it will cost.
- Single pilot ops will limit you to turboprops and light jets.
- If he can afford a small jet, flown single pilot, then he can enjoy faster trips, better pressurization, quieter cabin, and weather becomes almost a non issue with the right guy at the controls. Safety? No one has ever crashed a Citation operating under the single pilot exemption. (4050)
I hope this helped, email if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
SSG
www.propilot.us