How to be a good owner?

[hnsbiosafe]

Hello,

At some point in the near future, I'll be needing a corporate aircraft -- if only to retain my sanity. Traveling in Central America via commercial is a heart attack waiting to happen in terms of scheduling, unproductive hours and wondering if meetings will happen on time or at all.

I'd like to think that I am smart enough to know that I don't know something, it's time to ask those who should.

Therefore, what suggestions do you have for owners to make their flying, and yours, a better experience? Do's and don'ts?

I look forward to the replies and appreciate the knowledge you so willingly share here.

Thanks.

[Kent BeTrue]

Nice Question,

Easy to be a good owner. Communicate.

When you are going to be late let your crew know. They can do their job better.
When you have plans in a month, a week, a day, let your crew know. They can do their job and plan their lives better.

Crew know things change, thats why you have an aircraft. Communicate with them.

There are other things but this would be the best thing to happen to my job.

Happy New Year
Kent

[His dudeness]

Kent BeTrue made a vital point.

I´d like to add:
1) Don´t push your crew. (I have to go there, why can´t you land etc. are no-nos)
If you hire professionals and they tell you: we can´t, then they can´t. period. Let them explain the alternatives and decide then. Lots of accidents in the past because of pressure...
2) Train em. FlightSafety or the like. SIMULATOR TRAINING is the best thing that can happen to a pilot. Let em have 2 session in a year.
3) State clearly what you expect / need / want. Especially in the beginning. This includes also, what aircraft do I need? Don´t give that part to a salesman and expect the crew to handle it afterwards.
4) Whatever aircraft you buy, maintenance is required by all of them. Have everything fixed, don´t save !!!
5) Be gentle - the crew are, contrary to often expressed opinion, human beeings.

[Bumz_Rush]

Pilots have a life, and sometimes actually respond to Thank You....

Discuss your needs, and they will go out of their way to make it work...

Respect that they are professionals, and that they are employed for their knowledge and skill.

Whan can I have my interview....you sound like a god...

:)

Bumz

[checklist69]

Sounds like a very, very, very, nice man.

Join the queue, Bumz!

:O

[hnsbiosafe]

Hi,

Thanks for the kind comments and the input.

My previous experience in motorsports (IMSA crewmember) and as a driver/instructor taught me a lot about asking the right questions. Flying and racing are quite similar in that if someone screws up, people might get killed. So I am perhaps a bit more sensitive to the subject?

For those that pm'd me about the type of air missions we are looking at:

Once we have all the distributors in place, we are looking at 10 to 16 cities between Central and South America. Needless to say, commercial is a killer. It would realistically take about 3 weeks and this would be about 6 to 8 times a year versus around 150 to 200 hours total via corporate air. Longest leg in this mission is about 2000nm. However, flying over the Amazon makes me a bit cautious so figure 2300nm.

Short notice missions would probably account for another 25 to 30 hours.

If we send a marketing team of three to four people non-stop from Panama City to Santiago, Chile it is 2540nm and Buenos Aires is 2890nm.

The manufacturers we represent (we do marketing and sales management for medical device companies in Latin America) are in the US, Germany and Israel. That means we will be heading up north and at some point over the pond at least 3 to 4 times a year. I figure about another 150 to 175 hours but that could be high.

We figure the best plan for now is to charter the Latin American trip a few times to see where the trouble spots are and make adjustments.

One thing we do know we want and that's a larger cabin for comfortable meetings in the plane and to make the inflight experience more effective for working and resting. That means an APU so a number of aircraft are out of the running. I think a crew ought to be able to pee when needed and not have his or her mind down there when it ought to be looking at the instruments or out the window. So a private lav is required and should be used.

I'd like the plane to have more presence -- make the right statement. It's not just to cart my rear end around in style. We want to use it as a corporate tool for promoting our business and our distributors should be able to take advantage of it too. Bringing a client to the plane for a quick meeting and using the plane as part of a contest for doctors, etc. makes sense to me. Short of putting a logo on it, it should have our look and feel. If we can afford it, I rather spend more on a GII or GIII with hushkits to make the impression I want than a smaller less confortable plane -- especially when having a meeting on the ground or in the air. Yeah, I know. Bring a lot more money.

FYI: My first corporate air experience was in a GII (N55RG) from Chicago to California back in the late '70s. Boy, did that ever open my eyes... Spoiled me forever too.

When the time is right, I'll sit down with the aviation lawyer, accountant, and a buyer's broker (I think) or a consultant to hammer out what's available at the time and what makes sense given our needs , which I am sure will change to some extent.

Hopefully, some future owners might stumble onto to this thread and learn from your comments and very good suggestions.

May I humbly suggest that you consider adding to this as you think of things owner ought to know -- especially the ones we ought to plaster to our foreheads and never forget?

Happy New Year!

[B200Drvr]

As an experienced South and Central American pilot, there are two things which were/are important to me:
1) If its broken, please get it fixed. There are some non MEL items that we use all the time and as the list of squawks gets longer, our job becomes unnessecarily more stressfull and your life is in our hands. Dont pass things by for the sake of a few bucks. IF YOU CANT AFFORD TO MAINTAIN IT , YOU CANT AFFORD TO OWN IT.
2) Suitable accomodation on the road. Companies in their endevour to save a few $'s put their crew in a roach motel and then expect them to perform at 100%. Crew require a good night/day rest. Make suitable arrangements ahead of time to ensure the least amount of wasted time between duties.

Thanks for asking, it is people like you who are a pleasure to work for, I only hope you get a crew who appreciates you as much as you do them.

As for the Amazon, WOW what a view!!!!

[SnowPilot]

What you need is a Citation X.

I've got a ton of time in the X and i can honestly say that it is one amazing aircraft. The ramp presence is amazing and being able to say that you ride in the fastest plane in the world is something to say. Plus being able to climb above anything. I've personally had it to FL510. I usually cruise above 450 just because our speed makes it easier for the controllers to deal with.

North america to europe is no problem. I've done it a bunch.

It's a great plane with a ramp presence that just says SPEED.

The gulfstream is a beutiful plane but a X can be had for about 11 million US and people just know it because it's FAST.

.92 mach and i'm just sipping gas. Love the plane.

[SnowPilot]

As for being a good owner because i've worked for a bunch as a contract and a owner pilot both good and bad.

The requirements rest on the pilot. When i say that I mean before i enter in a contract with an owner I MAKE SURE WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE.

I have a very detailed contract that explains rest requirements, command authority, hotel accomidations, expenses, cell phone usage. Soup to nuts. I've found this is the best way to get everything out in the open so the owner knows what i'm looking for from him and what he can expect from me.

Remember i'm in the pointy end of the plane. I don't want anything to happen to me much less you and your family. Open honest lines of communications.

I carry a blackberry just for that reason. So that the owner can contact me at his convience instead of having to pick up a phone he can shoot me a short email and i can reply instantly.

It's worked very well over the years and i've learned a lot from owners and they have learned a lot from me. All of my past owners have kept in touch with me and i still recieve christmas cards and family announcements from them.

I realize I am just an employee but i like to make sure we are all on the same page. OPEN HONEST CLEAR COMMUNICATION is the best way to avoid troubles.