Disappearing Flight departments

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South Africa is at present expieriencing a steady loss of second hand Biz Jets being sold back to the US.
This is of course partly due to the economic and political situation.
It is also due to the complacent attitude of certain cheif pilots who are prepared to see their flight department down-sized or closed down.
Part of the responsibility of all chief pilots is to fight for and market his flight department throughout the company.
In any company there are always those who will despise the company jet for many reasons and look for any excuse to push for the closure of the flight department.
In hard times the flight department needs to be marketed for the valuable tool that it is. It needs to be shown to be an asset to be used in the fight against recession giving the executives the mobility and flexibility to be more competetive while their competition is waiting in some departure lounge for a delayed fluffy!
Lets stay in business guys and not lose anymore flight departments and the seats that go with them.
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[Bendo]

Recent changes in the local Coal industry and a spot of mis-management in the parent company have basically spelt out the end of my job here in Australia.

Add the lack of Cash Flow in the parent company to the new Airfares being offered by Impulse, and the break-even point of our Chieftain has just moved beyond reach.

Where previously we could fly 4 people in the Chieftain cheaper than an airline ticket, it is now worth paying them to drive the 3 hours to Sydney to catch a burner, to go to their meetings.

I have Charters booked until September, after which the AOC will be surrendered and the aircraft put up for sale.

Ah well.. it was good while it lasted. Anyone want to buy a used Chief Pilot?

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Bendo,
Fight for it, I suggest you put in for an upgrade for a better faster machine, say a 421C or 414. The 3 hour drive sounds like justification to keep the flight department.
I bet there are other good reasons for them to keep you open. You will have to rack your brains. There was a very good article in a past Business Aviation Magazine about the hidden benifits of biz-av over schedule, I will look it out for you when I have time.
Good luck and keep us posted.
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