View Full Version : Who is busy right now?
Is it just us......or have things quietened down for everyone on the charter front?....certainly on our larger aircraft.
Cant remember flying so little even during the financial melt down.
Worrying......:uhoh:
Flying Mechanic
4th Mar 2015, 13:31
Certainly less charter in Asia/China. Anti corruption in china, means people are being careful splashing the cash around, and want to keep their profiles down.
Appreciating the time at home though!
Above The Clouds
4th Mar 2015, 16:09
Moscow is very quite :hmm:
Kelly Hopper
4th Mar 2015, 16:55
Moscow is VERY quiet!
FlyTCI
4th Mar 2015, 18:17
Our bird (BBJ) was very quiet too in February. Spent 3+ weeks in Dubai waiting for a trip to come up. Very worrying indeed. Lets hope it picks up soon, I don't want to look for a job again. :(
l8starter
4th Mar 2015, 19:40
My feet haven't touched ! Two loads of washing this morning, then walk the dog. Spring-like day, which makes you start thinking about getting to grips with the garden ! Lunch doesn't find itself you know, and then there's the front wall that could do with a lick of paint, not to mention the windows; that's the problem when you're South facing here ! The shopping list is coming together for next weeks menu, and that cupboard looks like it's collecting dust . . . . .
Haven't worked for a year, and life as a house husband ain't exactly a barrel of laughs ! Any Legacy-shaped jobs out there let me know guys, 'cos I desperately need to get back to work for a bleedin' rest !!!!!!!
Now, back to confirming that list for the Anne Summers party 😈
flyboy1818
4th Mar 2015, 21:04
Extremely quiet, I feel like I've entered into very early retirement.
This sounds like a case of identity theft - you have my life! ;)
If you've got the right kit in the right place at the right time and price then you're always going to be busy. Looking at other UK based operators most companies with managed fleets seem to be down year on year and those with owned fleets have dropped prices to match.
Of course, we're booming and can't keep them on the ground :E
In case anyone is keeping score it's business as usual throughout US. Personally not in the charter biz so can't speak to that but did arrive KTEB tonight and the ramp packed with the usual N, C, XA and a smattering of OO, OY, G, D, M and B regs.
I dont understand economics. You would think with record low fuel prices, low interest rates and booming stock markets that the good times would be rolling.
I understand Russia is a massive driver directly and indirectly of our industry and they, deservedly, are getting a financial kicking but that doesnt account for the nose dive I see from where Im looking.....surely?
So WTF is going on??? :{
Job market appears to be improving by the day, and did 39 hours in feb part 135... years since the happened.
l8starter
5th Mar 2015, 09:12
"You have my Life" Sounds like it might have the makings of a title for a West End Farce ? The dawning of a new career maybe . . . . . . . . 😎
Phil Brockwell
5th Mar 2015, 09:42
BuzzB,
I think you will find that most bizjet users are investors rather than borrowers, so low interest rates for them is not good news. The FTSE has been sliding around the 6500/6600 for months and has only really just past July 2007 levels, it first hit 6900 in December 2009!
I'm not sure I would consider these days as exactly Halcyon.
ra4000
5th Mar 2015, 10:07
in February I did 55hrs.in US
So as someone who has a reputation as a rock solid no crap operator Phil......what in your considerable experience is the key driver of demand for our services...or from where those of us this side of the Atlantic ( apparently) are sitting...present lack of demand?
I see a complete lack of any new owners bringing shiny new jets for us to fly and, more worryingly, I see our Billionaire brothers with the Midas touch have lost the faith and have dumped:eek: all their aircraft. There seems to be some "contrarian" ( if thats the right word....) things happening in the GA world as opposed to the economy as a whole.
Is it a blip or do we need to check Gumtree for secondhand Chicken Farms to start a new career?:eek:
LGW Vulture
5th Mar 2015, 11:24
With the Chinese market dropping like a stone, Russia becoming more insular and isolated by the day, Middle East and African oily oligarchs losing fortunes on the price of oil - what are you left with? Aha, Europe.......if only!! Europe has been dead for sometime and doesn't look like it's going to change soon.
The market for VIP aircraft outside of the US has not seen anything like this. There's going to be some monumental fall out let me tell you.
Deep and fast
5th Mar 2015, 11:54
Well vulture, you should be able to pick at the corpses then!
I guess the reality is that airline activity is picking up and crews will return to this, if fact it's already happening.
I can see the russian owners selling and taking full advantage of the RUBLE exchange rate and buying later when the rate stabilises. Should be able to upgrade for free!
Maybe it's the brokers that will fall as customers cut out the middle man and forge relations with operators direct. I never really understood why regular travellers used a middle man.
I still think the super rich are still gonna be super rich and they will not want to queue in security at T5 for their first class flight to then queue at immigration etc, they are just too precious for this now.
The money makers make money from falling as well as appreciating investments so maybe there is too much stability for them unlike the crazy or could I say manipulated market of the past.
D and F
A personal opinion only.
Global_Global
5th Mar 2015, 14:03
I can see the russian owners selling and taking full advantage of the RUBLE exchange rate and buying later when the rate stabilises. Should be able to upgrade for free! mmm not at the rates that some of the Globals and Gulfstreams are being offered for in the last few weeks... We were offered a nearly new one from Russia with love as an upgrade from our current one and it was well below fire sales prices...:{ (Our CFO lost his appetite that day as it was a newer, fully loaded one, offered at a price well below what our older well used one is in the books for.... :\)
Deep and fast
5th Mar 2015, 14:38
I'll pop out and buy myself one today then :}
D and F
Global_Global
5th Mar 2015, 16:39
You can buy ours and I buy the newer one :p
keebird
5th Mar 2015, 17:42
USA is booming.
I fly 50-60 hours a month on a 15/13 roster, so each of our aircraft must be doing around 100 hours a month.
That is all charter on a fleet of around 70 small and midsize jets and a couple of large.
Each pilot is probably working harder than usual because the airlines are hiring again and our company has a hard time retaining and replacing pilots.
l8starter
5th Mar 2015, 19:20
I'll come and give you a hand 😏 👍
L8
Booglebox
5th Mar 2015, 19:30
I was at a quiet regional airport in central Florida a couple of weeks ago, and there was plenty of activity - just like when I was there before in October last year.
Things are definitely not good in Russia though. Also, European operators are getting hit pretty hard by the dollar exchange rate pushing up real prices for engine / aircraft programs.
wondering
10th Mar 2015, 20:04
Business Aviation Monitor (http://wingx-advance.com/wingx-business-aviation-monitor-february-2015-declines-continue-especially-germany-and-russia/)
Pretty much sums it up.
winkwink
10th Mar 2015, 20:52
Rushed off my feet. I've rarely been so busy at this time of year. Thanking my lucky stars I didn't get the full time job I interviewed for last year as the freelance market is so good.
solent
11th Mar 2015, 10:09
There is definately a quieter feel in the air for UK operators, one of the main reasons for this is Air Hamburg, Air X and Vista with the new CL350. These operators got lots of work in Russia or from Russian money which has dried up and in Germany for example the economy is not great with poor growth so all of a sudden they have lots of assets doing not very much so they have decided to flood the UK market and slash prices by offering as good as one way pricing which is a massively risky strategy. How long this is sustainable I do not know or what the end goal is, perhaps the idea is to strangle the main UK operators as best as possible or simply they are trying to keep all assets flying during quieter winter times.I have heard many brokers mention how amazing the prices are from these operators and that the Euro rate is killing UK operators but one thing they dont mention is as much as the Euro is rising the dollar against the euro is plummeting!
Just my 2 cents worth......Buzz it definately is quieter.....I think everyone is looking forward to the summer to get some volume back.
Global_Global
11th Mar 2015, 11:23
Air Hamburg, Air X and Vista with the new CL350 Just curious, what does an XLS or C350 do with these guys? :8
chip butty
12th Mar 2015, 17:20
From a broking point of view, adhoc business for us is moving up, but the Euro/Sterling is hurting UK operators. Coupled with a glut of availability in Euroland as capacity moves out of Russia and theres a whole bunch of European operators can ferry in and pick up UK based business cheaper than the UK guys can, or they can just dump capacity in FAB/LTN/BQH and wait for work.