I will go to WH Smiths tomorrow and have a read, I'm too cheap to buy a copy! As I said, the next few years will be fun to watch.

I heard that JB used to tell anyone who would listen that his IQ was 163. He was soon know as 10 (the sum of 163) but, he couldn't work out why he was called 10 all of a sudden.

Edit: Just read the article about Flexjet...interesting. I think Mr Reid is a little more media savvy than JB.

"Fred Reid, the recently appointed president of Flexjet and Skyjet USA....says Europe now has a good appetite for fractional ownership and applauds NetJets for "laying the groundwork" and sticking with its programme - introduced in 1996 - at huge expense and in the face of overwhelming industry and consumer scepticism."

For those who wish to read the full article, follow this LINK.

Enough to fill one hunderd aircraft... the magical number you need to start to make a profit.... (and this was before Flexjet got in again for a few years...) :}

Important announcement
 

Important announcement


From the office of FLEXJET.


To whom it may concern,


Jet Republic, in order to be successfull, will have to be renamed.
Think about Obama winning, for example.
By the way, my username is for sale (and the Learjet 60XR is a very good choice).


At your disposal I remain... bla bla

















:)

Europe wide? I'd say there are easily enough people with the money to buy 'proper' shares who will not, for one reason or another, buy from Netjets. The trick of course would be bringing them all together under one umbrella. I would also query your number of 100. Fractional can and does work on a much smaller scale if the local conditions are right and any buyer that goes elsewhere is a sale lost.

Sure, Jet Republic's Lear fleet is hampered by performance and up/downgrade issues but for the owner who doesn't need to go to Samedan or New York you can bet they'll be cheaper. I can think of a number of NJE owners who fit that profile and it would be foolish to disregard that. Just remember who Republic's management team are. How much insider information on Netjets do they hold? You think people haven't raided the G drive before they left? What's a list of owners and their assets worth do you think? ;)

Netjets blind spot has always been arrogance. It comes across in the way they treat their vendors (get the fbo staff onside for example and find out what the really think of NJE) and while it won't bring the company crashing down it has and will cost them business. Relatively little here and there but no company should be allowing that to happen.

Im shure that Jet Republis and Flexjet are related. Maybe Flexjet will use Jet Republic as a separate sponge to pick up clients and in a few (3-4) years if certain targets are met, Flexjet would but Jet Republic foe a pre-agreed sum and double, triple its size overnight?
I guess the "confidentiality" clauses in the Net Jets contracts didn't apply much to some of the Jet Republic guys? I wonder if Net Jets is looking into it?

It's going to be hard for them in the early days, they don't get an aircraft until this time next year, and in the meantime have 'come to an arrangement' with Tag etc. I would have thought that if Banana Republic are subbing the work out to Tag, that the Tag sales guys will be trying to muscle in, i know thats what i'd do!!! VERY expensive way of doing it by the way.

No-one has picked up the response time yet 24 hours and 48 hours outside the European arena. NJE are 10 hours at the moment and finding that because a lot of aircraft are sat around in position with the crews on hot spare, they can fire up and go.

No matter how good the coffee is your going to have to be a VERY good salesman to bag an owner who that's happened to, and I am seeing it happen to more and more owners.

P.S Does the new nickname mean JB is Bananaman? Or would that be Bananasmeagel

Agree, that is why the purchasing guy and CEO were ousted a few years ago (and guess who is on the board of Banana Republic). Or do you recall correctly who went when and why :p

Re the FBO's you are right, the faxed changes drives them crazy and same to us (on the bb)... but it goes with the business AND wait until the new software comes in :ok:

We all know who's gone where. All the more reason for Netjets to be worried. The mistake some people there appear to be making is writing them off on the basis of their personalities.

At the risk of sounding patronising (please don't take it that way) management operate on a different level. If the current NJE management are any good they'll be ignoring the stories about flash cars and chair throwing and concentrating on what the Jet Republic team know about the inner workings of NJE and how that will be used to their advantage. It's not just the two people that everyone seems to be focussing on either, there are some very, very good people at JR whether or not you want to take them seriously. Certainly good enough to take some money away from NJE if they (JR) can survive long enough.

Laugh at them, call them names but think about this. Every penny they make at Netjets' cost moves you all further away from that company pension that's "coming".

As for the fbo's and other vendors it's got nothing to do with faxes, software or any ex-management. You really should get to know some of them, you'd be surprised.

Jet Republic
 

This is very true, but the one who decided to put those two on the business card for the key-positions in the company should be aware that he is taking away a considerable amount of highly qualified people working for NTA right now and prospects too. A few of them are willing to change. However, if they have a spark of sense in their brains left, then they rather stay where they are. Just because of those two which are discussed here instead of the good start-up idea. It appears somewhat contraproductive. It might have been a better idea to put others in the front and let THEM do their Job in the background. But a guy like JB will always look for the mainstage, italian cars, TV, and so on. Both were kicked away from NTA disappeared and are now seeking the neighborhood again? Crusaders looking for revenge?
I consider this at least a questionable strategic move, possible prospects and shareholders can read, even this forum and if I had the choice to spend such an high amount of money, then I would choose wisely and not with a trace of doubt in my mind about the competancy of their seniors. Smart they are, no doubt about their competencies, but they dont have what it takes to succeed.

I am more worried about the competitors doing their homework in a more appropriate fashion. Lufthansa Private Jet to name the most serious one. Strong brand, smart people, NTA knowhow which they got cheap.

Let´s wait and see, but I am confident that LPJ will make it to the top.

Totally agree with 4GnR,

Why would you want to work for JR, a startup with THOSE 2 at the helm, while in the mean time most of the bad stuff at NJE has been sorted out. Just so you can endure all the "bad old days" of NJE again in JR colours? :ugh: Not me!


At this moment I'm more wary about Luftie setting up private jet shop then JR. But, we'll see what the future brings for us all.

You're missing the point.

While very few crew with prior knowledge will join JR there are others who will. NJE is not the sole supplier of pilots, europe is full of them. They'll find enough people, perhaps even some of those frustrated fast track captains hired by Netjets. Several I know took a large pay cut on the understanding they would be in the RH seat for only a few months. The bills are piling up, they need to earn more money.

4Green. There's no denying JB made a success of White Concierge. The investors have seen that, will have made due diligence enquiries and now know far more about him than you or I do. As they tell you at indoc these people don't get rich by being stupid.

I say again though, what about the rest of the management team? Those who keep repeating 'I wouldn't work for him/them' just aren't looking at the big picture ;) They've been canny in their hiring. Ex-NJE people with strategic knowledge and 'outsiders' with proven track records. They'll pinpoint NJE's weaknesses and work on them. Chaotic ops/catering/flight planning, money wasted making the same calls several times over.......you all know where a more efficient organisation could improve things.

I agree, their timing is questionable and it's highly unlikely they'll outgrow Netjets but as I said before they might still make a hole in the opposition's profits. Watching from a distance with nothing to lose either way is going to be entertaining.

Virtually the worse landing performance of all bizjets
 

You can't keep ignoring the fact that the Lear 60 needs nearly 6,000 ft landing distance for public transport (charter) ops into a wet runway with just 4 passengers and typically minimum NBAA-type IFR reserves. It needs nearly 5,200ft to land on a dry runway on the same basis - that in Europe wipes out the use of an awful lot of useful alternatives to the slot congested and costly commercial hubs.

It ticks lots of other boxes for go-faster pilots, but it's uncharterable for too many regional and GA options.

Oh there's a way round that*. Ask Netjets about (too) short fields and fractionally (owned) aircraft.

This isn't about charter remember.






*Flintstone Aviation Services take no responsibility for the consequences of doing this.

Hello all,

Let me say, first of all, that it is the first time that I post comments here.

In regards to what I have read on the comments above, I have to agree that it will be interesting to see the competition between the two neighbours... Few of you above ask if it is worth working to JR... Well, all companies have to start at some point. If everyone would think it is very dangerous to change jobs because a company can go wrong (indeed...) then companies would never even... start!

Now, a lot of you (at least readers) I know from speaking several times on the phone... some others had the honor to meet personally.

But, again, life is made of risks (and you guys/gals, should know that better, being pilots...) and sometimes they are necessary. How many of you would think the same way back in 1996, or even in yr 2K if you were given the possibility to join NJE? It is very easy to say that you are willing to work for an established company. But aren´t they worth the chance? As far as I heard, they are staying in CISCO office in Lagoas Park (maybe around 2 k´s from NJE) but they are already building their own office building (something like that). This has to mean something, doesn´t it?

Apparently, they have the knowledge and the means ($) to atract people from NJE. Its like that in every business and there´s no denying it. And it will always be like that, in ALL businesses. You learn from the best and apparently they want not only to learn but to progress and grow. As far as personalities in their staff, honestly, I think that the people concerned will not make the same mistake again, in terms of personality. I might be wrong, but, oh well, you never know. :rolleyes:

In terms of clients, from their staff profiles they are people who know a lot of other people, who have connections at high places. That´s already a good start, don´t you think?

In terms of aircraft/RWY capabilities, I know an endless number of times that other companies flights have landed in places with even no fire-cat enough, or landing in LFMD in out of limits for revenue flight. Still, it all turns out to the hands of the crews and their ability. One thing is what you see on the charts, the other thing is what a pilot sees in front of him. Anyway, regulations allow for an aircraft to land GA even with passengers, if you own the aircraft (like a fraction of the plane). I believe that will sort out some issues. Others do that quite often.

As far as OPS is concerned, if JR really wants to do something professional, I don´t think it will be THAT difficult. It´s just a matter of will and investing on the right resources (both human and technical) which is something others lack... and a LOT. Specially the will...

Only time will tell what this new venture will bring. But I wish them luck in this business. After all, they will have people working there. Which is something others never thought about much. They tend to forget that people make a company and not the other way around.

Again, good luck to them and may we all win with competition! :)

Best regards to all and have safe flights!

PS - No, I don´t work for JR...

OSS

Who said they would be flying comercially?

What I heard was private, which opens a lot of possibilities, and risks, agreed.

ONESINGLESKY and pasqualito explain it nicely. Maybe I was being too..... subtle?

"Others"? Anyone we know? :O

flint,

not anyone that officially posts here anyway...

OSS,

good education, neutral comments, no wonder why you had waited to post.
Makes just me thinking , why on this thread ? If not close to JR ?

To speak about LFMD, IF any one had ever done it (out of limits landings / Take Off ie non documented), a little bird is telling me, that they should try to stop very soon, or the authorities will stop it for them. :suspect:

Reading other posts made me want to write here. Believe me, I have nothing to do with JR but I know (a little bit) a couple of people who work there and I know pretty pretty well NJE and how they operate.

What I was briefly trying to say, is that we should not condemn a company from trying to achieve something. As far as I heard, they really have a lot of applicants (in excess of 3000 people applying to work there), and every company has to start somewhere. No company in the world exists out of the air, they always have to be based out of something (yeah, I know, I discovered the powder... :ugh: )

How many times did I think the same...

But, I am not going into more details with that. I wanna keep things simple and straight.:oh:


But if they only fly GA, then that will really open their possibilities a LOT... (not talking about the risks now)

I believe they can´t do that in selling hours of flight (25hrs cards). I think they can do that only if one of the passengers owns a share of the aircraft. If a customer buys a 25hrs card, I don´t think they can do that.

PS - By no means I am making publicity here. Rest assured of that. I gain nothing with that.

Was Banaman not frequenting these pages some time ago. Would be interesting to hear what he has to say about 'recent events' and Banananana Republics future.