A Flight Plan that Works Business aviation has become the Holy Grail for busy road warriors trying to avoid snarls at the airport.

Transcription

1 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION A Flight Plan that Works Business aviation has become the Holy Grail for busy road warriors trying to avoid snarls at the airport. Private Aviation Options S2 Innovations S14 Philanthropy S16

2 As financial seers look for an end to the volatile market s current doldrums, one highflying sector remains unshaken by economic turbulence: business aviation. Business is booming, says Bob Knebel, vice president of sales at Bombardier Flexjet, a fractional jet ownership program. Our jet card business is up 50% since 2006, which is pretty consistent with the marketplace, says Pat Gallagher, vice president of sales at Flight Options, a jet card program that provides flight time aboard business jets. Other barometers of vitality: deliveries of business jets rose more than 28% in 2007 (to 1,138), according to the General Aviation Manufacturer s Association (GAMA). And business aircraft manufacturers have a backlog of orders to carry production into the next decade. One reason for the strength of business aviation can be found at the nation s commercial service portals, where 73% of passengers squeeze into 35 airports. Last year more than 28% of all U.S. flights were delayed, according to the FAA, a statistic that doesn t reflect missed connecting flights or the ignominy and time impact of scrutiny from the Transportation Security Administration. To add insult, in late March a federal court struck down efforts to institute an airline passenger Bill of Rights, even as airlines canceled scores of flights for unscheduled aircraft inspections. Yet even without delays, the airline huband-spoke service model can t meet the efficiency of business aviation, which can use some 5,000 airports around the U.S., enabling businesses to save time, extend their reach, keep management lean, and reduce wear and tear on key personnel. With a business jet you can be a lot more productive, says Mike Fuhrman, director of marketing support at Wichitabased Cessna Aircraft Co., which makes the Citation line of business jets. It s not just getting from Point A to Point B anymore. You can conduct business and have conferences and business meetings. These people want to have what we call an office in the sky capability. SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION It s really geared to be able to do more in less time, sums up Raul Fernandez an owner of the Washington Capitals ice hockey team and CEO of ObjectVideo, a security software company in Reston, Va. who owns shares in a Falcon 2000, a Gulfstream 200 and Gulfstream 450 through the NetJets fractional program. His bottom line on the benefits of business aviation: More meetings in more cities and fewer nights away. A Bevy of Alternatives A primary driver behind the growth of business aviation is the expansion of choices. It used to be either you bought your own airplane, or you chartered, says David Wyndham, vice president of Conklin & de Decker, a business aviation consulting firm based in Orleans, Mass. Now there are a lot of different options: jet cards, block [discount] charter, fractional programs, different hybrids Flying the friendly skies: The popularity of business jets is soaring. S

3 2008 NetJets Inc. All rights reserved. NetJets Inc. is a Berkshire Hathaway company. NetJets and Executive Jet Management are registered trademarks. The Marquis Jet Card is a registered service mark. Bill Gates and Warren Buffett on a Boeing Business Jet Bill Gates became a NetJets Owner in 1999 Warren Buffett became a NetJets Owner in 1995 (and bought the entire company in 1998) MOST EXPERIENCE MARKET LEADER WORLD S LARGEST FLEET MOST AIRCRAFT TYPES HIGHEST SAFETY STANDARDS SUPERIOR OWNERSHIP EXPERIENCE GLOBAL OPERATIONS A BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY COMPANY NETJETS FRACTIONAL JET OWNERSHIP PROGRAMS THE MARQUIS JET CARD EXECUTIVE JET MANAGEMENT NETJETS.COM NETJETS

4 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Posh and ultra-chic: The spacious Bombardier Challenger 300 lets users design floor plans to suit their needs. a jet, entitling them to a set number of hours of flight time each year (typically a 50-hour, or 1/16th minimum share). Owners call, and their jet, or one just like it or better, arrives at a location of their choice and takes them wherever they want to go. I can literally dial jet on my speed dial, and within a minute have booked air transportation, ground transportation, and food, and be off the phone, says NetJets customer Fernandez. Fractional owners also enjoy lower hourly costs than non-ownership access options and get the tax benefits of depreciation, as well. And some aircraft fit a mission or range of missions so well that owners don t want to fly on anything else. It turns travel from some form of dilemma into a pleasure, says a fractional owner who selected the Richardson, Texas-based Bombardier s Flexjet program because he finds the Bombardier Challenger 300 the perfect aircraft for both his business and personal travel. For family trips, it turns traveling from a very stressful situation to a restful, relaxing, fun event. You get to the airport and in ten minutes you re in the air. You arrive, everybody s happy, and in five to seven minutes you re driving off. of each, and management companies that can put your wholly owned airplane out for charter. Moreover, providers are continually adding new value-added features everything from off-peak pricing to heath-care services to their programs. At the same time, manufacturers continue to introduce new aircraft models to appeal to a wider range of customers. Here s a snapshot of what is available. Fractional Ownership I tell people, if you want to compete with me and you don t have an airplane, you better have three people, says Richard Santulli, a longtime believer in business aviation. Santulli, considered the architect of the fractional aircraft ownership concept, is CEO of NetJets, the first and largest of the fractional providers, owned by Warren Buffett s Berkshire Hathaway holding company. I m going to Europe tomorrow, Santulli said from the company headquarters in Woodbridge, N.J., across the river from New York City. It s harder for me to get to Manhattan. Fractional plans enable buyers to purchase a share in Playing Your Cards Right Jet cards provide guaranteed access to business jets without any capital investment. They come in two basic types: jet fleet cards and jet model cards. The programs go by a variety of names, but basically fleet cards provide a choice among various sizes of jets (light, midsize, and large cabin), while jet model cards provide access to a specific model of aircraft. Flight costs are deducted from a debit account (typically $100,00 min. deposit), or from a pre-set number of flight hours purchased (e.g., 25 hours) with either type of card. Every trip is different, and depending who you have on board, if you re entertaining clients or just on a family vacation [customers] are not locked into one particular aircraft type; they enjoy that flexibility, says Chris Milligan, managing director of Bombardier Skyjet, of the appeal of the company s Skyjet fleet card. The company, owned by Bombardier, a leading manufacturer of business jets, also offers a jet model card, the Flexjet 25, which uses the Bombardier Flexjet fractional fleet of General aviation contributes more than $150 billion to the U.S. economy annually, and employs more than 1.25 million people. GAMA S

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6 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION The next generation: Dassault Falcon 2000EX is a widebody twin-jet that lets jetsetters travel in style. Learjets and Challenger aircraft. Both types of cards appeal to particular travel needs. We can use a [light Hawker-Beechcraft] 400XP, or a midsize 800 or 850XP, depending on the passenger load and distance, says best-selling mystery author J.A. Jance, who uses a Flight Options jet card for month-long book tours that would be impossible using the airlines. However, we ll be using a [large-cabin Embraer] Legacy to take the kids and grandkids on Grandpa s birthday trip to Disneyland. The cost of 25-hour cards typically varies from the high five figures to the low six figures depending on the aircraft and program. Both types of cards typically come with a variety of options, from off-peak pricing, to the ability to switch aircraft when needed in the model-specific programs. Jet Charter Charter represents access at its most basic: a one-time trip and transaction. But charter, too, has evolved with the growth of the business jet fleet and the Internet. Besides offering block time, or discounted rates, a lively online marketplace for empty legs, flights with no passengers aboard, has developed. Most charter operators In the U.S., general aviation aircraft fly over 27 million hours and carry 166 million passengers annually. GAMA have calculators on their sites enabling customers to see prices and book flights. It opens charters to a much larger market, says Jim Betylon, president of charter.com, in Trenton, N.J., which develops software supporting Internet charter surfing. If you have to move three executives from here to there, you can go online and the best options are right in front of you. Betylon said charter.com gets 3,000 requests for price quotes per day. In Total Control Whole ownership continues to appeal to many business aviation users for a variety of reasons. At its most basic, it can be an essential transportation link for businesses, even for those that continue to use commercial aviation. We have a software company based in a small town in Missouri, Cessna s Mike Fuhrman says of a customer. They have to drive 75 miles to Springfield [to access airline service], and usually connect through St. Louis, and they ve got a whole fleet of Citations they dispatch every day. The travel department decides if it s more productive to send the teams on an airline, or on a company airplane. Also, new aircraft models continually bring new capabilities and efficiencies to S

7 SUDDENLY THE SKY IS MADE OF SILK. Nothing can make the air perfectly smooth, but nothing can touch the incredible Falcon 7X for smooth flying. Its Digital Flight Control System the business-jet evolution of our fighter-jet technology blends the reflexes of a fighter with the agility of a bird. And its all-muscle-no-fat design will whisk you over 5,950 miles with the efficiency of a smaller plane in a cabin of a silken quiet within a whisper of the speed of sound. Visit us at Falcon7X.com Or call: U.S France

8 CERTAINLY, PRIVATE JETS MAKE A STATEMENT. OURS SAY, I VE GOT WORK TO DO. And, equally importantly, they do not say, I m a well-heeled jet-setter who spends money frivolously. This is not a subtle distinction it s a profoundly different point of view. The truth is that for many individuals and corporations, a jet makes sound business sense. Of course, when compared against commercial first-class seats, the price is higher. But for individuals whose time is valuable, there are other costs to consider: inflexible schedules, time spent driving to major airports, getting through security, waiting to board and sitting on the tarmac. And that s when everything goes smoothly which, according to the FAA, is only about 70% of the time. Now add these lost hours to the price of your airline ticket to get a true assessment of the cost difference. By contrast, Flexjet* creates the one thing you need more of: time. At Flexjet, we provide private jet fractional ownership, whole aircraft ownership and management, and jet card solutions. So, if you ve previously dismissed private jet ownership, we politely request that you ignore the stereotypes, take a deep breath and objectively consider the impact this could have on your business and your lifestyle. Then call FLEXJET or visit Flexjet.com for some straight talk from plane people Bombardier Inc. *Trademark(s) of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. Please visit Flexjet.com for terms and conditions. Flexjet 25 Jet Card program is operated under FAR Part 135 by Jet Solutions, LLC.

9 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION business aviation, and whole ownership can be the fastest way to access new models. The Falcon 7X, for example, the first fly-by-wire business jet, began service last year, and Dassault Falcon already has firm orders for more than 200 of the aircraft. And the Falcon 2000LX, expected to go into service in 2010, will be 5% more efficient than the current generation of the Falcon 2000 family. With the focus of many [potential customers] on energy costs and the environment, the efficiencies are now looked at more carefully, says John Rosanvallon, Dassault Falcon Jet s Cabin comforts: Flight Options fractional and jet card programs offer ample legroom and ultrapampering in popular models like the Citation X. CEO, noting that his company s aircraft have traditionally been judged more by their exemplary performance than their energy-saving capabilities, qualities the company is now emphasizing to potential customers. Also introducing new aircraft: In March, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer unveiled plans for two midsized business jets. Business jets are time machines, according to the company s executive vice president of executive aviation, Luis Carlos Alfonso. All busy people are looking for high productivity and a better quality of life. That s the main driver today. Travel On Demand Air taxi, essentially a low-cost form of charter, is the newest access model, made possible by a new generation of aircraft and improved cockpit technology. For example, the Cirrus SR-22, a composite-construction single-piston engine aircraft with glass-panel instrumentation more advanced than that of many airlines just a few years ago, is the mainstay of the charter fleet of Greenville, S.C.- based SATSair (Duluth, Minn.-based Cirrus Design Corp. owns 25% of the company). Even at the piston end, more people are turning to aircraft for business purposes because it makes them so much more productive, says Pete Bunce, president and CEO of GAMA. And the Eclipse 500, the jet that launched the VLJ (very light jet) category, made by Albuquerque-based Eclipse Aviation, is the fleet model for DayJet, based in Gainesville, Fla., and fleet orders have been placed by other fledgling air taxi services. It s Flight Time! Breitling, the Switzerlandbased manufacturer of precision instruments for professional timepieces, has been closely associated with aviation since 1915 when the company created the first wristwatch chronograph, then became the official supplier of chronographs to Britain s Air Ministry and Royal Air Force in the 1930s. Breitling found in aviation the perfect analog for the precision and innovation of its wrist-worn chronometers. Products like the Navitimer endowed with a builtin navigation computer, a circular slide rule capable of all calculations necessary for a flight plan further bolstered that connection. Breitling and aviation remain linked through initiatives like the company s operation of the Breitling Super Constellation, one of only three airworthy examples of this iconic airliner of the 1950s, and the Breitling Jet Team, the world s only civilian jet aerobatic team. Breitling s heritage is evidenced in its new products, as well. Recently it introduced the Chrono-Matic 49 and new versions of its popular Cockpit and Lady Cockpit models, and more. Today Breitlings are worn not only by pilots, but also by those who appreciate the fine qualities these instruments embody. S10

10 SM Don t just roll the dice. JetPASS membership is a sure thing for private-jet travel. Risk-free. Flexible. Cost-effective. With a $100k deposit, you gain immediate access to Flight Options world-class light, mid-size, super mid-size, and large-cabin aircraft. Manage your costs based on when you choose to travel, drawing down your balance over any length of time. Your membership will never expire, pricing includes fuel and your balance is always refundable. JetPASS membership is a sure thing for private-jet travel. Call today or visit flightoptions.com/jetpass.html.

11 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION A Snapshot of the Industry Source: GAMA Airplane shipments made in the U.S. by type. It s filling the gap between commercial airlines and driving, with a real return on time investment, Joe Leader, president of the Air Taxi Association (ATXA), says of this new access option. Once an individual or company tries it, there s an extraordinarily high retention. It s very attractive once people realize that the local general aviation airport is open for their utilization. The most visible air taxi company, DayJet, operates on a unique model, offering shared flights and relying on a sophisticated software system to match people with its airplanes. Though it only began operating last October, the service is already changing the lives of passengers. The Sky s the Limit Export Boom Now I don t feel there are any barriers to where I could be developing, says DayJet flyer Jeffrey Phillips, president of Developers Funding Corp., a real estate developer in Boca Raton, Fla. I can fly in for the day and come home for the night, so it tremendously opens the potential of where I can do business. That s a big part of expanding my operations. The Value Quotient The cost of entry to the world of business jets is about to get lower. The VLJ is being joined by the so-called PJ, or personal jet. These single-engine four- to six-seat machines are under development by Piper Aircraft, in Vero Beach, Fla.; Cirrus Design, in Duluth, Minn.; and London, Ontario-based Diamond Aircraft. We ought to see the business jet world as a demonstration of productivity, says Cirrus Design s Chairman Alan Klapmeier, who founded the company with his brother, Dale. Smaller businesses can t afford a Gulfstream, but they can afford a Cirrus, or a [Piper] Malibu, or a [Hawker-Beechcraft] King Air. No one is predicting an airplane in every garage. But for businesses looking for travel solutions, the cabin door to business aviation is opening wider all the time. James Wynbrandt To advertise in our Aviation sections, contact Pete Franco at For reprints, call Jo Mattern at You don t have to own a jet to take advantage of private aviation. Here is a list of options. Type Fleet Highlight Contact Bombardier Skyjet Flight Options Bombardier Flexjet NetJets On-demand charter; Jet Card: Skyjet Card, Flexjet 25 Jet Card* Skyjet Card and charter: primarily Bombardier aircraft; Flexjet 25 card uses Bombardier Flexjet fractional fleet: Learjet 40, Learjet 45, Learjet 60, Challenger 300, and Challenger 604 Flexible pricing options; Balance transfer available to switch to Bombardier Flexjet fractional ownership Skyjet.com *Operated by Jet Solutions LLC Fractional ownership; Jet Card: JetPASS membership Light, midsize, super-mid, and large-cabin aircraft, primarily Beechjet 400A, Hawker 400XP, Hawker 800XP, Citation X, Embraer Legacy 600 Fractional ownership program, aircraft leasing, and aircraft management available Flightoptions.com Fractional ownership; Flexjet 25 Jet Card Bombardier Learjet 40XR, Learjet 45XR, Learjet 60XR, Challenger 300, and Challenger 605 Owned by Bombardier, manufacturer of the fleet s aircraft; flexible program options include Versatility Plus Flexjet.com Fractional ownership Choice of 15 types of light, midsize, and large-cabin aircraft, from Cessna Citation Bravo to Falcon 2000EX/2000, Gulfstream 550, and Boeing Business Jet First and largest fractional fleet; operates Marquis Jet Card program Netjets.com S12

12 THINK OF YOUR SKYJET CARD AS A WELL-EARNED ATTABOY It puts an amazing array of resources at your very talented fingertips. Call your personal concierge, take advantage of the widest range of private jet travel options. It s what you ve earned. The kind of unique services you d expect from Bombardier, inventors of the business jet. Call or visit While others claim to offer the widest range of product choices, Bombardier Aerospace actually does: from charter service to jet cards to fractional and whole aircraft ownership. No other aviation provider offers this kind of flexibility. Flexjet25 program is operated under part 135 by Jet Solutions, LLC Bombardier Skyjet. *Trademark(s) of Bombardier, Inc. or its subsidiaries. Call Skyjet for terms and conditions. Bombardier Skyjet acts as an agent for the customer when arranging charter travel with FAA-certified and DOT-registered charter providers.

13 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Innovations Ready for Takeoff Forget cabin fever and cramped seating. The new business jets allow harried executives to travel in style and comfort. Pilots love digital flight controls. Business travelers love safety. But the newest pillar of hightech innovation in corporate flying resides squarely in the cabin something that should appeal to you whether you re buying a business jet, or fly frequently in them as a fractional owner or charter passenger. The in-flight experience for those in back is becoming increasingly critical today. If you re dropping $5 million to $50 million or more on a business jet or signing up for a service, you want the airplanes to do more than just shoot you from A to B. You want to your passengers to have an enjoyable, productive experience and arrive at their destination fresh and ready to work. Leather captain s chairs are nice, but the infusion of technology that serves the passengers goes far deeper than that these days. Certainly, communications technology is the big thing now, notes Cessna s director of communications Doug Oliver. Internet, satellite phones, in-flight entertainment are the big topics. But so much of the technology deals with layout of the cabin, the structure of the airframe, and the way various features are developed. It could be anything from the design of the lavatory in our new Citation Columbus which is far easier to use up through the airplane s substantially more comfortable cabin pressure. Air quality, noise levels, and aircraft movement all of these and more are now key factors in manufacturers creation of the in-flight experience. The bottom line is simple: Whether you re choosing a long-distance, transcontinental hauler for a dozen or more employees, or a more compact ride for shorter flights say, a thousand miles or less the right airplane can make all the difference. Flights of Fancy Many passenger comfort innovations originate in the cockpit and include automatic turbulence damping systems and digital trim controls both of which significantly smooth out the ride for the cabin passengers. Dassault s new 12-passenger, three-engine Falcon 7X, for example, uses Honeywell s Enhanced Avionics System (EASy), which generates virtually unnoticeable transitions in altitude and direction, and automatically seeks to counteract turbulence. This creates more precise handling in general, which makes the flying much less noticeable in the cabin, says Dassault communications manager Andrew Ponzoni. Dassault developed the system for its Falcon three-engine 900EX and twin-engine Falcon 2000EX aircraft before introducing it elsewhere in its lineup. Gulfstream s approach to passenger comfort, particularly with their new 18-passenger G650 which, when it debuts in 2012 will be the largest, fastest aircraft in the company s lineup has been to gradually improve air quality. The Mach 0.9 jet will have the lowest cabin altitude of any business jet (approximately 4,800 feet), significantly increasing comfort for passengers by putting far less strain on their hearts and brains. It will also have large windows to enhance the passenger experience through the views and the infusion of natural light. Manufacturers of smaller aircraft particularly in the new very light jet (VLJ) category are focusing on the psychological aspects of flying, using the proximity to the cockpit to enhance passengers feeling of comfort. People have this perception that flying is dangerous but driving is safe, which, of course, we all know is the opposite Nose Baggage: 9 cubic ft Crew: One or two Capacity: Five or six passengers Aft Baggage: 57 cubic ft HondaJet Length: 41.7 ft Wingspan: 39.9 ft Height: 13.2 ft Max Speed: 420 KTAS (483 mph) Range: 1,180 nm Cockpit System: Garmin Avionics Cabin Size: 4.83 ft H x 5.00 ft W x 17.8 ft L Max takeoff weight: <10,000 lbs S14

14 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION of the truth, says Vern Raburn, CEO of Eclipse Aviation, a builder of small private jets. But when people are actually involved in the process when they can see the pilot, see the instruments, see where they re going they enjoy the flight much more and feel much safer. There is an extraordinarily high level of acceptance they love it. Other small-aircraft makers have turned to revolutionary design strategies to make flying more comfortable. Honda Aircraft Company s new twinengine HondaJet the first aircraft to be built by a carmaker since the Ford Trimotor of the 1920s features engines cleverly placed above the wing, rather than at the rear of the fuselage, to minimize noise and vibration and free up space for the passengers and cargo. This allows us to make the largest cabin in our class, says Stephen Keeney, the company s senior manager of corporate affairs, which in turn allows for the inclusion of a fully enclosed lavatory, a rare feature in a five-seater. Our engine placement also improves the airflow around the fuselage and wing, so we get a higher top speed and better fuel efficiency. It s a great example of one strategy efficiency simultaneously enhancing another: comfort. Boardroom in the Sky Overall, the environments you ll find inside any of these aircraft will depend on the size and focus of the manufacturer. Builders of larger jets Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault Falcon, Gulfstream strive to replicate the luxury and space of, say, a hotel suite, whereas makers of smaller jets are pursuing the aesthetics of a high-end luxury sedan. Honda, of course, has a long history of developing interior ergonomics and exploring the human factors of small spaces, notes Keeney. The Honda aircraft s interior concept, Keeney continues, places a special focus on human fit, ergonomic efficiency, and comfort. The layout of a cabin can be arranged for either six passengers or in a more spacious configuration for five, and everything from the color palette to the quality of the material is given careful attention. Even the cargo compartment has received special scrutiny: it provides the Pursuing the aesthetics of luxury: Large-cabin aircraft make dining a pleasure (above). Many jets are equipped with the latest technology. largest capacity in its class and can easily accommodate a generous mix of multiple large suitcases and golf bags. If making everybody on board comfortable is the first step, getting these passengers to be productive is the next. Business jet manufacturers are now offering many options for businesspeople on the fly. Bombardier s midsized and larger Challenger aircraft, which can seat up to 14 passengers, feature high-altitude boardrooms, which allow users to alter floor plans based on their in-flight meeting needs. Extendable worktables, versatile seating arrangements, and high-capacity satellite communication systems for Internet, fax, and telephone service that can be used even during takeoff and final approach are included in the package. Other standard features include active noise and vibration reduction in the cabin, 18-inch flatscreen televisions, and phone, fax, and data ports throughout the cabin. When the work is done, it s time for relaxation. Many jets, including Bombardier s Challengers, feature multiple widescreen televisions and integrated ipod control systems. Eclipse is about to introduce XM Radio, with over 250 channels available to passengers and crew, and Honda, similarly, is exploring individual DVD entertainment systems and ipod controls for its jet. The goal for manufacturers of business aircraft: to make sure flying is always a lot of fun. Eric Adams S15

15 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Taking Philanthropy Under Their Wings A growing number of business aviation operators are lending a helping hand to the less fortunate. For many in the business aviation community, charity begins at the airport. A growing number of companies and private owners are lending their jets for medical transportation, disaster relief, and a host of other worthy causes. I almost never get a No, says Walt Fricke, founder of Veterans Airlift Command (VAC), which is based in St. Louis Park, Minn., and solicits flights aboard private aircraft for wounded Iraq veterans undergoing rehabilitation. To see the people in the business aviation community that are willing to send their jets across the country to bring a kid home from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, I just get choked up thinking about it. Fricke estimates that VAC, which was formed in 2006, may arrange close to 1,000 flights this year. Several charitable-flight organizations say their number of missions and of participating business aircraft has been growing annually. Yet the total donated flight time or its value is unknown. No organization tracks the data, and many jet owners prefer to keep their good works private. A good percentage [of donors] don t want us to mention who they are, says Peter Fleiss, executive director of Corporate Angel Network (CAN) in White Plains, N.Y., which arranges transportation for cancer patients on empty seats aboard corporate jets. About 550 companies support CAN, which plans to provide close to 3,000 flights this year. Despite the generosity, most charitable-flight organizations say their lift capacity can t keep pace with demand. We re seeing the need for charitable aviation on the rise every year, says Christel Gollnick, chairperson of the Rochester, Minn. based Air Charity Network (ACN) and CEO of Angel Flight Central, one of ACN s member groups. ACN groups fly between 17,000 and 20,000 missions annually, providing medical transport, disaster relief, and other community services. The organization typically relies on piston-engine aircraft for its medical flights but increasingly uses business jets. We have a list of those people with big iron, as they The angelic skies: Wounded Iraq veterans undergoing rehabilitation get free transportation thanks to the Veterans Airlift Command. call it, says Gollnick of business jet owners. We reserve those planes for flights where it would really best serve the person in need if they could fly on just one airplane. Experts advise consulting an aviation tax specialist as part of any philanthropic flight plan. The accounting rules governing tax deductions for donated flight time can be complex. How [charitable] flights are categorized makes a very big difference on how the IRS is going to treat those flights, says David Shannon, an attorney in the Business Aircraft Group at Galland, Kharasch, Greenberg, Fellman & Swirsky, P.C., in Washington, D.C. With a little bit of planning, the tax savings can be quite large. Whatever the expense, the payback from helping others can be greater. That s one reason Wichita based Cessna Aircraft Company and owners of Cessna Citation jets have served as the de facto airlines for the Special Olympics for almost 20 years, mustering a fleet of more than 200 jets to transport athletes to the quadrennial games. I ve been flying for almost 40 years, and we ve done a lot of philanthropic things, says Bill Wagner, chief pilot for Des Moines based Townsend Engineering; he flew the company s Citation X as part of the airlift to the Games in Ames, Iowa in But the Special Olympics that s the one thing I probably enjoyed most in my life of flying. James Wynbrandt S16

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