• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION // BUSINESS AVIATION THE BEST-KEPT SECRET OF WRITTEN AND PRODUCED SUCCESSFUL COMPANIES BY MARK PATIKY Despite a vacillating U.S. economy, the need for a company With necessary cost cutting, slim management ranks and plane appears to be stronger than ever. What’s driving it? a lot more territory to cover, time is the currency of the new “When business in general takes a downturn, that’s the time economy. This has not gone unnoticed by the more than when you’ve got to get out and see people more frequently. 15,000 companies, entrepreneurs and individuals in the We’re doing that, we’re growing, and our business aircraft are U.S.—mostly small and midsize fi rms—that operate more a big part of that,” says Edmund O. Schweitzer III, President of than 23,000 business aircraft. These aircraft are essential Pullman, Wash.-based Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories. tools in today’s global economy. FLIGHT LOGS // REAL-LIFE BUSINESS AVIATION SUCCESS STORIES DR. TIRON MIKE KURT DANNY BURKE PECHET LEEDS CROSBY LAVY JONES Radiologist Former CEO, CEO, Crosby CEO, Elite Independent CMP Media Tugs LLC Group Inc. Real Estate Investor PAGE 3 PAGE 4 PAGE 6 PAGE 8 PAGE 10 ADVERTISEMENT 2 // THE ENLIGHTENED BUSINESS TRAVELER certainly won’t get there easily via airlines, which serve barely Your How-To Guide to 10% of these non-hub locations. It’s not only busy schedules that are driving the growth of a New World of Travel business aviation—it’s bottom-line results. A study of the S&P The Enlightened Business Traveler is your boarding pass to this 500 companies by Virginia-based consulting fi rm NEXA Advi- new world of travel. It examines business aircraft types, details sors LLC found that over a fi ve-year period, companies that the diverse access options, and illustrates how businesses and used business aircraft had twice the total shareholder return entrepreneurs with varied travel requirements are strategically of companies that did not. employing business aircraft to meet existing challenges and cre- “You have the freedom to operate on your own schedule,” ate new opportunities. But, most important, it discusses the ease says Lars Thrane, founder of Denmark-based global satellite with which you too can literally create time in your busy schedule. communications company Thrane & Thrane. “That’s a neces- sary part of our business. That effi ciency and fl exibility is an Time Flies—Shouldn’t You? essential factor in our success.” In addition, Thrane points out, Far from being the excessive indulgence mass media makes today’s business aircraft are often better equipped than many them out to be, business jets help a growing number of today’s offi ces, featuring phone, fax, TV and wireless Internet. So you savvy business leaders build strong bonds with customers and don’t just get there faster, you get there ready. clients. “Our planes are critical to our growth,” reports Danny The best part is you don’t even have to own an aircraft to gain Lavy, President of Montreal-based Elite Group Inc. all the valuable benefi ts. New access options such as jet cards “In this age of technology, a lot of people take personal rela- and fractional ownership have opened the skies to businesses tionships for granted. I think they’re making a big mistake,” says of all sizes, while new aircraft and technologies are making the Arthur Allen, President of Naples, Fl.-based ASG Software Solu- fl eet more fl exible, affordable and capable than ever. tions. “Our airplane allows us to bring our people together with clients, conduct real business and resolve issues face-to-face. It is an unbelievably effi cient use of our time,” he says. “You have “Our airplane allows us to bring our people to be out there with your customers and fi nd out what’s really together with clients, conduct real business and going on; it’s amazing what that really does.” resolve issues face-to-face. It is an unbelievably In addition to those that own their own airplanes, another effi cient use of our time.” 8,000 or more have chosen fractional ownership and prepaid —Arthur Allen, President, ASG cards, and thousands more companies and individuals enjoy the freedom of on-demand charter during any given week. And these planes are not just essential tools for senior execu- tives: According to a Louis Harris poll, over 70% of passengers aboard business aircraft are from mid-level ranks—salespeople, engineers, researchers and technicians. The trend is paying big dividends in time and opportunity. New access options such as jet cards and fractional ownership have opened the skies to businesses of all sizes, while new aircraft and technologies are making the fl eet more fl exible, aff ordable and capable than ever. Moving at the Speed of Business Business aircraft enable busy executives to visit multiple cit- ies in a day; to compress long, wasted hours of commercial air travel into short, intensely productive periods of time; and to bring key prospects to a facility. With the ability to land at 5,000 local airports across the country, these business aircraft provide unfettered direct access to virtually any community. And, given the dividends, they’re surprisingly affordable. You THE ENLIGHTENED BUSINESS TRAVELER // ADVERTISEMENT 3 The Ultimate Productivity Tool Companies around the globe with their own business air- craft are traveling when and where they want to with speed, safety and security. There is a vast range of aircraft choices, and each manufacturer and each model presents unique advantages. While many companies acquire their own plane and oper- ate it in-house, others outsource the operational responsi- bilities to management fi rms that take care of every detail. That means access to your plane and the rest of the world is only a phone call away. In addition, when your plane is “Companies today are trying to do more with idle, the management company can charter it. That’s been a less, and that means making the most bonus for Mike Leeds, the former CEO of CMP Media, who owns a Falcon 50. With limited fl ight requirements, he offers productive use of their most precious assets: his jet for charter when he’s not using it. The charter revenue people and time.” offsets some of the fi xed ownership cost. — Ed Bolen, President and CEO, NBAA FLIGHT LOG DR. TIRON PECHET enjoyment without losing half of it to commercial travel sched- Business: Radiologist ules or tiresome road trips. “We can drive an hour away from Boston and not even reach Cape Cod, or we can take a one- hour fl ight in the Phenom and be in Washington, D.C., or visit family in Pittsburgh. It’s great when you don’t have a lot of time. Now the enjoyment starts the moment we get to the airport.” Pechet has been fl ying jets for several years, but he was drawn to the Phenom 100 because of its level of sophistica- tion, self-diagnosing systems engineering and automation. “It turned out to be an incredible airplane,” he says. If there is any maintenance issue or concern, he can send the computerized data direct from the plane to technicians in Brazil. “By the time you pick up the phone, they’ve analyzed the problem and can talk about solutions.” The spacious cabin is another important advantage for Pechet. “The passengers have a lot of space and a lot of light. They just love it back there,” he says, adding that the fully enclosed lavatory, which can be converted to an additional passenger seat, is a big plus when traveling with family. n addition to being a formidable business tool, Embraer’s The Phenom has been an all-around winner for Pechet: “It is Phenom 100 is also an affordable and effective choice for by far the most economical jet in this category, and it is 15% I those who, like Boston-based radiologist Dr. Tiron Pechet to 20% less expensive to operate than the turboprop we previ- and his two partners, own and fl y the small jet. All three have ously owned.” Pechet is also delighted with the Embraer Exec- equally hectic work lives, and, like many whose work infringes utive Care and Pratt-Whitney Engine Plan, through which—as on quality personal time, an airplane is just the ticket. “It is a with a bumper-to-bumper warranty—maintenance becomes great way to get around and take full advantage of precious and a predictable budget item. There are no surprises, he points often-fl eeting opportunities to be with my family,” says Pechet. out. If the Phenom works this well for an individual, imagine For Pechet, using the jet for a weekend away with his wife what it can do for a company. “From a business perspective and two young boys means he gains two or three days of it’s effi ciency, affordability and practicality combined,” he says. ADVERTISEMENT 4 // THE ENLIGHTENED BUSINESS TRAVELER FLIGHT LOG MIKE LEEDS says Leeds, had to do with the ability to meet frequently with Business: Former CEO of CMP Media clients. There’s no doubt that a business aircraft played a vital role in Leeds’ success. “You can see more customers, you can motivate more employees, and you can make the company stronger in so many ways by being more places in a short amount of time. We could take people who would be valuable in these meet- ings because we had the seats, and we could get them back very quickly.

Load more

  9

Copy Link