By Svenja Schumacher
Between the time you book a flight and the time the plane takes off, there are a lot of actions and operations taking place. To make sure everything goes smoothly, Fly Aeolus takes all the important factors into consideration and plans your flight accordingly. In this blog we explain step by step what happens in the background when you book a private flight with us.
Your request
When we receive a request for a private flight, we first check the nearest airports in your area. Many custromers are not fully aware which small airports are nearby their origin and which ones we are able to operate from. Our home build reservation system will automatically send a flight request to the pilot and our aircraft partners. The request includes your itineraret with you requested dates, times and destinations. The pilot and aircraft partner only need to click “accept” when they are available, while the next step will be initiated.
Checks are made to ensure that all necessary licenses and criteria for quality assurance are met. For example, a European aircraft must always be inspected and/or maintained each 50 flight hours. Documents like the Aircraft Insurance Certificate and the Aircraft Registration Certificate are checked. If these and other documents are not up to date, we will not schedule the aircraft or pilot for this specific flight. The customer will receive a confirmation for the flight with an availibility confirmation.
48 hours before the flight
Up to 48 hours before the flight the operations department performs a first full operational check and it also makes the flight plan. This means that the flight route is planned with professional flight planning systems, since an aircraft in flight has to follow a predefined path. This plan will also reveal how long the flight will take. At this point the operations department also evaluates how much the aircraft may weigh, including passengers and baggage, and how much fuel it will require to fly directly to the desitination. When you are interested in the actions that the operations department does, read our blog about that topic.
The appropriate airports are contacted to ask for a permission to land. Often larger airports will require us to request an “airport slot“. Being granted such a slot means that you will be allowed to land at the specific airport within a certain time window.
When you travel with children or pets, our team will also prepare this accordingly. Children, for example, require smaller headphones. For pets on the other hand, there are many points to consider from a legal point of view especially when entering the UK. You can read all about the rules to travel with a pet in our blog: Private jet flying with dogs.
When you book a private flight with us and if it is required we will make sure that all important documents for entry and exit to a specific country are received by the respective authorities. When the above steps are done, a final check with the pilot and aircraft are made. We check once again if the aircraft is in a perfect condition, hence to have a smooth flight.
24 hours before the flight
Together wit the pilot our operations department will assess the forecasted weather 24 hours before the flight. If severe weather is predicted on the route, an earlier or later departure may be considered. This is off course done in consultation with the customer. If you are interested in the weather conditions that our aircraft mininally need, check out our blog.
If the flight will go on, the customer will receive an email with the exact flight information and information where to meet the pilot.
The pilot will keep the operational department informed so that they always know the status of the flight and can assist him if needed. During the flight, the aircraft is tracked by the same department. Therefore we are always updated about the whereaboutes of the flight.
Directly before the flight
Close before departure, another weather check is done to have the latest weather information. When you arrive at the airport, the pilot will meet you and the plane can take off in less than 15 minutes. On board you will find a bottle of water and a small snack. After arriving at your destination, the pilot will either go to a hotel or fly back home. This depends on how long your stay is at your destination and if there are other flights requested in the region.
It is easy to get in touch with the pilot should an earlier or later departure be desired, since you will have the contacts of the pilot. The operational department can, within certain limits and depending on the availability of the aircraft, pilot and airport openingtimes, adapt the flightplan to your wishes. After your flight, the aircraft will of course be aired, completely cleaned and disinfected.
Take an air taxi with Fly Aeolus!
Now you know what happens behind the scenes when you book a private flight with Fly Aeolus. Do you have any unanswered questions about air taxis or would you like to charter a Cirrus air taxi? Then contact us at any time or also check out our specially created Frequently Asked Questions page. You can find our 1600 destinations on our destinations page. Would you instead like to know what an air taxi costs? Use our price calculator:
We look forward to hearing from you at info@flyaeolus.com or by phone at +32 (0)3 500 9082.