TikkleMe

Hands down, the cheapest and quickest way to start a charter operation is to purchase a charter airline. Many Part 135 companies will offer themselves for sale which includes a certificate. Buyer beware.

Rama

The best way to find out about 135 charters is to work for one. With a commercial you may be able to work as a first officer on a smaller aircraft.
Aviation can be a tough and unforgiving business. You to to comply with all the FAR's on top of state and local regulations and insurance can be out of sight.

2StgTurbine

And even if you do that, a fly by night 134.5 operator will show up and undercut you.

TiredSoul

Another great way of learning the business is working for a charter broker.
I’m taking a SWAG here but I’m thinking that 70-80% of charter flights are done through a broker.

Filthy rich dude is a customer of a charter broker who acts kinda like a concierge.
So FRD calls broker and says Tuesday 10am I want to go from Boca to Teterboro to party in NY with 4 buddies.
I want a jet with a toilet and plenty of drinks and snacks.
Broker goes through his Rolodex and gets 3-4 quotes from charter companies they do business with.
Broker picks 3 and makes a recommendation to customer.
FRD may have specified the cheapest offer or the youngest jet or “no small planes”.
FRD says yeah or neah and broker makes the deal and gets his cut.

FLYMIA

Hear me out, I am planning on running a shuttle service that sounds great, AND I think everyone would love it. Especially me. I'm launching a on demand non stop FL to Lunar Base Moon, twice weekly, mostly on demand depending on the demand which I believe is high. I read a CNBC article talking about how much the top ten percent own like eighty percent and want to space travel yada yada. also, the moon has yet to be bought out and tons of land available up for grabs. Besides the U.S. Space command base that doesn't exist. It's like the West coast expansion present day! I'm going public soon with my LLC on this, but while I have your attention, does Flying in a Spacecraft from FL to the moon sound like something that interest's you? Before you judge me, don't paint me with the mistakes of private charter's past, we all went to the same school, some of us graduated with better grades. If I told you that we could do this, make a profit for both of us, would you say no? Im gonna send you this prospectus, fair enough?

nitefr8dog

TBM7...TURBINE not single PISTON... I think that is the rub...

Bienert338

Great Advice! I've been working for 135 and 121 carriers for the past ten years, I've learned a lot, but I can honestly say I still have a lot to learn before I could successfully run a charter operation on my own. I think there are two needed items required to successfully run an airline:
1. Surround yourself with a team of experienced individuals, there is just too much for one person to handle. Finances, marketing/sales, training, compliance, maintenance, certification, facilities, insurance, publications, etc........ the list never ends
2. Experience, lots of it
I too have always wanted to start my own charter, but over the years have realized how daunting of a task it is. For me my best shot is to start small and with support. Currently I work for a rapidly growing 135 charter operation. I would like to take a few of the airplanes that are not being used and start flying some on demand night freight. A sitting airplane does nothing but lose money. my plan is to present our CEO with the option to take these planes that don't fly at night and pick up some on demand night freight or possibly organ harvest/medivac during the night. We have falcon 2000's, a hawker, falcon 20, CE560, CE414, Falcon 50, Falcon 900, Challenger601. I know when I flew for Kalitta Charters we made a lot of money flying emergency/rushed parts for factories like GM, airlines, and also medivac at night. The problem I am running into is finding the business. How do I find/advertise customers who need rushed on demand night freight? we have brokers who are great at what they do but their experience is finding passengers not freight. Id like to avoid medivac just because of all the hoops you have to jump through. Any thoughts ideas would be greatly appreciated. Hope I didn't hijack the thread!!! thought it might contribute a little to the conversation lol

Cujo665

It can vary, I personally know several people who can not fly on anything single engine.... well, they can, but their life insurance will not cover them. I'd be willing to bet a good percentage of the ones going into St Barts just hadn't considered it or even checked their policies. The folks I'm talking about have staff that does all that advance stuff, and they won't let us bring a single engine anything for insurance reasons.... even when it's a better choice for closer airports.

Cujo665

Both the TBM and the Cheyane are turbine, that wasn't the issue. Single engine was the issue.