Where and from
Business aviation is unlikely to be useful for those who have purchased real estate in one of the European capitals or just in a large city connected with Moscow by regular flights. If your home is located outside the reach of direct lines, but not far from airports hosting international flights, light aircraft flights become a justified solution.
The most popular destinations for private flights are Malaga, Spain, the south of France – Nice and Cannes, as well as winter Alpine resorts – Grenoble, Courchevel, Innsbruck. "Although most VIP flight customers prefer traditional European destinations, you can fly on a business class plane almost anywhere," says Lev Gorbunov, CEO of Business Aviation. - The exception, perhaps, is only some islands, where, according to technical conditions, not all planes can land. The main thing is to find the nearest airport."
The way the flight will be organized depends primarily on the financial capabilities of the client and only secondly on his wishes. For example, non–stop long-distance flights require significant expenses - those who are going to save money will most likely be offered to fly with a landing, this option will reduce the cost by about 30%. Savings are especially noticeable on ultra-long routes - for example, to South Africa, Japan or Australia, where more "heavy" and, accordingly, more expensive models are required for a non-stop flight. "Not all types of aircraft are suitable for direct flights to other continents, besides, the cost of long-distance flights has increased significantly recently due to rising fuel prices," notes Alexander Kondratiev, consultant at Golden Wings.
Another important detail is that the airport must comply with the technical data of the aircraft upon landing. According to Konstantin Alekseev, Deputy General Director of Berkut Business Air, even if a heavy aircraft can theoretically fly anywhere in South Africa, it will not be able to land on a dirt strip, which are not uncommon in this country.
An airport receiving a business class aircraft from Russia must meet some other conditions. First of all, it is necessary to have customs and border control. "In some cases," says Lev Gorbunov, "this problem is solved quite simply. We can bring our customers customs and border guards from the nearest airport, and all formalities will be settled without leaving the plane." So, for example, if you intend to get to Salamanca, where there is no international airport, you can choose two flight options. The first is to land in Madrid, also, without leaving the plane, go through security and go on to Salamanca. The second option is to wait for customs in Salamanca. The cost of such a service is about 2000 euros.
As for departure, business aviation planes fly from all airports in Moscow, except Bykovo. VIP clients use separate terminals or specialized service centers. Vnukovo has the Vnukovo-3 Space terminal, Sheremetyevo has the Avkom terminal, and there are also Business Aviation Centers in Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo. They are distinguished by the presence of VIP halls, their own parking, and separate customs and border control points. "The desire of customers for privacy and confidentiality is reflected in all the details of the service, for example, passengers are brought on board by limousines," says Lev Gorbunov.
Comfort is guaranteed
The type of aircraft performing the flight depends on a number of conditions, the main of which are related to the flight distance and the receiving airport. Conventionally, the entire fleet is divided into three classes. Light aircraft are designed for 5-8 seats, their flight range is up to 2500 km. Medium-sized aircraft are more spacious - 6-10 seats, and the range is 3,700 km, which is quite enough for any European flight. You can get to Asia, Africa and the USA on heavy models designed for distances of 7000 km or more, they are much more spacious – up to 19-20 seats.
The most popular Western aircraft models originally designed for business aviation are Hawker, Falcon, Gulfstream and Embraer. The Russian aviation industry does not produce aircraft specifically designed for VIP aviation. Standard passenger models that have undergone high-quality reconstruction at factories are adapted to its needs. "The alteration is irreversible," says Lev Gorbunov, "it affects all systems - from the technical equipment of the cabin to the interior design, so that the VIP plane will never become a passenger plane again." On international flights, Russian models are mainly used Yak-42, Tu-154 and Il-62. The latest Russian development, the medium-range Tu-334, has not yet entered service, and many other models have ceased to meet European requirements in terms of their noise and environmental characteristics, for example, the popular Tu-134, which operates exclusively on domestic routes.
The conditions on the sides of domestic and foreign-made aircraft do not differ. All business class aircraft, regardless of their place of production, must meet a number of indicators. The number of seats in them does not exceed 20, there are either separate beds or soft areas with folding chairs and sofas installed in salon layouts. For finishing, only environmentally friendly materials are used, the rarest types of wood – Karelian birch, cherry, as well as exclusive varieties of leather. At the same time, the quality of the work of Russian aviation designers is not inferior to Western, and sometimes surpasses it.
Often the interior is divided into several salons, differently equipped and decorated, for example, "gentleman's" - for smoking and discussing business issues, "ladies'" or a lounge for recreation, and children's. A conference room equipped with the latest technology, including computers, is often equipped. Showers are also installed on private planes.
Business aviation aircraft are distinguished by the state-of-the-art technical equipment of the cabin. The standard set includes LCD monitors mounted in the back of the front seat, hi-fi audio and video equipment. The popular "airshow" is a camera mounted on the nose of the aircraft and transmitting to a personal monitor an image identical to the views from the cockpit. Additional equipment can be installed at the request of the client.
We are flying out urgently
It is very easy to order a business flight - many dispatch services of companies providing business aviation services work around the clock, and often an application can be made by e–mail. Confirmation can often be received within 10-15 minutes. Initially, it is required to report only the number of passengers and the route, as well as possible nuances, such as a large amount of luggage or the presence of service weapons in accompanying persons.
You can fly out as early as three hours after receiving confirmation, but there are some exceptions here. In some countries - Iraq, India, China - it is very difficult to get a flight permit, it takes several days, so it is best to apply for a flight two weeks in advance. It is almost impossible to get permission to fly to hot spots over which air traffic is prohibited. It is necessary to book a plane in advance during the summer or on holidays. If the client needs to fly urgently, and there are no available planes at this moment, then the airline can contact its foreign colleagues, but the cost of the flight will increase slightly.
You can't order a plane and then change your mind about flying. Foreign companies react especially harshly to this – the fine can reach 50-80% of the designated amount. Payment is made before the flight, however, there are exceptions to this rule – many regular customers fly on credit.
The final cost of the flight depends on the type of aircraft, the flight range, the level of service, and the number of crew members on board. Long–distance flights are often accompanied by two crews - the main and the spare, if there is no time for rest between the round trip flight. The quality of food also matters: minimum prices are $15 per person, business class meals cost about $60, VIP meals - $ 100-150. Restaurant food and collectible wines will cost much more.
In short, the price range is exceptionally large and ranges from $6,500 to $400,000. For example, a flight to Geneva for one day without an overnight stay will cost about $35,000. It is simply impossible to give more accurate figures. As Lev Gorbunov notes, flight preparation is a piece-by-piece job based solely on the individual preferences of the customer.
The liner is on sale
You can also buy a business class plane. Most buyers prefer Western-made aircraft. The cost of new ones varies between $ 16-50 million, used ones are much cheaper - from $ 1 million. The price is influenced by the date of manufacture and the number of flight hours. Note only that, according to technical standards, aircraft older than 30 years are considered unsafe.
You can register your purchased car both in Moscow and abroad – in Europe or offshore zones, for example, in the Cayman Islands. In the firstIn this case, it is more difficult to register, and the subsequent issuance of permits for flights abroad will take a significant amount of time. In addition, you have to pay the same amount for "customs clearance" as for the plane itself. Foreign registration is much more profitable, although flights across Russia on an aircraft registered under a different flag will be prohibited.
"From a financial point of view, buying an airplane never justifies itself," says Lev Gorbunov. "The only way to reduce the cost of its operation is its partial commercial use." Alexander Kondratiev agrees with this opinion: "In order for the purchase to pay off, the plane must fly like a clockwork." Indeed, maintenance "eats up" significant amounts, they include parking rentals, technical inspections, crew training, his salary and accommodation. On average, annual costs amount to $300,000-600,000, but in the case of heavy foreign-made aircraft, the cost increases to $3-5 million.