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AIRWAY
DISTANCE (As the Crow Flies): The actual (as opposed to straight
line) distance flown by the aircraft between two points, after deviations
required by air traffic control and navigation along established routes.
The difference between this and straight line distance will vary throughout
the country.
AMPHIBIOUS
FLOATS: Pontoons equipped with retractable wheels that permit
the aircraft to operate from paved airports as well as smooth water.
ARO:
Airport reservation office. Staffed by the FAA, this entity allocates
landing and take-off reservations for unscheduled aircraft in and out
of the following airports: JFK, LGA, EWR, DCA, ORD (see airport identifier
listings for codes). Since these allocations are scarce and granted 48
hours in advance on a first-come-first-served basis, travel to these five
airports may be difficult by charter.
Block
Rate: A lower "contract rate" for scheduling significant
amounts of charter time in advance on a pre-arranged agreement.
Block
Speed: The average speed over a specific distance "block-to
block", or door-to-door with respect to the airport gate.
Certificate
(PART 135): FAA-issued license to carry passengers for hire.
Charter
Broker: A company or individual that buys charter at wholesale
and resells it at retail. The broker is responsible for payment to the
charter provider, for assessing end-user taxes and fees, and for ensuring
their customer's safety and satisfaction.
Charter
Operator: A company or individual that is the holder of the
FAA part 135 certificate as well as the aircraft and crew.
Commuter
Operator: A regional or
scheduled airline that operates within a specific geographical location.
Corporate
Operator: A company flight department that has obtained a part
Certificate to carry passengers for hire.
Cruise
Speed: The normal speed attained at altitude once the aircraft
is no longer climbing and is en route to its destination. Usually 70%
of the maximum speed of the aircraft.

Deadhead:
To fly the return leg of a trip without cargo or passengers also known
as an "empty leg". The pricing of the "deadhead" is
based on the actual flight time of the aircraft from point A to B. On
demand charter flights are based on the pricing: Home Base - Pickup -
Drop Off - Home Base
Duty
time: That portion of the day when a crew member is on duty
in any capacity (not just in the air). This can be a constraint on long
day-trips, as there are FAA-imposed limits (10 hours of flying time and
14 hours of on the clock time within 24 hours) on the amount of time allowed
on duty. Many charter operators have stricter rules, so it pays to inquire
before planning a trip too tight to the limit.
Empty
leg: See Deadhead.
FBO:
Fixed-base operator, an aviation business that has a physical location
on the airport. The FBO provides various services, including; maintenance,
fuel, flight instruction, and aircraft sales, and most importantly, facilitating
with our private air charter service.
Flight
Time: That portion of the
trip actually spent in the air. For billing purposes this definition is
generally strict and only applies from moment of lift-off to moment of
touch-down.
Floats:
Pontoons, or flotation devices, that enable an airplane (or helicopter)
to land on water.
Flight
Standards District Office (FSDO): Local FAA officials that govern
the part 135 certificated air charter / air taxi operators.
GADO:
General Aviation District Office of the FAA. As the most local branch
of the FAA, also the entity most likely to know the specific history of
a particular private air charter operator.
General
Aviation: That portion of aviation other than military or commercial
scheduled operations. Commercial unscheduled operations, corporate flight
operations, and private aviation make up a large percentage of the group.
Most major metropolitan airports tend to have a separate "general
aviation" terminal, where private air charter flight arrive/depart.
Home
Base: Location of the aircraft's home airport. This is important as
the aircraft must reposition from the Home Base to the pickup location.
This repositioning is charged @ the hourly rate of the particular aircraft.
IFR:
Instrument Flight Rules mandated by the FAA when weather minimums are
not suitable to fly VFR (Visual Flight Rules). Also, when flying under
IFR, the ATC (Air Traffic Control) remains in constant contact with the
aircraft.
ILS:
Instrument Landing System. Low-level approach equipment at certain airports.
Though instrument approaches and departures can be made in airports without
an ILS, its presence is a material benefit to the travel planner because
an instrument landing system improves trip reliability as closely as possible
to the level of scheduled airlines, which generally fly from airports
with these facilities.
Independent
Operator: A charter operator that does not meet the definition
of FBO or commuter, but may not be involved in contract management of
aircraft.
Layover:
A night spent in the middle of the trip in a city other than home base
for the aircraft and crew.
Leg
or Flight Segment: Describes one direction of travel between
two points. Commonly used in referring to a planned itinerary, it may
not indicate all landings such as fuel stops.
Lift:
Any aircraft engaged for transport.
Medevac:
Medical evacuation (usually emergency).
Net/Net:
The quote format that applies wholesale rates and does not include taxes
or other end-user assed fees. Also known as a wholesale quote.
Part
91: The set of federal regulations that govern private aircraft
use.
Part
135: The set of federal regulations that govern the commercial
hire of aircraft operations carrying passengers for hire.
Positioning
(aka: Repositioning): Ferrying aircraft for departure from other
than originating airport. (Also for return.)
Positioning
time: Time estimated for an aircraft to travel to the trip
departure position.
Propjet
or Turbo Prop: A propeller
driven airplane, in which the engine is a jet turbine rather than piston
driven aircraft.
Ramp:
The apron or open "tarmac" in form of an FBO or terminal facility.
This space is busy, used for parking of aircraft. Some facilities will
permit automobiles to drive to the aircraft on the ramp, a real benefit
to the traveler with a significant amount of luggage.
Repositioning
time: Time estimated for an aircraft to return to its based
position after completion of a passenger segment.
Retail
customer: Also known as the end user. This customer
purchases charter for their own use and is assessed Federal Excise Tax
(FET) and segment fees as applicable. Unless they have made special arrangements
with a particular operator, they are usually quoted the market rate.
Retail
quote: Quote provided to retail customer including taxes and
end-user assessed fees.
Segment:
Describes the unit of flight between take-off and landing. Sometimes used
interchangeably with the term leg.
Stage
Length: Distance of itinerary non-stop leg.
Taxi
Time: That portion of the trip spent rolling between the gate,
terminal, or RAMP and runway.
VFR:
Visual Flight Rules, the pilot navigates the aircraft and maintains distance
seperation via the use of "sight". IFR rules do not require
the pilot to visually identify other aircraft in the vicinity as they
are being directed by ATC (Air Traffic Control)
Wait
time: That time that the chartered aircraft and crew must wait
on the ground during any portion of the trip.
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