BeechTalk - BT - Aircraft inventory levels are critically low.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 14 Jan 2023, 13:01

Username Protected wrote:

From Jan->Oct last year, I had one cold call about my plane.

I had a few at the end of last year as people hunted for depreciation.

I've had three in the last 10 days.

Did I miss a memo?

Net Jets and the like don’t have cards, leases, or shares available in the light jet spectrum right now. The renewal prices on those that are being given the option to renew, I have heard, are upwards of 50% higher than pre pandemic.

Lots of people that started flying private, don’t want to go back to carriers. Their options are: 1. Pay more for card (if even available) 2. Go into a lease or fractional (again limited availability) 3. Buy their own plane, hire a management company and hope depreciation and maintenance is less than a fractional.

The memo is: Not enough availability with the fractionals, lets go see if we can get our own jet and realize some economies of ownership.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 14 Jan 2023, 15:08

Username Protected wrote:

From Jan->Oct last year, I had one cold call about my plane.

I had a few at the end of last year as people hunted for depreciation.

I've had three in the last 10 days.

Did I miss a memo?

Net Jets and the like don’t have cards, leases, or shares available in the light jet spectrum right now. The renewal prices on those that are being given the option to renew, I have heard, are upwards of 50% higher than pre pandemic.

Lots of people that started flying private, don’t want to go back to carriers. Their options are: 1. Pay more for card (if even available) 2. Go into a lease or fractional (again limited availability) 3. Buy their own plane, hire a management company and hope depreciation and maintenance is less than a fractional.

The memo is: Not enough availability with the fractionals, lets go see if we can get our own jet and realize some economies of ownership.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 14 Jan 2023, 15:31

Username Protected wrote:

Until the airlines get better, nothing will change.

I've never seen airlines get better. Has that ever occurred, like, in my lifetime?

Mike C.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 14 Jan 2023, 15:34

Username Protected wrote:

Until the airlines get better, nothing will change.

I've never seen airlines get better. Has that ever occurred, like, in my lifetime?

Mike C.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 14 Jan 2023, 15:58

Username Protected wrote:

The memo is: Not enough availability with the fractionals, lets go see if we can get our own jet and realize some economies of ownership.

"Economies of ownership", now there's a euphemism! Is that what it's called when you spend 90% of your discretionary income on airplanes?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 14 Jan 2023, 16:39

Username Protected wrote:

Until the airlines get better, nothing will change.

I've never seen airlines get better. Has that ever occurred, like, in my lifetime?

Mike C.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 14 Jan 2023, 16:41

Username Protected wrote:

I've never seen airlines get better. Has that ever occurred, like, in my lifetime?

Mike C.

If better = cheaper, then yes it has improved.

And cheaper is the metric for most of the "traveling public."

I'm not saying I agree with the race to the bottom antics, by the way.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 14 Jan 2023, 17:03

Username Protected wrote:

I asked someone recently when they last saw a Greyhound Bus.

That just about sums up the problem.

You don't think there are Greyhound buses anymore? What problem does that sum up?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 15 Jan 2023, 13:39

Username Protected wrote:

I asked someone recently when they last saw a Greyhound Bus.
That just about sums up the problem.

You don't think there are Greyhound buses anymore? What problem does that sum up?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 15 Jan 2023, 15:20

Username Protected wrote:

Greyhound is a mere shell of it's former self following bankruptcy in 2001 it's had a long downward slide to near extinction.

What really is a shame is the US's INability to develop rail travel which clearly is the only viable means of rapid transit between high traffic city pairs.

I travel via High Speed bullet trains on an almost weekly basis .
Tomorrow I will take one from Paris to Frankfurt. $150/return, First Class.
I will arrive at the station just 10 minutes before departure , no queuing, no TSA like searches, just walk on-board with all the luggage I want, sit down in a Business Class type lounge seat, logon to the onboard WiFi, plug in my computer, work in comfort , take as many calls as I like and stroll down to the bar for some refreshments. Three productive hours later I will arrive in Frankfurt having covered almost 600 KMs (normal speed in France is 250KPH, but they slow don in Germany) will be in my rental car in less than 20 minutes.

This truly is the best form of inter-urban travel there is.

Thanks for the European perspective.
Arguably, the Amtrak northeast corridor provides a measure of viable interurban transportation, but obviously not quite at the level that you describe.
It’s hard to imagine at what point the US could have established long distance passenger rail to rival Europe’s system. In other areas of the country the long distances between business centers would make even a 250 km/hr train trip a tough sell. This is disregarding the enormous capital investment that would be required to establish the dedicated track necessary for such runs.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 15 Jan 2023, 17:19

Username Protected wrote:

I asked someone recently when they last saw a Greyhound Bus.

That just about sums up the problem.

You don't think there are Greyhound buses anymore? What problem does that sum up?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 15 Jan 2023, 17:21

Re: airlines improving…

On a transatlantic flight a few years ago, my wife and I booked an Economy Plus fare. It was in the economy cabin but with plenty of legroom and the same meal as first class. There might have been some other smaller perks too, like early boarding. If I recall, it was about 50% more than Economy but way less than first class.

We were very happy with this level and wish it was available on more flights, particularly coast to coast flights.

I’ve also looked into JSX and similar for a recent trip but understandably, the destinations are limited.
I hope this service model grows over time.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 15 Jan 2023, 18:54

Reminds me of Larry the Cable Guy talking about the last time he took the bus. He had the call of nature and went to the back of the bus to relieve himself. When he finished he walked up to the driver and told him they didn't have any toilet paper. The driver replied that they didn't have a restroom.

Jg

Username Protected · **Posted:** 15 Jan 2023, 19:23

I’ll go to bat for the airlines.

I think they are better than 10 years ago

- widespread onboard wifi
- sensibly priced domestic first class
- extra legroom coach
- buy on board snacks
- assorted ways to get slightly better treatment (credit cards, etc)
- premium’s economy on long haul (basically like domestic first)
- all tickets now changeable without a fee

I can 100% see why more people are flying privately… but I don’t mind the airlines

Username Protected · **Posted:** 15 Jan 2023, 20:37

A big plus for me is lie-flat seats in business-class on transoceanic flights. That's relatively new. Also, the smaller long-haul jets have opened up more direct flights.

The food is good enough in business. It's improved since they've charged for it in economy, and the offerings in the terminal are much better.