"Tom Conner" wrote in message
news

"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message
oups.com...
I read somewhere that NetJets lost $143M in 2005.


I always felt that offering fractional ownership of a plane for business
purposes was not a sustainable business model. Corporate private flying
is
primarily ego driven (must have plane - makes me look important), not
business driven. For most companies it is an unnecessary expense, so they
will eventually drop it. The next aviation business failure appears to be
the idea that very light jets can be used as business transportation
between
small airports. Maybe, maybe not. The next few years will tell.


I agree. My employer purchased a G-IV some years back. If the CEO wasn't
aboard, the airplane wasn't going anywhere. The most frequent flights for
the aircraft were 300 mile hops to various high end golf courses and
resorts. The CEO got serious kicks out of having the biggest jet on the
field, wherever he flew. I think he eventually realized that people were
giggling behind his back at the (mis)use of such a capable aircraft, so it
was sold...

I remember going on a trip to the UK once upon a time when there were about
8 of us going to the same destination. One of our 3 senior VP's, our
corporate lawyer, a couple of other higher-ups, and several engineers and
managers. At that time, we were about 1 year into the G-IV and I realized
that we'd never use the airplane for its intended purpose when the 8 of us
all flew commercial.