Latest news with #privatejet
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
New report details final minutes of flight that killed rock drummer and 5 others in San Diego
The private jet that crashed last month in San Diego, killing all six on board, was flying too low before it hit power lines and slammed into a house, investigators said Wednesday. According to a National Transportation Safety Board preliminary report, the plane reached a descent point about three miles from the runway that was too low, before dropping to 60 feet above ground level. The power lines that the plane struck were about 90 feet above the ground and about 1.8 nautical miles away from the runway. Portions of the plane's left horizontal stabilizer and its vertical stabilizer were later found about 200 feet downrange of the power lines, according to the NTSB report. The plane then slammed into a house in a nearby San Diego neighborhood. The victims of the crash included rock drummer Daniel Williams, music agent Dave Shapiro, booking associate Emma L. Huke, 25, photographer Celina Marie Rose Kenyon, 35, and booking associate Kendall Fortner, 24. Eight people on the ground had minor injuries, investigators said. Shapiro was flying the Cessna Citation jet on May 22 from Teterboro, N.J., with plans to land at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego, when he encountered low visibility and thick fog, according to the four-page NTSB report. Read more: Airport weather systems, runway lights were out during deadly Cessna crash in San Diego The automated system that provides weather conditions and runway lights weren't operating at the airport before the plane crashed, the report confirmed. The NTSB report said the pilot told the control tower that he knew the system that provides weather information was out of commission. The NTSB report said that the pilot asked the air traffic controller to help him determine the weather conditions at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport. Instead, the report said the controller gave the pilot the weather conditions at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, located about four miles north, where winds were calm and visibility was up to half a mile. The report also said that the runway lighting system had not been working since March 28, 2022, and that the repairs had been delayed awaiting the completion of an environmental study. The preliminary report did not include any conclusions or discuss wrongdoing and does not say when a final report is expected to be released. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
CNN
a day ago
- General
- CNN
NTSB investigators find San Diego jet was flying too low on its descent path before fiery crash
The private jet that crashed into a San Diego neighborhood last month was too low on its descent path for more than a mile before clipping power lines less than 100 feet above the ground, National Transportation Safety Board investigators said Wednesday. The new findings are part of a preliminary report from the NTSB on the fiery May 22 crash that killed all six on board including music agent Dave Shapiro, who was piloting the Cessna Citation jet, and famed rock drummer Daniel Williams. The crash occurred before sunrise in thick fog and low visibility as the overnight flight from Teterboro, New Jersey, was lining up to land at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport. Newly released data from the NTSB shows the jet reached a prescribed descent point roughly 3 miles from the runway already too low, then the plane continued to descend to a mere 60 feet above ground level. The preliminary report does not specify why the flight was too low on the approach path. Investigators say they are still analyzing the plane's cockpit voice recorder. NTSB investigators found parts of the plane's tail near 90- to 95-foot-high power transmission lines, which they classified in the report as the 'first identified point of contact.' The main parts of the wreckage, including the passenger cabin and left wing, came to rest in a neighborhood street about a quarter of a mile away, the NTSB said. Nobody on the ground was seriously hurt by the impact, though the NTSB said eight people on the ground received minor injuries. Compounding problems, the airport's automatic weather reporting system was out of service, causing air traffic controllers to relay to Shapiro the conditions at the nearby Marine Corps Air Station Miramar some four miles away. The NTSB noted part of the airport's lighting system that helps guide pilots in low visibility approaches was out of service since 2022. The report does not find a probable cause, which is due in a final report typically published within two years of the crash. Correction: A previous version of this story gave the wrong day for the release of the NTSB report. It was released Wednesday.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Propellers, Rotor Blades Are Music To The Ears Of Private Jet Flyers
Supersonic private travel for the super-rich may be up in the air. However, their need to access hard-to-reach places quickly, particularly destinations with short or no runways, is driving several leading private jet flight providers to launch or expand operations and partnerships that utilize turboprop, piston and rotorcraft aircraft. If you are not a UHNW, typically defined as having a net worth of at least $30 million, don't despair. Private jet charter and fractional operator is adding a Caravan turboprop and amphibious float plane ... More to help its well-heeled customers access smaller airports or places with no airport at all. The most recent initiative comes from JSX, which offers a semi-private option. Still, experts say it is the travel needs of the very wealthy that are driving the trend. 'The challenge when a client wants to buy their third, fourth or even fifth home is: can they land their jet nearby,' says Alasdair Pritchard, a partner in Knight Frank's Private Office, adding, 'This can dictate property decisions, so we help clients explore alternatives, whether that's nearby airports with helicopter access or private airstrips on larger estates.' For those who want the full private experience, FlyExclusive, which previously limited its services to jet aircraft, selling fractional shares, jet cards, and on-demand charters, is launching charter flights using an amphibious float plan and Caravan turboprop. Wheels Up, via a partnership with Tropic Ocean Airways, helps members make that last mile as easy a ... More day at the beach, including sometimes landing at the beach. Knight Frank says UHNWs who are increasingly buying third, fourth, and fifth homes in locations that are hard to access with private jets, are looking to propeller aircraft and helicopters. It is not alone. Wheels Up has been expanding its partnership with seaplane operator Tropic Ocean Airways, in which it has a minority ownership stake. The commercial agreement enables members to fly to more than 70 smaller airports across Florida, the Bahamas, and the Northeast U.S., including the Hamptons, Lake Placid, Fire Island, Sunset Beach, Montauk, and Block Island. 'We're not surprised to see rising interest in turboprops, seaplanes, and helicopters for last-mile travel—it's a trend that aligns squarely with the solutions we've been building over the past several years," says Wheels Up CEO George Mattson. He adds, 'Our customers can easily combine a commercial or long-range private flight with a final leg aboard a wheeled or amphibious Cessna Caravan EX—creating a seamless, end-to-end premium experience.' Flexjet has been expanding its last-mile helicopter service for members of its fractional jet ownership program by acquiring rotorcraft operators in both England and the United States. In 2023, Flexjet received permission to operate helicopter flights between Florida and the Bahamas. It has now expanded the seasonal service to year-round. Flexjet Vertical Lift President Eli Flint said at the time, 'Now that our clientele has grown accustomed to accessing off-airport destinations, they expect it wherever the helicopter can take them – and now that includes from Florida to the Bahamas and the Florida Keys.' Flexjet offers its fractional private jet customers the ability to use hours on its helicopter ... More service in the Northeastern U.S., England, and South Florida. Longtime private and shared turboprop operators have also been expanding their footprint focusing both on price and accessing airports jets can't utilize. Tradewind Aviation, which had operated exclusively in the Northeastern United States and the Caribbean, added a Florida base for charter flights in 2023, as well as scheduled flights last year from Witham Field in Stuart to the Bahamas. Like JSX, it sells individual seats on its scheduled flights and uses private terminals, so customers avoid the hassles of crowded airports with long lines. PlaneSense, which long focused on fractional ownership, has expanded its jet card offering, enabling customers to fly on its fleet of Pilatus PC-12 turboprops by committing to buy just 25 hours. JSX will buy up to 25 ATR turboprops as it seeks to expand its semi-private by-the-seat flights to ... More airports that were previously the domain of the private jet users. It also expanded the primary service area for its fleet to the West Coast in 2021, opening a maintenance facility near Las Vegas to support an increase in flights in the Western U.S. Last year, SkyShare which has a days-based fractional program on preowned PC-12s targeting customers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming, added an entry level program cutting the initial investment by 41%. Its targeting business flyers who need to visit multiple remote locations in a single day. The PC-12 is renowned for its short-runway access and can even land on grass airstrips. And that's the point. FlyExclusive is basing a Caravan and amphibious float plane in Miami, with operations set to start later this month. Chairman Jim Segrave said, 'There's a clear gap in the market…with the launch of our new amphibious float plane and land-based Caravan, we're expanding our ability to connect travelers to the most sought-after island destinations in the region.' Its seaplane will be 'capable of landing at any suitable water landing site, enabling direct access to private beaches, remote islands, and waterfront properties with no runway required.' And its not just second homes that are driving the last-mile solutions. Air Charter Service signed a deal in April to staff a new terminal and helipad area at the Silverstone race track, a two-and-a-half hour drive outside of London. During the British Grand Prix it handles over 1,500 flights and more than 6,000 passengers. Air Charter Service CMO James Leach said the heliport is expected to get use during rest of the year for special events and experiences offered at the track. He noted, 'The benefits of private aviation mainly revolve around time-saving, with our helicopter shuttles saving many people on average between two hours and five hours, whilst those traveling from abroad by private jet can often save even more time when compared with scheduled flights, especially if they add a helicopter transfer to the circuit.' William Herp, CEO of Linear Air Taxi, a charter broker specializing in turboprops and piston aircraft, says that advances in technology over the past decade have boosted consumer confidence in the segment. He points to last month's announcement that the Cirrus SR Series G7+, which can seat three passengers, will be the world's first single-engine piston aircraft equipped with an FAA-approved autonomous emergency landing system. The system activates if the single pilot becomes incapacitated. With a touch of a button, the airplane lands itself. The key benefit of the propeller aircraft, he says, is being able to land at runways as short as 3,000 feet. 'With a (charter) jet, you are looking at 5,000 feet or more if there is rain,' he says. Herp says these days most customers are open to the propeller aircraft instead of a jet if it can get them to their destination faster than an alternative airport further away. 'When we first started (20 years ago), we had to explain how piston props were safe. Consumers were unaware piston props were available for charter. We're not having that conversation as much,' he says. Herp says Linear has around 700 piston prop aircraft available for charter on its website. Prices range from around $750 to $2,500 per hour, plus fees, plus you pay for repositioning the airplane to and from its base before and after your trip. Still, it's more more affordable chartering a jet. Wheels Up's Mattson adds, 'As demand continues to grow for more personalized and experiential travel, we see these aircraft and partnerships as essential to delivering the kind of elevated, last-mile solutions today's premium traveler expects.' Of course, not all of us have the money to charter an entire aircraft no matter the size, nor the need to land at a waterfront property. JSX plans to cater to the rest of us. Earlier today it announced it had signed a letter of intent for up to 25 turboprop airplanes from ATR Aircraft and plans to start operations later this year with two leased turboprops. It states that the new type will add up to 1,000 more airports it can fly to in the U.S. beyond its current Embraer regional jets, offering its by-the-seat version of shared private aviation. JSX CEO Alex Wilcox said, 'Many of these airports were, until now, reserved only for those who had the means to fly private.' Its by-the-seat prices often start under $500. A spokesperson says no airports have been selected yet.
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Travel + Leisure
2 days ago
- Travel + Leisure
This 11-day Private Jet Trip Takes You Through Japan's Hidden Gems
If you've ever wanted to go off the beaten path in Japan in luxury, this is your chance. TCS World Travel has announced an 11-day trip by private jet through three diverse regions of Japan, including six UNESCO World Heritage sites. The trip will take place from June 20 to June 30, 2026, and there is space for a total of 52 people on the tour. The tour will begin in Anchorage, Alaska, where participants can meet each other and their expert trip leaders over a welcome dinner. The next morning, travelers will board their private Airbus A321 jet to cross the international date line and fly to Japan in luxury, with lie-flat seats, in-flight connectivity, and complimentary Bose noise-cancelling headsets. From Alaska, the first stop on the tour is Kyoto, where participants can explore the mix of ancient and modern among the city's temples, gardens, and shrines over three nights. Travelers will be able to take a samurai sword lesson from an actor and head choreographer for the first Kill Bill movie, travel by rickshaw through the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, explore the Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) Temple, partake in an authentic tea ceremony, go on a Nishiki Market Tour with a local chef, and visit Nara, Japan's first capital in the 8th century. From Kyoto, participants will hop on the private jet and head to Okinawa to explore its stunning beaches, lush subtropical landscapes, and fascinating culture. Travelers can take the opportunity to go snorkeling or diving about the coral reefs, explore the UNESCO World Heritage site Nakijin Castle, go shopping for pottery and local delicacies in Naha City, visit Naha Mausoleum and Shurijo Castle, and learn about Ryukyu glass at an artisan gallery. The final leg of the tour will take the participants to Kyushu Island, at the southern end of the country, for two nights. From here, travelers can take a day trip to Nagasaki by train to learn about the legacy of the second city destroyed by an atomic bomb at the Peace Memorial Park and the Atomic Bomb Museum. Participants can also spend a half day touring Fukuoka, take a day trip to Arita, the birthplace of Japanese porcelain, and sample local whiskey with an expert. Spots on the tour cost $99,000 per person for double occupancy, with a $9,900 single supplement. The trip can be booked on the TCS World Travel website:
Travel Weekly
3 days ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
The Pan Am brand takes to the skies with new private-jet tours
The storied Pan American Airways brand is in the air this summer, resurrected by a newly launched tour operator that wants to introduce the Pan Am experience to a new generation of travelers. Beyond Capricorn, an operator created by Gary Barteling of private jet specialist Bartelings and Steve Ridgway of tour operator Criterion Travel, is operating the 12-day Pan Am private-jet itinerary, which took off Tuesday from New York JFK. Pan Am, which was founded in 1927, shuttered in 1991. The operators formed a licensing partnership with Pan American World Airways, which licenses the Pan Am name and logo, and aims to "revive the glamour of travel's golden age." Gary Barteling of Bartelings, a private jet specialist, co-founded Beyond Capricorn, a new tour operator that will operate Pan Am itineraries. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Beyond Capricorn On the tour, 35 travelers will explore stops made on the airline's original transatlantic routes, including Bermuda, Lisbon, Marseille, London and Foynes. The second departure date is June 27. Beyond Capricorn accepts travel advisor bookings and pays a 10% commission "This itinerary, created by our partners at Bartelings and Criterion Travel, continues to garner great interest from the travel advisor community," said Craig Carter, CEO of Pan American World Airways. "Designed to honor the unmatched legacy of Pan Am, the private jet journey will be a memorable experience for their most discerning clients." Steve Ridgway of Criterion Travel cofounded Beyond Capricorn, which will operate Pan Am-branded private jet journeys. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Beyond Capricorn Beyond Capricorn was born of a shared appreciation between Barteling and Ridgway of the Pan Am glory days and designed the operator to sell the reincarnation of the brand. "It's a brand that we came up with around 'beyond Capricorn,' the idea being, it's over the horizon, it's opening your eyes and traveling the world," Bartering said. "And it just seemed a good way of establishing a solid platform to promote Pan Am in one single way." The Pan Am experience Passengers will fly on a Boeing 757 chartered from Icelandair and enjoy business-class, lie-flat seats. The tour operator blends classic Pan Am elements with modern travel. Travelers will see the flight crew wearing Pan Am uniforms and will receive their tickets in vintage branded sleeves. Barteling said the idea to operate an itinerary under Pan Am's name was first considered pre-pandemic and then again in 2023. He and Ridgway already had formed a relationship through Criterion chartering Barterlings planes for its itineraries. "Back when a lot of us began in the travel business, Pan Am was the preeminent carrier," Ridgway said. "There's an amazing amount of loyalty amongst former Pan Am people, but also a very high level of awareness amongst those of us who were around when they were the top airline, not just in the U.S., but in the world. It's interesting, too, because what's happening now is, it's catching on with young people." Beyond Capricorn will operate a holiday itinerary, Christmas Markets of Europe, a Pan Am Journey by Private Air, in December. The 10-day trip will visit Christmas markets in Portugal, Austria, Germany and Latvia. It also plans to launch a transpacific flight next year on a Boeing 767. The 20-day itinerary costs $94,495 and will begin April 11 in San Francisco. Travelers will visit Honolulu, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, Darwin, Sydney, Auckland and Fiji. Though not yet available for bookings, Beyond Capricorn plans to operate an around-the-world trip in 2027 to celebrate 100 years of Pan Am. The journey will begin in San Francisco and visit Tahiti, Sydney, Bangkok, Delhi, Cairo, Casablanca and end in Miami.
