A ride like this deserves a top hat. BBJ parked at Boeing Field and me ready to fly.
BOEING BUSINESS JET 737 REVIEW BASICS
Airline: Haha, who flies on airlines?
Aircraft: Boeing 737-700 BBJ1
Departed: King County International Airport [aka Boeing Field] (BFI)
Arrived Airport: Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC)
Stops: Non-stop
Class: Yes, there was lots of class
Seat: Jump seat, big chair, nice couch, bed and another big chair.
Length: About 3 hours.
Cheers: Too many to list. It also gave me an excuse to purchase and wear a top hat.
Jeers: I had to get off.
Overall: If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up. Also, if you do, can I have a ride?
A Piaggio P 180 Avanti II at Boeing Field (BFI). Image by Colin Cook / AirlineReporter.com.
It’s not every day that you hear about a new airline starting service. With the immensely strong barriers to entry including existing airlines, financing issues, and federal regulations, there are not many new airlines founded today. Anymore, it seems like the industry is consolidating via mergers, but Arrow is aiming to show that new niche airlines can succeed even in this economy. This new airline is banking on people valuing their time and wanting to avoid the hassle of traveling with traditional airlines and long security lines. I had the opportunity to meet with Arrow CEO Russell Belden this past Monday and take a flight from Seattle to Oakland (and back).
Arrow is unique in few ways. First of which is that it is a private club in which people can purchase memberships ($500 per month with a one year commitment) and then have access to purchase tickets on their aircraft. But unlike other private jet services which operate similarly, Arrow will have scheduled services.
They are planning to launch Seattle (out of Boeing Field – BFI) to Oakland (OAK) and San Jose (SJC), which will cost members about $500 each way. The ticket costs are comparable to a first class ticket on other airlines serving similar routes.
Once Arrow receives 200 membership commitments they will purchase their initial aircraft and make plans to begin service within three months (delivery time-frame for a new plane).
The interior of the Piaggio. Photo by Colin Cook / AirlineReporter.com.
Arrow has a target market of business professionals who have much better things to do than simply wait in line. Sure, a flight on Arrow might cost slightly more than a typical first or business class ticket, but isn’t a CEO’s time exceptionally valuable?
Arrow believes they will be able to shave off as much as two hours simply due to eliminating the added hassles of the typical airport experience. With on-board Wi-Fi to be installed on their new aircraft, it will also enable professionals to keep in constant contact and be productive at 30,000 feet. While our test flight did not have Wi-Fi on board, we actually had an intermittent signal on our mobile phones throughout the journey.
Boeing fifth 787 test aircraft, ZA005, lifts off from Boeing Field. Image from Boeing.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has been grounded around the world since January 16th and many have put in countless hours to try and get the aircraft airborn once again.
Hope was raised when the FAA gave Boeing authorization to fly a 787 Dreamliner from Fortworth, TX back to Paine Field on Feburary 7th. That flight was only a one-time authorization. Today, the FAA had given Boeing authorization to take their fifth test aircraft, ZA005, on a flight over the state of Washington (and looks like a sliver into Oregon).
The aircarft lifted off from Boeing Field (BFI) at 12:32pm local time. ZA005 had no passengers and only 13 Boeing flight pilots and test personnel. After the 2 hour and 19 minute flight, ZA005 landed safetly back at BFI and the crew reported that the, “flight was uneventful.”
Map from FlightAware.com showing ZA005’s flight path over Washington State.
Over the durration of the flight, the crew were closely watching the main and APU batteries, which was in the center of the Dreamliner’s current woes. Boeing stated that the results are a part of an overarching investigation and at this time are not able to share any additional issues.
PHOTO: ZA005 landing back at Boeing Field
Boeing hopes to resume test flights next week to continue finding the issues plaguing their new 787.
ZA005 lifts off from BFI for a test flight. No passengers onboard. Image from Boeing.
On Thursday, All Nippon Airways (ANA) stated that the 787 grounding has affected more than 100,000 of their passengers and resulted in over 1200 cancelled flights.
San Jose Airport (SJC), which saw ANA Boeing 787 service for only a short period, before the fleet was grouned, announced via Twitter that the airline has cancelled service until at least March 30th.
According to the New York Times, Japan Airlines expects the grounding to cost them $7.5million through March and that they plan to seek compinsation from Boeing. Many other airlines have also made similar claims of expecting compisation from Boeing.
Sure, annoyed passengers, lost revenue and additional delays are one thing, but the airline that might be hit the hardest is LOT Polish Airlines where the new 787 Dreamliner means so much for their future. A great article from the Wall Street Journal talks about how the 787 continued issues could spell disaster for LOT.
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This story written by…David Parker Brown, Editor & Founder.
David started AirlineReporter.com in the summer of 2008, but has had a passion for aviation since he was a kid. Born and raised in the Seattle area (where he is currently based) has surely had an influence and he couldn’t imagine living anywhere else in the world.
@AirlineReporter | Flickr | YouTube |
JETSUITE REVIEW BASICS:
Airline: Not an airline… try JetSuite private jet.
Aircraft: Embraer Phenom 100
Departed: Boeing Field (BFI)
Arrived: San Fransisco International Airport (SFO)
Stops: Non-stop flight
Class: Uber private jet class
Seat: Yes. Window and Aisle
Length: About 2.0 hours
Cheers: You are riding in a private jet and get all the bonuses that go along with that.
Jeers: You can only bring three of your friends.
Overall: JetSuite is a cost effective option that makes it difficult to go back to flying commercial.
I did not have to fake that smile. On the tarmac at SFO after our JetSuite flight. This is the 100th Phenom made by Embraer, reg number N581JS.
THE FULL JETSUITE REVIEW
When I was recently asked if I might want to hitch a ride from Seattle (BFI) to San Francisco (SFO) on a JetSuite private jet, how could I refuse? I have always wanted to try flying on a private jet and before this, I have never had the opportunity, so I was game.
Aren’t private jets just for the uber rich and was an exclusivity meant for a rare few? I now see that it depends on who you are flying and how flexible your schedule might be. JetSuite is a luxury that even the common man can afford and the better off can still appreciate (note: JetSuite flew me and a photographer down to SFO at no charge and Singapore Airlines paid for our commercial flights home).
Mount Rainier and Adams popping above the clouds shortly after take off.
My JetSuite flight was scheduled to leave Seattle at around 6:45 am, which meant it was an early morning. It is amazing how knowing you are going to fly can help to wake you up. I was hoping to get photos of the Embraer Phenom 100 aircraft before we departed, but it was dark and (take a wild guess) rainy.
One of the benefits of flying on a private jet is not having to deal with the airport hassle. Most private jet flights leave from an FBO (Fixed Base Operator), which is really a small office for private aircraft. It took me about 3 minutes to get from my car to the aircraft and that was with a stop to get coffee. No security, no lines, no hassles. An extra bonus is I was greeted by our two pilots and we had the opportunity to get to know them a little bit before taking off.
The Phenom 100's interior was designed by BMW and is actually pretty roomy. I took the seat on the right facing backwards.
It was time to go. After a quick run from the FBO to the plane to avoid the rain, I was ready to start our journey. Currently, JetSuite only operates the small Embraer Phenom 100 aircraft that can hold four passengers. You cannot miss them with their red racing stripe going down the center, providing a unique look. It seems that some folks are not a fan of the aggressive livery, but I love it. It gives their aircraft that race car look and isn’t the swirly grays or tans that you normally see on a private jet.
I was not sure what to expect since the Phenom 100 is such a small plane, but looks can be deceiving. I was impressed with how much room was in the cabin and how easy it was to work, take photos and chat with the others on board. The interior was designed by BMW and because of this, the colors, lighting and tones felt high-end. Each set of seats has a table that folds out and provides ample space for both people to work. I chose to sit in a rear facing seat to experience the flight backwards, which is not much different than enjoying it facing forwards.
JetSuite opted to install Synthetic Vision on their Phenom 100's which give a realistic view of the terrain on the large screens.
Being able to work and collaborate with others is a huge benefit of taking an aircraft like this. Along for the ride was a photographer for AirlineReporter.com (thanks Amy), another journalist and Keith Rabin, the President of JetSuite. Although the engines were not that far away from us, there was not any trouble hearing and it was no problem getting work done. Four business people would not be able to hold a confidential meeting like this flying commercial, nor could four friends have such a grand time socializing.
Another benefit of riding your own private jet is that you can go check out the cockpit and take photos. When going up front, you are welcomed by three large screens. Each pilot can customize the look of his/her display. The photo above demonstrates the new Synthetic Vision which shows real time terrain behind everything else a pilot needs to know about their aircraft. Even though the Phenom 100 can be operated by just one pilot, JetSuite has chosen to use two.
There is a small lavatory in the rear of the plane that requires a curtain. You might want to go before take off.
Even though the plane is small, there are quite a few amenities tucked in for the passengers. You have the ability to pull out some Bose headphones to either deaden the noise or listen to XFM Satellite radio. There was also hot coffee, cold drinks and a selection of snacks located in a bin right behind the seat. If one feels like having a few “adult beverages” there are plenty of choices (here is just one basket). Since my flight was early morning, I chose coffee and water.
There is a small lavatory in the back of the plane, which you need to put up a curtain to use. It is much better than having no restroom option, but I would suggest going before you take off or drink enough alcohol where you just won’t care anymore. You also are allowed to use your electronic devices whenever you want and if you are flying and get a cell signal, you are allowed to use it! Do not get too excited; I only had two short windows of cell reception to get Tweets out, but not being yelled at to put away my electronic devices was wonderful.
My seat had access to an outlet, Bose headphones to listen to XFM radio and a little storage area.
During the flight, I was able to learn about JetSuite and what they are are hoping to do in the future. The company was started in 2007 by JetBlue founder Alex Wilcox who knows airplanes. JetSuite currently operates a fleet of 13 Embraer Phenom 100s. They chose the aircraft because it provides some of the best economics for a private jet and is capable of providing quick short hop trips for their customers.
However, only being able to do short hops is detrimental for a company looking to expand. JetSuite wants to grow their operations, especially on the east coast and to reach Florida from the New York non-stop will require a larger aircraft. The obvious fit would be the Phenom 300 or if things are going well, maybe even the larger Embraer Legacy 500.
I was pretty upset that this photo did not turn out, but it was the best one I ended up with. I still want to share it since the experience was quite epic. We were on final approach into SFO and it is great to be able to turn around and watch out the cockpit window as we landed.
How does one go about getting a ride on JetSuite? Well, it depends on who you are and what you are looking for. On the crazy cheap end of things, you and three of your friends can take a flight one way for only $499 — about $125.00 per person. To get one of these deals, called “SuiteDeals”, you need to be very flexible and catch it on their Facebook page. When JetSuite has an empty leg, they will offer it and if a person has the ability to take them up on the offer, you have yourself one heck of a great deal.
If you are looking for something a bit more flexible, they also offer SuiteSavers from $1499 to $1999 each way. Of course they also offer getting a jet when and where you want it, but that will cost you a bit more — from $2500 to $4000 per hour depending on if you have a membership and your needs.
With some private jet companies, you have to invest for the long-term. Either buying a fraction of the plane or purchasing a costly hour card. But with JetSuite, there are no long term commitments or contracts. You want to fly once, you get to fly once — although a membership and multiple flights will bring down your costs per hour.
The wings on the Phenom 100 are tiny, but they get you where you need to go. Here we are landing at SFO.
JetSuite has recently started a business relationship with Singapore Airlines to allow passengers to maintain a high level of service that they have come to expect. Singapore Airlines is well known for their level of service (especially on their Airbus A380s) and although there might be a few US domestic airlines that provide a decent product, none are able to compete with Singapore’s first class suite.
The new relationship allows passengers to easily transfer from their Singapore Airlines flight to their JetSuite private aircraft. Once arriving, a car will pick you up and take you to JetSuite — really a suite-to-suite service.
Anyone who flies Singapore Airlines is able to get a discount, which depends on the type of class you are flying. If you are on a first class ticket, you will save up to $1400/hr and on a business class ticket up to $900/hr on your JetSuite flight.
It was hard to leave the JetSuite Phenom 100. Especially knowing I had to fly back home commercial.
After spending a few hours in San Francisco touring Singapore Airline’s food facility (that story coming soon), it was to the “real” airport and time to board a Virgin America flight back to Seattle. Even though Virgin America might provide one heck of a domestic product, it just did not even come close to comparing to JetSuite. The problem with flying private jet, is it is hard to travel any other way in the future. I guess that is a problem I am willing to have.
I have been fortunate enough to experience many cool adventures with this blog, but almost none of them I could afford on my own. $8000.00 for a one way business class ticket? Ha! But this was an experience that I could actually afford, if I was able to get one of the last minute deals. Of course those of you with a bit more means at your disposal, even paying a full fare can be worth the time and hassle saved.
VIEW ALL 26 OF MY JETSUITE REVIEW PHOTOS
RwandAir's first Boeing 737-800 sits in a hangar at Boeing Field.
What does a Boeing 737 mean to you? For most, it is a common airliner found around the world. For many airlines, it is an reliable revenue-making machine. However, for others it is more than just the sum of its parts. For RwandAir and the country of Rwanda it represents progress and national pride that no one can put a price tag on.
Rwanda is a country with a troubled past (I will go into more about that in a future story), but they have come so far in a very short amount of time. It is a land locked country, looking to grow. To successfully do so, they need a viable air transportation infrastructure. RwandAir operations were started in 2003 to help Rwanda achieve that goal.
Boeing gave RwandAir keys to the plane. No, they are not needed to start the plane.
RwandAir recently took delivery of their first new airliner ever: a Boeing 737-800 with Sky Interior. I was invited to tag along for the delivery and the flight of the aircraft from Seattle (SEA) to Kigali, Rwanda (KGL). I was able to stay a few days in Rwanda and learne more about the culture, the people and the drive to grow as a nation. I will share these experiences in a multi-part series from the pre-delivery dinner to my experiences in Rwanda.
How does an airline get a plane made to only fly about 3,000 miles from Seattle to Rwanda? I did not know, but I surely wanted to find out. The adventure started with a special dinner held at the Museum of Flight under an SR-71. It did not take long for me to realize that this was not only about getting a new airplane, but it was about celebrating the progress that Rwanda as a country has made.
Before leaving, the 737-800 was pulled in front of a 787 Dreamliner.
During his passionate speech during dinner, the CEO of RwandAir, John Mirenge, stated that he knows “what aviation can do to change lives and nations.” Mirenge hopes to continue to build his airline with additional aircraft (including the Boeing 787 Dreamliner) and vows to come back to Seattle, “We will be regular visitors in this town. It is a dream come true.” As previously reported, RwandAir hopes to reach 12 aircraft in the next five years and to 18 aircraft by 2020. The dinner eventually wound down and people prepared for the long flight starting the next day.
Originally, the delivery flight was supposed to take off at 11am on Thursday August 23rd. There were two delays that happened, but since we were only a group of about 30 and we had no formal plans, it did not matter too much. The first delay of 2pm was because the airline wanted to install their in-flight entertainment software, which takes three hours and they cannot start the process until the money is exchanged. However, there were some computer issues and a power blackout at the bank, which resulted in a delay in transferring the money. Luckily it finally came through, but the flight ended up being delayed an additional 3.5 hours to about 5:30pm.
The new Boeing Sky Interior is pretty slick, especially for a flight which will take about 20 hours.
This was okay since Boeing had RwandAir’s 737 in a hangar with food, drinks and music, giving us an opportunity to check out the aircraft. After we realized how long the delay was going to be, Boeing got a shuttle van and drove everyone to a local bar to have some drinks. It was quite awesome to have the CEO of RwandAir serve you a beer.
We were not there too long before we got the word it was time to go. We all piled back into the shuttle bus and headed back to the Delivery Center. Before being able to board the aircraft, everyone has to go through security, just like you would at the airport, but these security guards seemed nicer than those found in airports. While we were enjoying our beer, Boeing had the 737 towed right in front of the delivery center. After a few more photos, it was time to get on board to start our adventure.
Our flight taxiing at Boeing Field. Taken by Andrew W. Sieber.
Seats were not assigned and I had the pick of almost any row in economy. I first went straight to the exit rows, thinking I was being smart, but darn it. The armrests in those rows did not move, so they were no good. I decided on Row 14 and I took over seats A through F for me and all my stuff. Even with having an entire row, I wasn’t too sure if I would remain comfortable during an almost 20 hour flight.
I could feel the excitement and enthusiasm on the aircraft as we were pushed back to taxi out. As we moved down the taxi way, I could see Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 747-8’s out the windows — that never gets old. We taxied to the end of the runway and took off quite quickly due to the light load. We were off on our big adventure — next stop Iceland, then a night in Istanbul before arriving in Kigali, Rwanda to a cheering (and dancing) crowd.
RWANDAIR BOEING 737-700 DELIVERY FLIGHT
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Video | 737 Photos | Rwanda Photos | Destination Story | All
