Alpha Flying’s traditional fractional ownership program offers companies, as well as individuals, a comfortable, efficient, extremely cost-effective option for business travel.

Most people would consider operating one of the longest running fractional ownership programs in the private aviation world to be a nightmare, but George Antoniadis sees it as a dream realized. Antoniadis, founder of Alpha Flying, launched the PlaneSense program in 1995 with one Pilatus PC-12. In the almost 11 years since its founding, PlaneSense remains accident free, has grown to 23 planes—the largest single fleet of PC-12s in the world, and has a client base that expands beyond just individuals to include companies of all sizes.

While many people credit PlaneSense’s success to the PC-12s the company uses or the nature of the business market, Antoniadis credits the Alpha Flying team. “Our high focus on service makes Alpha Flying what it is,” he emphasizes.

Antoniadis believes that controlled growth to maintain quality has become PlaneSense’s trademark, and he expects to double his current fleet of PC-12s by 2010. He chose that particular plane for its large cabin as well as its cost-effectiveness. The PC-12 often operates at about half the cost of a similar-size jet while boasting legs up to 1,450 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 270 knots. Antoniadis points out that in our current economy of already high and increasing fuel prices, the economic benefits of this aircraft are beginning to outweigh the other factors. “Using the PC-12 as a platform offers an extremely cost-effective, very efficient turboprop aircraft that makes it possible to land on short runways, which gives PlaneSense’s clients the diversity and advantage of flying into smaller fields closer to their destination as well as larger airfields,” Antoniadis explains.

The careful consideration that went into choosing just-the-right aircraft for the PlaneSense program is just one example of how the customers remain the focus at Alpha Flying. While many other programs are shifting to jet cards instead of purchased shares, Alpha Flying remains a traditional fractional because of the company’s “very high commitment to its core clients who buy shares.” Even though Antoniadis admits that the cards are quite lucrative, he believes the traditional program preserves the quality of service his clients want.

By Rachel Stafford For more information about PlaneSense please call 603.627.1253 or visit planesense.aero.

Next article » Paradise? For Real!

Previous article « Land Yachts