Hanscom Field – Surrounded by an intimate group of supporters from MassPort, Hanscom Field, political dignitaries, press and investors, Linear Air officially launched the first Eclipse 500 service in the northeast last Thursday, the day before it closed on its second jet.
The company has already flown a few revenue flights with the very light jet which provides an alternative to its Cessna Caravan service with which it operates the largest on-demand fleet. Linear Air is the third Eclipse operator to gain certification after per-seat, on-demand operator Day Jet in Florida and North American Jet in Chicago, which manages the aircraft for owners.
“With the Eclipse 500 we will democratize business air travel,” said CEO Bill Herp, in introducing the new jet. “For three years, the entire team at Linear Air has been working hard to bring affordable personal jet transportation to the world. I'm proud to announce that we have finally accomplished that objective. Now, this cutting edge technology cuts the cost of personal jet travel in half, making private air travel affordable to millions more travelers."
By the end of 2008, Linear will have 10 Eclipse 500s for use in the traditional charter model. It offers trips of 300 miles in the Eclipse for $3,600, which is about the same price as a similar trip on the Caravan. While the Caravan capacity is eight, the jet flies almost twice as fast at 345 miles per hour. Interestingly, Linear offers a fourth seat in the Eclipse 500 although the aircraft on display at the Jet Aviation hangar was kitted out in the standard three seats. The jets are flown in a two-pilot operation. The aircraft will be based out of Linear’s operation at Hanscom at Bedford, Mass, just outside Boston, Westchester County Airport outside New York City and Manassas Airport outside of Washington, DC and operate on 300- to 500-mile legs surrounding those points.
The carrier received its FAA operations specifications on November 13 and promptly sold a weekend trip to Philadelphia, its first revenue flight, and booked 16 more.
The company is awaiting the Eclipse certification in known icing conditions expected in the first quarter as well as the certification of the upgraded avionics suite, expected some time this month. Once the avionics are certified, the aircraft will head to the Eclipse facility in Gainesville, FL for retrofitting. Eclipse is currently readying a similar facility at Albany, N.Y. which awaits more Eclipse 500 operations in the northeast before opening. Linear’s third and fourth Eclipse 500s will have the new avionics suites at delivery.
The operator is banking on its 12,000-person database for marketing the new equipment. Related Story Once a thriving regional airline airport, Bedford now relies almost entirely on the business jet operations based at the field although Pan Am still operates a few flights per day out of the airport.
Linear Air has been funded by individual investors such as Jim Cash, who has been using the operator’s Caravans for a few years. Cash indicated Herp and his team have delivered on the vision presented to him in the beginning of the company’s history three years ago. “This has redefined the experience of business travel,” he said, adding, “and not only offers a value proposition but an improvement in the quality of life. The Eclipse 500 is an incredible asset for those of us who have to spend too much time traveling.”
His sentiments were echoed by others. “The convenience factor is enormous,” said Kathryn Korostoff, CEO and president of Sage Research. “With the addition of their new VLJ, Linear Air is able to offer me a faster mode of travel, cutting back on my time in the air and allowing me to enjoy more time at home.”
CFO Welles Hatch told VLJ Report, on hand for the festivities, that while Linear does not fit the criteria for most venture capital firms, the principals of those companies are so taken with Linear’s plan, they are investing their own money. However, traditional investors still say that the VLJ transportation models remain unproven.
Once the Eclipse earns its stripes in the Northeast, Linear Air plans expansion in California – Los Angeles and San Francisco – next year, in addition to a seasonal base in the Caribbean.
During a demonstration flight, Herp noted the Eclipse interior was designed by BMW Design Works with special aviation seats. However, he indicated BMW borrowed the best aspects of high end automobile designs.
When asked why he didn’t stick with Cessna, which manufacturers its Caravans, Herp said that the Mustang was not built for the air taxi model. He noted its engines were operating at the outside of its temperature range and would probably mean a 50 percent increase in operating costs.
“I’ve been asked what the perfect VLJ would be,” he told VLJ Report. “I think it would be one that costs about $200 per hour to operate. We are now at $400 to $450. In order to get to $200, I think, you’d be talking about a single-engine, single-pilot operation. But you’d have to demonstrate that it would have an equivalent level of safety as the twin-engine, two-pilot operation.”