Checklists
Printable, practical lists for the moments that matter: vetting an operator, buying a jet, the week before you fly.
How to vet a charter operator or broker
Charter is a trust business: you are handing your family or your executives to a company you found online, and the legal and safety standards behind two near-identical quotes can be very different. This checklist gives you the questions that separate a certificated, audited operator from an illegal charter dressed up as a bargain, and an honest broker from one hiding who is actually flying you. None of the questions is rude; every professional in the industry expects them and answers quickly.
Questions to ask before buying a pre-owned jet
A used business jet can be excellent value or a slow-motion financial accident, and the difference is almost always visible in the records before the deal is signed. These questions cover the aircraft's history, its maintenance and engine status, the paperwork that protects your title and tax position, and the practicalities of operating it afterwards. Ask them of the seller, the broker and your own advisers, and be prepared to walk away from any aircraft where the answers come slowly or incompletely.
What to do the week before a charter flight
Once a charter is booked, most of the work moves to the operator, but a handful of things only you can do, and doing them a few days early is the difference between a seamless departure and a scramble at the FBO. This checklist is written for the travelling passenger rather than the flight department: documents, timings, luggage, catering, pets, ground transport and the questions worth asking before the day. It applies whether you are flying an hour across a border or overnight across an ocean.
International trip planning checklist (operator or owner)
An international business jet trip is a project with a dozen dependencies, most of them owned by governments and airports that do not answer at weekends. This checklist is for the flight department, management company or owner-operator planning a trip beyond home airspace: permits and slots, customs and immigration, crew legality, fuel and handling, and the contingency planning that makes the difference when a permit is late or an airport closes. It assumes a trip-support provider may be involved but that responsibility stays with the operator.
Choosing an airport for a city
Most cities offer more than one airport that accepts private aircraft, and the best choice is rarely the biggest. The right airport gets you closest to where you are going, at the time you want to arrive, on an aircraft that can use it reliably in the weather you will meet, at a cost that does not surprise you. This checklist walks through the factors operators weigh when recommending an airport, so that you can question their recommendation intelligently or choose for yourself.