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OK, I'm now officially spoiled... New York to LA on a Gulfstream-IV
Jetsmarter strikes again. Wow, has my $7,000 annual membership paid off. Jetsmarter has started shared shuttle flights between numerous cities with the crown jewel being a Gulfstream G-IV from White Plains to Van Nuys. I was in Pittsburgh on business and figured, what the heck, may as well try it out. I left my Pittsburgh office at 11:45a and headed down 376 for the 25 minute drive to the airport and a quick 55 minute flight to LGA. Then Uber into the city to the West 30th Street Heliport where today's Jetsmarter experience began... with the usual free Jetsmarter helicopter service to HPN/White Plains airport.
https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_9978-L.jpg The crowded Pegasus waiting room. https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_9985-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_9989-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_9992-L.jpg OK, not the most luxurious ride as five of us and luggage were stuffed in for the 15 minute flight. https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_9994-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_9996-L.jpg And what a fun flight it was with gusts up to 40 mph. Lots of rocking and rolling as we head up the Hudson. https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0003-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0005-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0007-L.jpg Fifteen minutes after takeoff from the W. 30th Street heliport, we arrived at Signature West at HPN. https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0016-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0017-L.jpg OMG, is it cold here. https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0020-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...sion%202-L.jpg Inside the FBO, we waited for the rest of our fellow passengers on the next flight from the West 30th heliport. https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0022-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0023-L.jpg White Plains to Van Nuys Tail N124TF Gulfstream IV 6:20p-8:55p February 11, 2016 A not so luxurious start as we boarded a bus for the short 30 second ride to our G-IV. https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0024-L.jpg Our Captain for tonight's flight to the west coast. https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0025-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0026-L.jpg A full cabin of 13 JetSmarter members tonight. We were pre-assigned seats by the JetSmarter staff according to... well I have no idea, I guess based on gender and age. Whatever the criteria, it worked very well especially since I was among the 7 pax up front who got the wider "First Class" seats. And what an interesting, indeed fascinating mix of people, all of whom were friendly and engaging. Once in the air, the flight was a little reminiscent of a cocktail party, with new friendships. And our lovely, hard working flight attendant Erica provided excellent service throughout the flight. https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0090-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0089-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0099-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0100-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0101-L.jpg Food wasn't memorable but a selection of salads and sandwiches keep us well fed... in between non-stop drinks. Thank you Erica! https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0102-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0105-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0107-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0104-L.jpg Said lovely Erica with fabulous desserts. https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0109-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0110-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0111-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0114-L.jpg And the girls' desserts. https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0122-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0137-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0126-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0129-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0130-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0132-L.jpg https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0135-L.jpg A short five hours and thirty minutes later, we touched down at VNY just before 9pm PST. https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0139-L.jpg And bid adieu to our new friends, promising to keep in touch. https://sfo777.smugmug.com/Other/Pri...IMG_0143-L.jpg For more pics and an HD version of this report, please visit SFO777.com. And if you like these reports, we'd love if you would sign up for e-mail alerts from SFO777.com on new trip reports and our upcoming newsletter. Please click here. |
What a great way to start my Friday. That looks like a great flight. Almost a sophisticated party bus. :)
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Looks like fun, SFO777!
I have to confess to a bit of ambivalence about this TR compared to your other, extremely enticing ones, though. In the spirit of YMMV, it's a personal travel thing rather than any criticism of your going this route. I guess you'd have to be in the right mindset...for fun and socializing :D, not to mention avoiding the usual commercial air travel hassles. :cool: Personally, I'm into more of the "settle in, say a quick hi to my seatmate, and then work, sleep, read or watch a movie(s)" mode on most trips. And I wonder about the relative hassles of a taxi to a helipad to a helicopter ride (again, :cool: ^) to a waiting room to a bus to the plane, and possibly sitting across from someone en route, compared with the usual travel/airport hassles. Given the choice of this admittedly very First World problem, I'd probably opt for an upgraded commercial flight cross-country. Having said all that, I could definitely see the appeal of this to a lot of folks. And glad you had a great trip! |
Wonderful report, as usual, but I do have to say that I kind of miss the shot you had last time of the chopper pilot working his way down the Hudson using Google Maps on his cellphone.
The Big Sleigh in the sky sure looks like a lot of fun. |
Looks like a fun trip. How was the leg room? It looks a lot like European trains where when you are facing someone and it's a constant battle of "footsie".
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This looks like a nightmare. That many people in a G4? Ughh.
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SFO777 ... thanks for the report.
I thought Jetsmarter had certain shared shuttle flights on the East Coast, but that on the other private flights you get the entire cabin to yourself (or yourself plus your guests). Can you clarify how this works? Also which NYC area helicopter flights are included in the membership? Can I go to JFK/LGA/EWR as much as I want to reach commercial flights? thank you! |
Originally Posted by jacobac00
(Post 26173409)
What a great way to start my Friday. That looks like a great flight. Almost a sophisticated party bus. :)
Originally Posted by Thunderroad
(Post 26173540)
Looks like fun, SFO777!
I have to confess to a bit of ambivalence about this TR compared to your other, extremely enticing ones, though. In the spirit of YMMV, it's a personal travel thing rather than any criticism of your going this route. I guess you'd have to be in the right mindset...for fun and socializing :D, not to mention avoiding the usual commercial air travel hassles. :cool: Personally, I'm into more of the "settle in, say a quick hi to my seatmate, and then work, sleep, read or watch a movie(s)" mode on most trips. And I wonder about the relative hassles of a taxi to a helipad to a helicopter ride (again, :cool: ^) to a waiting room to a bus to the plane, and possibly sitting across from someone en route, compared with the usual travel/airport hassles. Given the choice of this admittedly very First World problem, I'd probably opt for an upgraded commercial flight cross-country. Having said all that, I could definitely see the appeal of this to a lot of folks. And glad you had a great trip!
Originally Posted by FallenPlat
(Post 26174390)
Wonderful report, as usual, but I do have to say that I kind of miss the shot you had last time of the chopper pilot working his way down the Hudson using Google Maps on his cellphone.
The Big Sleigh in the sky sure looks like a lot of fun.
Originally Posted by nydave11
(Post 26174404)
Looks like a fun trip. How was the leg room? It looks a lot like European trains where when you are facing someone and it's a constant battle of "footsie".
Originally Posted by BostonFlyer1624
(Post 26174457)
This looks like a nightmare. That many people in a G4? Ughh.
Originally Posted by EchoVictor
(Post 26175243)
SFO777 ... thanks for the report.
I thought Jetsmarter had certain shared shuttle flights on the East Coast, but that on the other private flights you get the entire cabin to yourself (or yourself plus your guests). Can you clarify how this works? Also which NYC area helicopter flights are included in the membership? Can I go to JFK/LGA/EWR as much as I want to reach commercial flights? thank you! Complimentary helicopter service is available from either W or E heliports but only to connect to a JetSmarter flight. |
This is very interesting, thanks for sharing.
I'm not really seeing the the "spoiling" or pampering part of the experience, though. Fly PIT to LGA, crosstown Uber through midtown Manhattan, then jam into a helicopter bound for HPN just to play footsie for 5.5 hours underneath a shared tray table? What about it was luxurious enough to justify an otherwise unnecessary >4-hour dogleg and less personal space than commercial transcon F? This seems like a very worthy supplement to commercial premium class travel and a great backup option for frequent coast-to-coast business fliers. But once you remove the itinerary control and the privacy of a chartered flight you're left with a packed aero-shortbus that's only a novelty when it's not accidentally convenient. I'd love to hear more about what you think the value proposition is. I'm normally 30 min away from that heliport so I'd love to be able to take the offering more seriously. |
Funny trip! Apart from the social experience would you prefer such a trip over a AA 321 First Class flight? The seats at AA seems to be much better....
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Originally Posted by philip0
(Post 26175582)
This is very interesting, thanks for sharing.
I'm not really seeing the the "spoiling" or pampering part of the experience, though. Fly PIT to LGA, crosstown Uber through midtown Manhattan, then jam into a helicopter bound for HPN just to play footsie for 5.5 hours underneath a shared tray table? What about it was luxurious enough to justify an otherwise unnecessary >4-hour dogleg and less personal space than commercial transcon F? This seems like a very worthy supplement to commercial premium class travel and a great backup option for frequent coast-to-coast business fliers. But once you remove the itinerary control and the privacy of a chartered flight you're left with a packed aero-shortbus that's only a novelty when it's not accidentally convenient. I'd love to hear more about what you think the value proposition is. I'm normally 30 min away from that heliport so I'd love to be able to take the offering more seriously.
Originally Posted by offerendum
(Post 26175593)
Funny trip! Apart from the social experience would you prefer such a trip over a AA 321 First Class flight? The seats at AA seems to be much better....
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Has anyone done the math on this company? Can it last or does it have to keep scaling up in size?
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Nice to see you gave the cross country shuttle a try and are still enjoying the membership. The loss of Travel Management was a bummer for me. I was only interested in the private jets, mostly for ski trips during the winter … an opportunity that never came as that relationship terminated just as ski season started. As I told JetSmarter, there’s a fairly large and established industry that does shared flights and those existing operators allow me to plan more than 5 hours in advance …
The Travel Management crews were excellent. They treated you like a paying customer and it was a first class operation. The pilots came to chat during the flight to make sure everything was okay, offered to carry your bags when boarding and departing, and on occasion even laid out a red carpet. XO is a bit of a different experience. The XO staff sees a bunch of people who don’t know each other show up and treat you like you’re taking a free ride … I assume Delta Jets will be the same. I was booked on AA Flt #125 JFK-LAX last Sunday and there was the JetSmarter shuttle operating. I considered it for about a half a second and then decided to stick with my first class seat. A fully loaded G-IV is basically a step above economy as far as I’m concerned with the main redeeming quality here being that it is free. If I ever saw one with only a couple passengers a few hours prior to departure and my schedule was clear, that I may consider. I’m not sure if its greater awareness on my part, but it seems more of the charter providers are trying to fill their empty legs. FlyEasy has a couple big operators with great aircraft (Clay Lacy for one) on their software platform and I’ve seen some stuff marketed aggressively. I’d rather take a few of these per year with advanced scheduling versus the JetSmarter 5 hours advance notice gimmick. My membership lasts until July so maybe something will happen that impresses me, but at this point I’ll most likely cancel it. Part of that is the value proposition just isn’t there without the exclusive use charters, and the other part is I don’t think this company is going to be around long. Per Centurion’s question there is no way this is financially viable. They are banking on people who buy it and don’t use it, BS ancillary fees (e.g., no shows), or thinking it’s going to generate them actual charter business … Operating the round trip on a G-IV is going to be $40,000+ (I’m assuming they received extremely favorable terms and have a deal to channel other business to the operator). But you have 26 seats per round trip. That means each seat is costing $1,600. Assume the average member is going to fly a round trip and their cost is at least $3,200 for taking one round trip flight (and it spikes if the planes going out partially full). So if I take one flight it cost them half my membership cost. And not even taking into account their overhead with all these new offices they are opening and staff they are hiring. Now if I take a second … I realize they raised $20 MM recently, but it’d appear they are burning it in a hurry! |
As if you weren't already spoiled, SFO777 :D
While I flew a number of times on Learjets, I still remember the couple of flights I had on Challenger jets, which are basically Bombardier's answer to the big Gulfstream craft. Still wonderful! Can we look forward to a "ladies of Jetsmarter" thread on your website?! :D |
I am so tempted to join JetSmarter... but I live in Houston and NOBODY wants to fly in or out of here (understandably). Oh, how I miss my former Newport Beach home!!!
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