Private jet glossary

A

• Air Operator Certificate (AOC): The approval issued by an aviation authority that allows a company to operate commercial flights, including charter. The operator named on the AOC is responsible for the flight.
• Apron: The area of an airport where aircraft park, load and unload.

B

• Block time: The time from the moment the aircraft starts moving from its parking position to the moment it stops at the destination. Charter hours are often counted this way or by flight time, depending on the operator.
• Broker: An intermediary that finds and compares aircraft across several operators for a client. It does not operate the aircraft.

C

• Cabin class / category: A grouping of aircraft by size and range: very light jet, light, midsize, super-midsize, large, ultra-long-range, and airliner.
• Cabotage: Carrying passengers between two points within the same country by a foreign-registered aircraft. Many countries restrict or forbid it.
• Catering: Food and drink loaded on board, ordered in advance from specialised suppliers.
• Charter: The rental of a whole aircraft, with crew, for a specific trip.
• Crew: The pilots and cabin attendants who operate a flight. Crew duty time is limited by regulations.
• Customs and immigration: Border formalities on arrival and departure. At many private terminals they are done at the terminal or at the aircraft.

D

• De-icing: Removal of ice or snow from an aircraft before departure in cold conditions, usually charged as an extra.
• Deadhead / positioning flight: A flight without paying passengers to bring an aircraft where it is needed. Its cost is often included in a quote.

E

• Empty leg: A repositioning flight with no passengers that an operator may offer at a reduced price.

F

• FBO (fixed-base operator): A business-aviation terminal that provides handling, lounges, fuel and services to private aircraft and their passengers.
• Flight time: The time between take-off and landing. It is shorter than block time.
• Fractional ownership: Owning a share of an aircraft, with a guaranteed number of hours each year, in exchange for an initial purchase and recurring fees.
• Fuel stop / technical stop: A stop to refuel on a long flight when the aircraft cannot fly the distance non-stop.
• Fuel surcharge: A supplement reflecting the cost of fuel, which can vary with the price and the airport.

G

• Ground handling: Services on the ground: marshalling, baggage, passenger assistance, fuel and catering.

H

• Handling fee: A charge for ground handling services at an airport.
• Heavy jet / large jet: A large business jet with a long range and a roomy cabin, such as a Gulfstream or a Bombardier Global.
• Helipad / heliport: A landing area for helicopters, on the ground or on a building, with or without services.

I

• IATA / TIDS: Industry bodies and identification schemes in air travel. Jet-VIP holds IATA/TIDS number 96154203.

J

• Jet card: A prepaid block of flying hours, often with fixed rates and guaranteed availability.

L

• Landing fee: A charge for landing at an airport, often based on aircraft weight.
• Light jet: A small business jet, usually seating four to seven passengers.

M

• Manifest: The list of passengers on a flight, sometimes sent to authorities before departure.
• Midsize jet: A business jet with a cabin tall enough to stand in at the centre on some models, seating six to nine passengers.
• Minimum charter / daily minimum: The minimum billable hours per day set by some operators.

N

• Night curfew: A rule that restricts take-offs and landings at night at some airports.
• Non-stop range: The distance an aircraft can fly without refuelling, depending on load and weather.
• NOTAM: A notice to aviators about hazards, closures or changes at airports and in airspace.

O

• On-demand charter: Chartering an aircraft for a single trip without a long-term commitment.
• One-way pricing: A price for a single direction, which includes positioning flights unless the aircraft is already there.
• Operator: The company that holds the air operator certificate and flies the aircraft.
• Overnight fee: A charge when the crew and aircraft stay overnight away from base, to cover accommodation and parking.

P

• Parking fee: A charge for leaving an aircraft parked at an airport, typically per day or per night.
• Passenger capacity: The maximum number of seats; the practical number depends on luggage and range.
• Permit (overflight / landing): Authorisation to fly through a country’s airspace or land there, needed for some routes.
• Private terminal: A terminal for private flights, separate from the commercial terminal.

Q

• Quote: A written price offer for a flight, valid for a limited time and subject to availability.

R

• Ramp / apron access: Permission for a car to drive to the aircraft, available only at some airports.
• Repatriation flight: A flight to bring someone home, often after an emergency. Medical repatriation is a medical service.
• Round trip: A flight out and back, often priced better than two separate one-way flights.

S

• Safety audit (e.g. ARGUS, Wyvern): An independent assessment of an operator’s safety standards. Ratings vary by provider.
• Slot: An allocated time to take off or land at a busy airport.
• Super-midsize jet: A business jet bigger than a midsize, usually with a wide cabin and seating eight to ten passengers.

T

• Turboprop: An aircraft powered by propellers driven by turbines; efficient on short routes and at small airfields.

U

• Ultra-long-range jet: A large business jet able to fly very long non-stop routes, such as Paris to Singapore on some models.

V

• VLJ (very light jet): The smallest business jets, seating three to five passengers.

W

• Wi-Fi on board: Internet on a private jet, available on many aircraft, with speed and cost varying by type.

FAQ