Private Charter FAQ’s

PRIVATE CHARTER FAQ’S

Private aircraft charter services are a remarkably convenient, fast and safe travel option for any traveler: You always know who is on your flight with you, the speed with which you can reach your destination is superior to any other form of travel, and all precautions are taken to ensure your utmost safety. Below are the most frequent questions we get asked by our passengers, and our honest answers.

Which airport will I fly out of? And how do I determine my destination airport?

This depends on your location. Private aircraft have the benefit of being able to utilize both large airports as well as the thousands of FBO’s that are found throughout the world. It is very likely that there is an FBO that is significantly closer to your destination than the nearest International Airport.

What’s an FBO?

FBO is the acronym for fixed-base operator, which is a company that is given permission by an airport to operate on its premises to provide aeronautical services for aircraft, passengers, and crew. For the most part, FBOs are the main providers of services in private aviation. They’re usually found at public airports but can sometimes be found in a property next to the airport. FBOs at larger or higher-traffic airports are usually private companies. At smaller airports, FBOs are sometimes run by the local government.

FBO’s offer a more intimate ground experience for private air travelers. They vary vastly from location to location, and often offer higher level facilities and lounges than those found in large airports.

Click HERE to see some of the FBO’s around the country.

 

Do I have to check my luggage?

No. Your luggage doesn’t have to leave your sight if you don’t wish it to. State and Country laws differ with regards to luggage safety and the items that you can bring with you (for example, if you are flying into a different country, you will still have to go through customs, though the experience is usually much quicker to get through).

Depending on the size of the charter aircraft you are flying in and other factors such as how many people who are in your party, you may have a weight limit assigned to the items you bring on board. This is to ensure to 1.) that there’s room for everyone 2.) that the flight crew can accurately determine how much fuel they need and how quickly it will burn. A lighter load ensures a safer, faster trip.

 

Book your flight

If you are ready to book your flight or to receive a price quote for your trip, fill out the form on our Trip Request page.

How large are the private planes that I’ll be on?

We encourage you to look at our fleet of charter aircraft HERE. North Star Aero Services offers a variety of aircraft, which can be used for different travel purposes. For example our Cirrus SR20 and SR22 are four-seaters with a single engine. These are fast, safe small planes that are great for city hopping. The Citation Excel or CJ3, on the other hand, is a twin jet aircraft that can seat up to 8 people. One of the most popular aircraft in the charter market, the Citation is a great option for chartered flights where you need more space to carry more people in a roomie first class cabin on longer trips.

Are smaller planes safe?

The safety of small aircraft-as with any other mode of transportation-depends largely on the diligence and experience of its pilots. We hire only the most experienced, thorough pilots to ferry passengers. Further, we’ve thoughtfully added aircraft that are notoriously safe and reliable. All Cirrus airplanes, for example, come equipped with a 2400 square foot parachute as standard equipment. The Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), is a whole-plane ballistic parachute recovery system-meaning that the plane itself has a parachute that can be deployed in the event of an extreme emergency. You cannot get much safer than that!

 

 

 

Your comfort and safety are our top priority. Please do not hesitate to voice any additional questions or concerns that you may have prior to your trip by filling out the form below, and we will respond as quickly as possible.

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