August 2020 General Aviation (and More!) Survey, Part 2

By Carmelo Turdo, Mark Nankivil and Fred Harl 

The Aero Experience looks back on the last two weeks of August with this General Aviation (and More!) Survey, Part 2. In this edition, we will present a variety of aircraft we encountered during our visits to St. Louis-Lambert International Airport, Creve Coeur Airport, St. Louis Downtown Airport and Farmington, MO Regional Airport.

St. Louis-Lambert International Airport

Creve Coeur Airport, Maryland Heights, MO

St. Louis Downtown Airport, Cahokia, IL

Farmington, MO Regional Airport

Citation CJ Line Brings Comfort and Efficiency to Business Jet Travel, Part 4

By Carmelo Turdo

The Cessna CitationJet, or CJ, line of aircraft has made owning and operating a business jet accessible and affordable for more people in recent years. The CJ1 through CJ4 offer a combination of performance and efficiency to fly up to eight people on trips from 500-1000nm. In Parts 1 and 2 of this series, we featured a CJ managed by Gateway Jets in St. Louis. In Parts 3 and 4 below, The Aero Experience covers the aircraft acquisition process and mission profiles with the President of Gateway Jets, Corey Tomczak.

Gateway Jets provides aircraft management services from initial purchase to all aspects of air operations, maintenance and compliance. Corey Tomczak and his team are ready to help the buyer navigate the acquisition process from concept to reality.

The Acquisition Process

 

"We like to break it down into three parts of the process," Tomczak told The Aero Experience in our previous post. "Step One is determining which aircraft is right for you. Step Two is finding an aircraft in the market and getting an offer accepted. And Step Three is the closing process." Tomczak also mentioned that determining if an aircraft purchase is even appropriate for the prospective buyer is an essential part of the initial consultation.

The Citation CJ featured in this series was purchased by three owners who upgraded from a turboprop model. The jet has new paint, new interior, low total flight time, low engine time and the TAP Blue comprehensive engine maintenance program. The deal was made within a month, and the new owners were flying shortly after the purchase was completed.

Another example of a recent aircraft purchase brokered by Gateway Jets involved a Citation XLS+, a larger business jet than the CJ line featured in this series. Within the two-month period allotted by the buyer, Gateway Jets used their relationships with dealers, brokers and the manufacturer to secure the aircraft at a cost below the retail market value. 

"All deals are unique," Tomczak said, "and even the most complex acquisitions are managed in a timely manner in a professional way at Gateway Jets. We specialize in three types of aircraft. You can purchase a piston, twin-engine aircraft such as a Cessna 310 or Beechcraft Baron. We also specialize in turboprops, including the SOCATA TBM as well as the entire King Air line of aircraft. For jet aircraft, we specialize in the Cessna Citation jet line, which ranges from the Citation Mustang to the CJ Series all the way up to the stand-up cabin XLS+ and beyond." Each aircraft type fulfills a different flight profile and mission according to the needs of the customer.

Aircraft Management Services

"Some of the services that Gateway Jets oversees in our management package include insurance, crew training, maintenance, cleaning and stocking the aircraft, database updates and FAA regulation compliance," Tomczak told The Aero Experience. These areas are essential for aircraft ownership even before the flight begins. "With Gateway Jets," Tomczak continued, "you will have a friendly, professional flight crew and a clean, safe and ready to go aircraft." 

Typically, the aircraft owner will contact Gateway Jets several days in advance of a desired flight. A crew will be assigned, and a flight plan is developed incorporating the closest airport to the destination, lowest available fuel prices, rental cars and hotel accommodations. The aircraft is crewed and ready to fly a half hour before departure time, flight plan is filed, and the flight is ready to launch. Once at the destination, the passengers are met on the apron by the rental car or other ground transportation arrangement and a productive day in a new city can begin. 

Gateway Jets offers flexibility to the aircraft owner during the trip. The crew and the aircraft can stay at the destination during the trip or return to the home airport depending on customer needs and the most cost-effective option. The crew will prepare the aircraft for the next flight and ensure that it is clean and secure during the layover.

The following videos illustrate the Citation CJ and Citation Mustang, both managed by Gateway Jets. For more information about acquiring your next aircraft and the management services offered by Gateway Jets, contact Gateway Jets today.

Sponsor Appreciation: Elite Aviation, Spirit of St. Louis Airport

The Aero Experience would like to thank Elite Aviation for their continued sponsorship as we cover the best of Midwest Aviation! Based at Spirit of St. Louis Airport, Elite Aviation provides flight training in their late-model Cessna Skyhawks and Redbird MCX full-motion simulator, aircraft fleet rental, aircraft maintenance and FAA testing services. Here we feature several videos showing Elite Aviation in action. Contact Elite Aviation today for your flight training and aircraft service needs.

Citation CJ Line Brings Comfort and Efficiency to Business Jet Travel, Part 3

By Carmelo Turdo

The Cessna CitationJet, or CJ, line of aircraft has made owning and operating a business jet accessible and affordable for more people in recent years. The CJ1 through CJ4 offer a combination of performance and efficiency to fly up to eight people on trips from 500-1000nm. In Parts 1 and 2 of this series, we featured a CJ managed by Gateway Jets in St. Louis. Now in Part 3, The Aero Experience will discuss the aircraft acquisition process with the President of Gateway Jets, Corey Tomczak. 

Gateway Jets provides aircraft management services from initial purchase to all aspects of air operations, maintenance and compliance. Corey Tomczak and his team are ready to help the buyer navigate the acquisition process from concept to reality. 

"We like to break it down into three parts of the process," Tomczak told The Aero Experience. "Step One is determining which aircraft is right for you. Step Two is finding an aircraft in the market and getting an offer accepted. And Step Three is the closing process." Tomczak also mentioned that determining if an aircraft purchase is even appropriate for the prospective buyer is an essential part of the initial consultation. 

Step One: Determine the Best Aircraft for the Mission  

Once an informed decision to purchase an aircraft is made, the acquisition process continues with a more in-depth review of the buyer's needs and resources. "We go over your finances, your mission, we evaluate how many people are going on the trip and what's important to you - upfront costs or on-going carrying costs," Tomczak explained. "These factors allow us to determine if it is a piston aircraft, a turboprop, a jet, a large jet. This varies greatly depending on where you'd like to go and how many people you are carrying. Once we determine which aircraft is right for you, we go over all the variables and come up with a proposal that covers every aspect of aircraft ownership. This includes training, maintenance, insurance - every little piece of the puzzle."

Step Two: Search for the Best Aircraft and Make an Offer

Once the aircraft type and model are chosen, then it is time to check the market for the best possible aircraft to meet the buyer's needs. "We look for an aircraft that meets your budget, aircraft age, flight hours and location," Tomczak continued. "After we determine which aircraft is right for you, we start the offer stage. Gateway Jets puts in an offer on your behalf and, if accepted, we draft a purchase agreement covering all the details." This is where attorneys of both the buyer and seller review the agreement before moving forward.

Step Three: Closing the Deal

"At this point," said Tomczak, "we've agreed on a price, we've agreed on a plane. Now we discuss who will do the pre-purchase inspection. An independent party looks at every piece of the aircraft, including the logbooks, to make sure it is as represented and safe."

The closing process involves additional interested parties: buyer and seller attorneys; accountants; tax specialists; and financial institution representatives. Gateway Jets, as the broker, keeps the process moving forward to a successful conclusion.

Gateway Jets is your source for aircraft management services from acquisition to flight operations and fleet upgrades. In Part Four of this series, we will explore the advantages of using aircraft management services offered by Gateway Jets. For more information, contact Gateway Jets and check out Part One and Part Two of this series.