Proper fleet balance – the right types and right number of those types – is as much an art as it is science and as forward-looking as it is looking in the rearview mirror. All that to say, it’s a complicated but critical facet of our business that intersects with almost every aspect of the business from admin to crew to sales.
I don’t mean to be dramatic, but fleet determines everything for an operator. The clients they attract and retain, the missions they fly, and their sustainability and growth are all determined by their ability to manage a fleet effectively. Effective management isn’t as simple as “add more aircraft,” it also means evaluating existing aircraft and how they’re in the fleet, better defining ideal missions and the aircraft and model(s) that support those, and rebalancing where, when, and how necessary.
And we’re no exception to this. We always want more aircraft, but we have to be cognizant of the “who, what, when, where, why, and how (much (Charter work))” of the owners we work with, so it’s a little of a “chicken or egg” question. The grossly oversimplified answer is that it’s both chicken and egg. You’ve got to maintain awareness of the clients (and missions) you have, focus on the clients (and missions) you want to add, and do so without interrupting experience delivery.
Because if you aren’t intentional, and you add the wrong aircraft, they are at best a non-solution for the operator and neutral for the owner, and at worst detrimental to the operator and the owner. The right aircraft create additional opportunities for the operator and for the owner. Owner/operator fit should feel like a win-win.
While far from being one-size-fits-all, here are some of the things we’ve found to be common when the Silverhawk/owner fit is correct:
- The owner:
- Flies 50 – 150 hours annually
- Flies those hours over a 60 – 90 day period
- Has the desire to fly their hours as cheaply as possible
- Is (or willing for the aircraft to be) located in Omaha, Lincoln, or surrounding
- Isn’t an asshole
- For Silverhawk:
- Is a Citation 525, 560, or 680.
- Can be used for charter work 250 – 450 hours annually
- Owner isn’t an asshole
Allllll of this to say, I’m going to be aggressive in my pursuit of additional aircraft to finish this year and into next. Which means I’m very willing to wheel and deal, so wheel me and deal me!
-Mark