flight deck

FLYING GREEN

Flying green into the clear blue skies has never been easier WORDS DOUG GOLLAN

With the climate conversation becoming ever more impassioned, we look at the ways in which private aviation programs are addressing sustainability.

Whether you are looking to reduce your environmental footprint for altruistic reasons or to avoid negative attention, it is becoming more and more apparent that flyers need to seriously consider their carbon mitigation strategies to protect both their corporate and personal brands. This need is spurred in part because aircraft ownership information - including fractional ownership - is accessible to the general public and has been used to publicize fuel burn and carbon emissions data in a negative way. Fortunately, for those who want to ensure emissions offset, all of the major private aviation flight providers have programs enabling one to do so. Many private jet flight programs now either include carbon offsets in their contracted pricing or offer them as an add-on. At the same time, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is becoming accessible, even when it isn’t being sold at the departure airport.

NetJets offers fractional share and lease owners as well as jet card clients the ability to offset all flights, a single flight or even by the hour. It also invested in a Sustainable Aviation Fuel refinery being built in the Philippines by WasteFuel. WasteFuel’s plant will use materials from landfills to produce the fuel, which can reduce carbon emissions by up to 80 percent. And, while the places that sell SAF are still limited, book-and-claim allows you to buy SAF when it isn’t available at your departure airport, but is used someplace else by another jet flyer where it is. You then get documentation that enables you to claim the carbon credits for your ESG programs.

Victor, a U.K.-based jet charter service, offers book-and-claim as an option for all flights, while Jet Aviation provides the facility to clients who hire the unit of General Dynamics to manage their jets. At the same time, some providers offer carbon credits as part of the base flying cost.

Directional Aviation’s Flexjet offsets 100% of CO2 emissions for U.S. share owners and 300% in Europe, as does its U.S. jet card provider Sentient Jet and European broker PrivateFly. The reason for the extra offsets is to cover non-carbon emissions that can also be damaging. Both use 4AIR, an industry specialist. In addition to providing offsets and helping with tracking, it works with corporate and private flight departments to facilitate sustainability commitments. Vista Global’s VistaJet, like NetJets, offers carbon offsets as an option. Executives say that’s because some clients already have their own solutions. The operator is committed to being carbon neutral as a company by 2025.

While the industry is often the target of environmentalists, the truth is it has been focused on reducing emissions for more than 15 years and has promised to be carbon neutral by 2050. It is also important to note that globally, aviation is 2.1% of manmade CO2 emissions. Private aviation is 2% of that 2.1%. If you think sustainability in aviation is one of those issues that will be swept to the side, think again. In fact, the owners of Corporate Jet Investor are launching a series of conferences under the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Investor banner as the sector attracts big investments. Still, if you want to be nice to the planet, or if you are concerned that you could be targeted, making sure you are covered and having all of the paperwork to support it is now as easy as booking the flight.

Sky Harbour’s Home Basing Solution represents a paradigm shift in business aviation. Membership at Sky Harbour grants you access to three essential benefits unavailable elsewhere:

Superior Aircraft Utilization

Sky Harbour serves only based members which means our staff is always focused on your needs first. Dedicated line service staff only move your aircraft when you want it moved. We do not have the distractions of transient aircraft on the ramp meaning we are typically able to fulfil last minute requests. If you want to fly in an hour, you’ll be wheels up in an hour.

Increased Aircraft Protection

• Hangar rash: mitigated because your aircraft is only moved when you want it moved.

• Exposure: Your aircraft stays in your hangar with the door closed until you’re ready to fly.

• Maintenance: 24-hour access for routine maintenance operations on your schedule.

• Servicing: 24-hour access for detailing, interior cleaning, and servicing on your schedule.

• Safety and Security: You control third-party access to your hangar and your aircraft.

Unparalleled Ownership Experience

• Arrivals and departures: No crowds and no waiting. Park inside your hangar and board directly in privacy.

• Lounge and office: Create your own environment for activities other than arrivals and departures, such as conferences, entertaining, or displaying large collectibles.

• Storage, kitchen, showers, laundry: Flight crews and aircraft managers make use of these facilities to enhance the owner’s and passenger’s flight experience.

Maximizing value for aircraft owners is a central mission for Sky Harbour. Our newly constructed, thoughtfully designed, modern aircraft hangars can accommodate todays largest business jets. We invite you to experience membership at our campuses in Miami, Houston, Nashville, Denver, Phoenix, and Dallas.

For more information please contact: info@skyharbour.group skyharbour.group

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