NASA Taps Flexjet for Fractional Shares

The U.S. National Aeronautical and Space Administration has selected Bombardier Flexjet to provide fractional ownership business jet transportation services to the organization for a two-year test period, according to Clifford Dickman, president of Bombardier Business Jet Solutions. The agreement provides NASA with a one-half share of a Bombardier Learjet 31A and a one-sixteenth share of a Learjet 60, equivalent to about 450 flight hours.

"You know what it is to fly commercial," explained Capt. Gene Cernan, USN-Ret, the well-known astronaut and advisor to Bombardier for the last two and a years. "NASA has had Gulfstream I turboprops for 40 years, and they just don't handle the need for emergency condition transportation," Cernan said. "NASA is not an organization that likes surprises," Cernan commented.

Several firms vied for the bid during the past 15 months. NASA selected Flexjet after closely examining the firm's operating and training standards, aircraft condition, mission flexibility, focus on safety and commitment to service, Dickman claimed. As part of the agreement, Flexjet will establish a 24/7 hotline desk dedicated to NASA. Dickman said that Flexjet's stringent aircrew and maintenance technician background checks, and its total operational control of the aircraft, met NASA's strict security requirements.

Flexjet also received its fourth consecutive FAA Diamond Award for aviation maintenance technician training, plus AS9100 certification for its maintenance functions. More than 70% of its maintenance technicians have completed the training program.

Cernan advised Bombardier during its negotiations with NASA pertaining to the two-year test contract, and he will continue as part of a Flexjet oversight committee that will periodically review the quality of the service the firm provides to NASA. "I won't fly the aircraft," Cernan said with a wink. "And I won't fix them, because they don't break," he boasted.

"Bombardier builds aircraft that are well designed and that are truly the highest quality. I haven't flown a finer aircraft in 30 years. In a nutshell, Flexjet has proven its ability to anticipate problems and to take immediate corrective action," Cernan explained.

Cernan thought that NASA might come up with a subsequent Request for Proposal for fractional business jet transportation services at the end of the current two-year test program. He couldn't guarantee that Bombardier would win the next contract, but he said, "Obviously, Flexjet is the incumbent. However, I believe that the current program will roll over into a long-term program. Other federal government agencies also are locating at privatizing their air transportation."

Flexjet recently improved the quality of its catering with the addition of a Four Seasons hotel master chef to its staff. Business Jet Solutions is the official private air transportation provider to the PGA, Senior PGA, Indy Racing League and NHL. Since its start in 1995, BJS has been growing at an annual compound rate of 20%, according to Dickman. Flexjet now has 660 individual owners and 850 fractional shares in 105 Bombardier Learjet 31A, Learjet 45, Learjet 60 and Challenger 604 aircraft. Program participants new to business jet transportation average 87%. The firm experienced a 19% growth rate in 2001.

By Fred George