Jet Wants to Ease National/DCA Access By Planning Ahead
The TSA now allows business jets to fly in and out of Reagan
National Airport in Washington, D.C., but nobody ever said the requirements
would be easy to follow. Jet Aviation's charter arm wants to make it as easy as
possible for charter customers.
Jet Aviation flew the first business jet back into Reagan
National on October 18— after four years of bizjet paralyzation there. A Hawker
1000 carried several Jet Aviation executives and James K. Coyne, president of
the National Air Transport Association. Coyne is one of many who have been
actively fighting to get business aviation back into Reagan National. Jet
Aviation hopes this will be a harbinger of many charter jet trips in the
future.
The Signature Flight Support FBO there has been denied
business jet traffic since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Now the airport is
open to business aviation again— but with lots of restrictions. As such, there
have been few takers for business jet charters into Reagan.
Stacey W. Keats, a spokesman for Jet Aviation, says the company
isn't certain how much demand there will be, but so far most people don't even
know it's possible to operate a business jet into National again or charter an
airplane to fly into the airport. People have become used to getting to
Washington, D.C., by alternative means, he says.
The TSA requires business aircraft operators under FAR Part
91 and 135 to obtain a slot 72 hours in advance, and to then complete a
passenger manifest 24 hours ahead.
Passengers can fall off the manifest after that, but no one
can be added.
There are numerous other requirements, including extensive
physical inspections of the aircraft, 10-year background checks for ground
personnel, and the presence of an armed guard on the flight— an ASO, for armed
security officer .
Jet Aviation has FBOs at two of the 12 gateway airports
where the TSA will allow flights into Reagan National to originate. These are
Teterboro Airport in New Jersey and West Palm Beach International Airport; Jet
Aviation will operate flights into National from both of these locations.
Keats says the cost of the charter will include a 5% premium
for the extra handling required. Jet Aviation intends to simplify the process
as much as possible for its customers and make sure all the I's are dotted and
T's crossed.
In addition, Jet Aviation can provide an ASO for a charge of
$950 per day. These guards can also be hired by clients as escorts on trips to
airports that do not require this sort of security measure.
