Private flying
 

I'm curious if anybody on here has ever flown private to Florida from Laconia?

If you mean via a private charter, no I have not.

Via a privately owned plane, I have done so several times.

Yes, a private charter. Wow, you are very lucky!

Yes, many times. Very convenient.

Yes, not a charter, I flew myself last February, back in April.

Any information/advice you can give me?

Your own plane? Want company?:laugh:

Lol, rental, lot's of luggage for a long trip like this, so just me and my wife, sorry.

There are several "larger" planes in and out of Laconia on weekends. Some companies will take additional passengers for a reasonable fee. Like th
e airlines, you are at the mercy of their schedule. Many full charter companies will come to Laconia, pick you and take you wherever. Price is often dependent on if they can get somebody at the other end so they are not flying empty.

We see those planes. I wouldn't mind sharing. I have heard of that, I think they call it empty leg. I wouldn't mind that and we could be flexible. We went to the airport a couple years ago and asked but they didn't know any thing about it. Any ideas how you could find out?

Oh darn. Well, I tried. If you get a bigger plane, let me know.:laugh:

Sure. I now fly my own plane to FL, but chartered or used a jet card for several years.

First, if you are only flying one way, or are staying for more than a day or two, you may have to pay for the flight back, even if you’re not on the plane. In some instances, you can find a charter where they sell the return leg.

Second, rates have skyrocketed since Covid. Not quite doubled, but close. That is beginning to subside, to some degree.

Round trip, (1 or 2 night stay) for a plane that could carry 6 passengers and enough fuel to get to FL, you are probably going to see a rate just north of $40,000. One way, assuming they can find somebody to take the return trip, you can expect to pay in the mid $20’s. This is for a plane similar to a Cessna Citation CJ3, which is considered a light jet. The flight would be +/- 3 hours to S Florida, depending on winds. Mid size or large jets are considerably more expensive.

If you are making the trip often, you can pre-buy hours through a company such as FlyExclusive. This probably reduces the costs by 10% - 20%, and there is no premium for one way flights, because they operate nationally.

If you were interested, you could call SkyBright at Laconia Airport, and they will seek quotes from charter companies on your behalf.

Riviera had some good input in post #12. You can Google "Airplane Ride Share" and get some places to shop. Laconia may be a sticking point due to low traffic volume, but you might just hit the jackpot, too. Good luck.

BTW, you may want to look at luggage shipping services as ride shares may have weight/luggage restrictions.

Thank you. I appreciate the info. We would make the trip twice-down in the fall and back here in the spring. It might be hard to get somebody to take the return trip. I assume if it seats 6 they might try to find another couple to go with you? Do they allow little dogs and do they have to stay in the carriers?

Thank you. I will look at that.

There’s a bunch of companies online. Check ‘em all
25 k from Laconia to Ft. Lauderdale private airport. It’s awesome. They wait for you, drive right up to plane and unload luggage then park. All employees of Laconia airport are great, the FOB is so so compared to most.
We have quarter share of a Pilatus PC 12 turboprop. Nj to Nh ,mass,Virginia about an hour. Arrive late no problem. Can land pretty much anywhere, anytime.lots of airports don’t let jets land after 9 or 10 pm. We even landed on a grass runway at buddies house. Now that was a hoot. All pilots could talk about was their first grass strip landing. I could go on and on. Spend the money do it. We only live once and longevity is not definite. Oh and pilatus rocks.

I would think to buy shares you would fly more than twice a year to make it worth it, right?

I am in this business. Some of my customers are these charter companies. Trust me, you are getting alot or simply incorrect information. I would start by calling Atlas Air over in Portsmouth NH. (I don't work for them or have any financial interest). They manage and operate several PC-12's and I'm sure would be happy to give you a quote. They are the blue colored, single engine turbo prop you see in Laconia quite often.

Thank you for the name. I am looking at all options. Can you tell me what is incorrect? If you'd rather, you could pm me. Thanks.

...And Wolfeboro to California...
 

No, but I had to walk uphill about 400-feet to fly to Florida from Wolfeboro! :cool:

To charter a floatplane from my Florida lakefront to my Florida oceanfront one-way was "only" $2500 (door-to-door, as it were). By air, I would have saved about three hours, but would cost me $2400. (And no car upon arrival). :rolleye2:

Haha, that's true. What an easy commute! You should have done it!

I suggest calling Dave Emerson, our ice out guru. No one knows about air travel in this area better than he would

Spoiled
 

I hired a private charter flight out of Miami Executive airport to Georgetown Exuma last year due to a snowstorm in Boston and missing my connecting flight in Miami….man, did I get spoiled! What a difference when you fly private charter!! When we landed we went through a “special” customs area where the agents are actually very nice! No lines no waiting…. It wasn’t cheap but in this instance well worth it!!

Dan

Dan, is there anything you haven't done. I'm asking in a very polite and jealous way.

Oh I still have a few things on my bucket list to check off! Lol! :laugh:

I have never been to the Italian Farmhouse restaurant but will check that off on Monday! Hope it’s good!

Dan

On August 26th I am flying from Laconia to Martha's Vineyard on a private airplane. For free!

My flying instructor from when I got a Private Pilot's License in 1996 became a friend and has access to an airplane he can use anytime, including fuel, for free. He is dropping me off for a few days and then picking me up for the return to Laconia.

That is way easier and much quicker than taking the ferry. We have done it before, it takes about 45 minutes.

Sort of private flying but I don't think it qualifies for the points!

Driving directions google has a drive from Laconia NH to Nantucket Island, MA via I-93 S at 193 miles and 5 hr 18 min. It also has two red alerts ...... This route has tolls ...... This route includes a ferry ..... so, knowing this makes a 45-minute flight worth at least twice the free price ..... definitely, the way to go.

Ask them to make you the " Lobster Ravioli " Probably not on the menu now, but they will prepare it on request. Delicious! At least they have in the past.

Got stuck in Reykjavik Iceland about 10 years ago coming back from Paris…missed connecting flight to Logan….called Netjets for quote on getting back to Boston…$14,000!!!. We waited 24 hours for next evening flight from IcelandAir.

Somebody's Doing It...
 

A single engine DeHavilland turbine floatplane landed in the middle of Winter Harbor late this afternoon. The engine was shut off.

A blue and white Cobalt I/O went to meet them, approaching from the NW. After several minutes, passengers stepped off the floatplane and were helped into the boat. The boat headed NW--out of sight. Two on the floatplane then went for swim. :confused:

The floatplane later took off NW after an impressively short takeoff. :eek2: The entire episode took maybe 25 minutes.

Large letters embossed the name WHITE on both sides. No tail identification could be made out, although there was something there, perhaps only three letters long.

A friend suggested the incident was related to the Marriott compound--and I think he's correct.

This WHITE floatplane may be the answer to a quick weekend for some of us!

:coolsm:

NW out in the broads?

Where? Unknown...
 

Both exited Winter Harbor towards the Broads.

Thick forest obscured their destinations, but the boat could have docked among Marriotts' properties on Tuftonboro Neck.

Incident?? I would call that an event.

TradeWind Operates To The Bahamas...
 

One of TradeWind bases is Palm Beach, Florida, and operates a speedy Swiss-made Pilatus prop plane. Their website shows their three-hour range takes you to New Jersey. Only because they ask for my overworked email address I didn't inquire further.

https://www.flytradewind.com/northea...hoC6jcQAvD_BwE

Their ten-hour card costs $4,950. So far, this is the most "reasonably-priced" air charter I've stumbled upon. :look:

WOW, does that mean for 10 hours it's only $4950? I hate to sound stupid but that's really cheap.

$4950 per hour…

Even that would be cheap.

That is really cheap! Too good to be true in my opinion...

In February of 2022, we missed a connecting flight in Miami with no chance of a reconnect for 4 days due a snowstorm in Boston. I decided to fly private through Paramount Business Jets so as not to ruin a vacation for a lot of friends and family... it cost me $11,000.00 with gratuity for a one way 1 hour 5 minute flight from Miami Executive Airport to Georgetown, Exuma airport utilizing a Pilatus prop plane which is actually a very nice plane! You do get charged for their return flight whether you are on it or not when flying private charter. So that would be a 2 hour 10 minute charge of flight time of at roughly $5,000.00 per hour.

That cost you quoted must be per hour of flight time because at the approximate $500.00 per hour you quoted is almost cheaper than flying commercial....something is not right there...

Dan

Passengers?
 

Dan, How many passengers for that $5000 per hour?

There were 7 passengers in total... I don't think passenger count matters when pricing as long as you don't exceed seating capacity as you are chartering the entire plane. I believe the Pilatus held 8 maybe 10 passengers max if im not mistaken. I'm sure that price has gone up since then as well...

Here's the actual plane on flightaware.... https://www.flightaware.com/resource...tration/N101JE

Dan

Dan; $4950 per hour NOT $495 per hour

Yes I agree…what I was quoting was APS post where he said a 10 hour flight card was $4950.00 or $495.00 per hour. I agree it has to be $4950.00 per hour….

Dan

"Trade" Wind
 

Even after flying tens of thousands of miles, 'not sure what a "flight card" is. I merely copied TradeWind text when it came to dollars.

Eight paid-up passengers? One passenger? :confused:

Trade for antique furniture? ;)

From what I understand, a Flight Card is basically a prepaid credit card for private jet charter hours. I'm sure there are many different types, some and probably most are only good for one person...I have only flown private once (above my pay grade) so I really have no clue but here is a link that kind of explains it...

https://www.paramountbusinessjets.co...t-are-benefits

Dan