Private Aviation Insider

Mark Rader is the Chief Pilot and G200 Captain for Sky Partners Aviation. In this episode, he discusses his experiences flying charter flights on the G200. Hear more about his own personal flight stories and what he thinks of the G200's performance, its cost effectiveness, as well as its challenges including how tricky it can be on the ground.

Cameron English, CEO of English Technical Sales, Co. Inc., joins René Banglesdorf and discusses how he flies as a part of his normal business operation which is not aviation related. Hear more about how he flies his Bonanza A36TC to cover his sales territory as well as the practical and financial benefits of private aviation in business.

Ryan Lawson, a fellow Ohio University alumni, and currently flying an MD-11, domestically and internationally for UPS, chatted with Rene Banglesdorf about his experiences as a military contractor flying the King Air 90 in Afghanistan.

Joseph Zerilli is currently a captain on the Learjet 35A and Learjet 55 for a Teterboro based air carrier. In this episode, Joe details his experience specifically with the Learjet 55. Hear more about this plane's performance as well as some of its challenges. 

The Citation Mustang is a solid, powerful aircraft that's easy to fly with a very reliable platform. It's a comfortable ride with plenty of legroom for the passengers. It's strength is its power and its ability to fly above weather. And, its weakness is probably its useful load and fuel efficiency at its max capacity of 6 passengers. Hear more about it and its comparison to the Cirrus in this interview with Greg Thomas.

Andrew  "Andy" Allen is a retired American astronaut. A former Marine aviator and lieutenant colonel, he worked as a test pilot before joining NASA in 1987. He flew three Space Shuttle missions before retiring in 1997. Hear Andy's fascinating stories about his experience as an astronaut and his comparison of the Space Shuttle and the Piper Meridian.

The G-IV is a high performing plane with more power than you'll ever need. It has unbelievable amounts of climbability, with high lift capability, averaging 4000-6000 ft/min. It has a cruise climb of anywhere from 500-2000 ft/min and a 45000 ft ceiling. Hear more about it in this interview with Jordan LaMotte.

The Hawker 800 sets itself apart with its cabin size and overall performance. Most passengers find the wide & tall cabin very roomy and comfortable, making it an ideal choice for the charter market. It's a powerhouse on the ground with great runway performance in amicable weather. The Caravan, on the other hand, is the "Swiss Army Knife" of planes. It can be configured into many platforms from sky diving to cargo to air ambulance with the passenger and cargo platforms being utilized the most. Hear more about both planes in this interview with Parker Madill. 

The Phenom 100 is a "6 mile per minute", 4-passenger light jet which is ideal for the single pilot private owner. It's easy to fly, extremely reliable and has excellent luggage capacity.  The Phenom 300, on the other hand, is a 7-9 passenger light jet that has the performance of a 757 and is the perfect plane for nonstop travel from the West Coast to the Mississippi. It is extremely capable with great climb performance and able to handle all weather conditions. Hear more about how Mark Rubin, Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award recipient, shares his experiences with both of these jets.

The C208 is a versatile plane with a lot a functionality and space. It's built like a tank and meant to take the abuse of harsh conditions. The C208 can carry a lot of gas and has a long range. It's easy to fly and remarkably stable. It's a very well designed airplane for single pilot high workload situations. Hear more in this interview with David White.

The Challenger 300 is a clean sheet design super mid-sized aircraft with lots of leg room and range. Pilots love its simplicity and performance--and charter operators find it easy to sell. It's comparable in direct operating costs to the Gulfstream 200, but it does cost more to acquire. Hear more in this interview with Ian Stewart.

With decades of experience in the Navy's Orion P-3, Captain Brown Word [Ret] brings a unique perspective to the operations of the King Air B200. More than 1800 King Air 200s have been built, and this turboprop continues its legacy of versatility and reliability.

No single pilot plane has more versatility than the PC-12. Loved by surfers, ranchers and executives alike, this single-engine turboprop holds its value and its owners' loyalty like no other. Andre Bolang talks about his adventures flying one and how the PC-12's mission stacks up to the jets he also flies.

Cirrus' sleek design and unique safety features (parachute included) have made the manufacturer a favorite with owner operators around the world. There's no surprise that the company's first jet-propelled aircraft is gaining a lot of attention. Learn what gives this single-engine jet unprecedented safety for single-pilot operations.

Swiss aircraft manufacturer Pilatus has arguably created the best brand loyalty in the private aviation industry, and it listened when its customers demanded a faster version of the iconic PC-12. With more than 100 PC-24s now in service, we're finding it does live up to the expectations with all of the features pilots love in its turbo-prop sister, but with twice the speed (and yes, three times the operating costs). 

The smallest plane in the Gulfstream fleet, the G100 still boasts a pretty impressive mission profile and the handling and customer support for which Gulfstream is known. In this episode, Chris Lamont talks about why his company chose this model and how well it performs its mission.

The Premier 1 offers a lot of speed for a single-pilot aircraft, and it's fun to fly according to owner-operator Lynn Martin. Too bad the progression of development died off with Beechcraft's sale to Textron. 

Gulfstream set the standard for ultra-long range private air travel when it delivered the first G650 in 2012. Corporate pilot Jessie Doros talks on this episode about the aircraft's performance and reliability flying around the world. Literally.

Comfortable and fast are the two things that come to mind when someone mentions the Lear 60. In this podcast, long-time Learjet operator Scott Robertson talks about those features and how the Learjet family has grown and been enhanced over the years.

Here in Texas, the luxury standard for pick-up trucks is the King Ranch F-150. In the skies, that gold star can easily be applied to the King Air 350i. In this episode, Payson McDaniel discuss how the 350i meets his company's mission while still providing the luxuries expected in a private flight environment.

Sometimes described as a 10-hour plane with the comforts of a 15-hour cabin, the Legacy 650 should not be overlooked as a contender in the long-range business jet market. Joanna Meek describes both the 650 and the 600 she flew before the upgrade.

When the long-anticipated HondaJet finally arrived, there was less fanfare than expected. But owner/operators are finding the maintenance costs are as advertised: low. And the plane is fun to fly. Join me for insights with the very enthusiastic Dave Moore.

The Citation X enjoyed a 15-year run as the fastest business jet and still reigns as the fastest mid-sized jet. Its comfort and speed made it a staple of the Cessna lineup for more than two decades, and it crowned the fleet of many charter companies for years. Find out more about the Citation X's capabilities and quirks in this podcast with Canadian operator Ian McDougall.

Popular around the world for its range, comfort and capabilities, Bombardier's Global family of aircraft is well regarded among corporate flight departments--especially those well-versed in other Challenger and Global products. Don't miss Dominic's tales of his plane's unique cargo "tails."

Gulfstream aircraft are known for their stately ramp presence, comfort, range and reliability. The G550 reigns the skies as an ultra-long range option for charter and corporate use alike. On this episode, pilot and director of safety Mike Sands talks about the differences in the 550 and its predecessors.

The Kodiak was designed for rugged missions, and Quest Aircraft demo pilot has done it all--from transporting tranquilized lions to landing in mountaintop jungles. He also talks about how the aircraft supplements the lift of corporate flight departments with low operating costs and short take-off and landing performance in less perilous missions.

An insider's look at the performance, patient and crew experience for Bombardier's Learjet 40XR in an air ambulance operation.

An insiders look at the performance, customer and crew experience, operation and training for the Falcon 900 series of aircraft - an aircraft design that has certainly stood the test of time.

The Learjet 45 is a green-sheet aircraft designed by Bombardier, popular for its mid-sized jet speed and range in a light jet package.

An insider's look at the performance, operation and customer experience of Bombardier's Global 6000 - a private jet with a 3-section cabin and a very long range.

Learn about the new aircraft buying experience, performance spec and operations of the successor to the G200, Gulfstream's popular super-mid-sized aircraft.

An insider's look at the performance, operation and customer experience of the Challenger 605 - a private jet that proves to be a lot of plane for the money.

An insider's look at the performance, operation and customer experience of the Citation CJ3 - a private jet popular with private owners and air taxi operators around the world.