Private Jet Blog

Paramount Business Jets Chief Executive Richard Zaher gave a one-hour discussion about the private jet charter industry to a class of 25 Embry Riddle Aeronautical University students Friday, Jan. 30.
The class, taught by Margaret Klemm, Ph. D, is entitled “Corporate and
Business Aviation.” Klemm says she asked Zaher to speak because most students probably had very little knowledge about the interworkings of the private jet charter industry.
Zaher, an ERAU alumnus who has an extensive background in reaching out to educational institutions of all levels, spoke to the class about the basics of the executive jet charter industry, its business aspects and an overview of Paramount, including how the company started and the services it offers.

The New York Times reported yesterday that The U.S. Department of Homeland Security proposes to extend several security rules – previously reserved for commercial airline carriers – to the private jet market, affecting one of the major upsides to private travel: convenience.

The proposed rules include fingerprint-verified background checks on pilots, checking passengers against a terrorist-watch list and restrictions of items passengers and staff may carry on board. Since 9/11, such measures only apply to commercial carriers.

According to the article, the new measures measure would extend to 10,000 previously exempt operators, including private owners and fractional ownership companies. The article does not state whether or not the new rules would affect private jet charter companies, however, presumably, their operating partners would fall under the category of “private owners.”

Furthermore, the Transportation Security Administration, the DHS branch that governs transportation issues, plans to delegate oversight of the proposed rules to private firms and thrust 83 percent of the cost on the operators.

The National Business Aviation Association and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association both oppose the new measures, the article states.

In response to the controversy, the Transportation Department has extended the comment period and scheduled a string of public meetings.

But let’s have our own public meeting right here by answering a few questions about the proposal:

Should the government extend security rules reserved for commercial airlines to the private sector?

Is it fair to thrust 83 percent of the cost of enforcing these measures onto the operators while granting oversight contracts to private companies?
Does this condition show – not only a lack of interest by the government to enforce its own regulations – but also, open up the field for the same types of corruption and cronyism rampant in other government-contract situations, such as the “rebuilding” of Iraq or post-Katrina New Orleans?

What about smaller operators who will suffer a much greater burden by the regulations than larger firms?

How will these new measures affect the customer, especially in the areas of convenience and cost?

Please feel free to answer the questions above or add your own commentary on angles not expressed by these questions.