Some people sell cars, some sell widgets, and some sell carpet. I know a man who sells time machines.
Oh I know what you’re thinking: “I’ll take one, and I am setting the date in the past to coincide with Senior Prom night.” Or better yet, “I’ll manipulate time so I know what the winning lottery numbers are for the next drawing.” Sorry to disappoint you, but it is not that type of time machine. This time machine provides you more time and a better quality of life. This time machine comes in the form of private jets for sale.
If you are interested in this type of time machine, you should meet Doug Foley. Doug works for First Wing, a division of Eagle Creek Aviation Services. Eagle Creek Aviation Services, located on the west side of town off I-465 and 38th Street, is owned by Matt and Cathy Hagans. Besides the Indianapolis location, they also own and operate Naples Jet Center based in Naples, Florida.
First Wing has a fleet of aircraft, and each has its own specific mission depending on number of passengers and distance traveled:
Citation Excel (Jet) – Top-of-the-line time machine, classified as “mid” size. Luxurious way to travel, stand up cabin, can fly from Indy to Las Vegas non-stop, seats up to 8 passengers.
Citation SII (Jet) – Classified as “light” size. Fast, long-range capabilities, cabin size not as big as the Excel, seats up to 7.
Twin Commander 1000 (turbo prop) – Economical, like the family van of aviation. Seats 7, roomy, can fly from Indy to Naples non-stop.
Phenom 100 (Jet) – Classified as a “very light jet”. Newer aircraft, largest cabin in its class, fastest in its class, yet economical. Great for short to mid-range trips, seats 4.
When talking to Doug, you quickly get a sense of his passion for helping people get from Point A to Point B in a much more efficient manner. Now if you’re like me, I thought immediately that this form of travel was something I could not afford. After talking to Doug, I realized it is not out of the question at all.
Let’s look at some of the benefits of private air travel. How would you like to skip arriving 2 hours prior to departure time and avoid the ticket, baggage, and security lines and instead arrive at the airport 15 minutes prior to departure? This is the way it works when traveling with Foley. If you have a prior meeting that runs long, you simply call the pilot and tell him/her your schedule is pushed back an hour. The plane leaves when you and your party arrive. Another tremendous benefit is the capability to fly into one of 5000 public airports across the country, putting you closer to your meeting destination and saving your extra driving time.
“When you hear about companies flying their employees and clients via private aircraft, it’s really because they value their employees’ and clients’ time,” says Foley. Employees can be home in time for dinner and other family funtions.
On an average day trip flying commercial out of Indianapolis, travelers can anticipate a 20-hour day when factoring in the time they wake to get to the airport until the time they arrive home. This is not speculation; I have personally lived this many times in my own business travel. For example, if you had to fly to Nashville, Tennessee, your total flight time is OVER 7 hours. Since there are no direct flights to Nashville, you also have 1 stop on each leg of your trip. When you consider that the FAA suggests arriving at the airport 2 hours in advance of your departure, you’ve now added an extra 4 hours of non-productive time to your day.
With private air travel, your total flight time is just over 2 hours. Instead of arriving 2 hours prior to departure, you can show up at Eagle Creek and your plane departs within 15 minutes. So, flying commercial takes a total of 11 hours out of your day versus 2-½ hours by chartering a private plane. Also, your commercial trip means you’ll probably have to spend the night in Nashville. Flying private gets you home in time for the more important things in life saving you time, hassle, and energy.
Doug can help you with a few different options for private air travel. He will give you an idea if this will work within your company’s plans and budgets. When private air travel becomes an integral part of your travel, then you (or your company) can consider purchasing a plane either outright or fractionally. Fractional ownership allows you to purchase a percentage of an aircraft, and the costs of ownership are spread out among the other owners. First Wing manages all the operations for you – maintenance, scheduling pilots, booking trips, and setting itineraries. They can also reserve car rentals, limousine or livery service, and hotel accommodations if necessary. The biggest advantage to both Fractional and 100% ownership are the tax advantages you get with depreciation. If you can’t use the tax advantages, then check into their Fleet Cards and Charter program.
If you ask Doug, he will tell you what he and First Wing do best is a Business Shuttle – last-minute, same-day trips or 1-2 overnights that require 2 to 7 people traveling out of town for meetings. Keep in mind, though, if you want to take 3 or 4 couples to Vegas or the Caymans for a weekend getaway, they can certainly do that, too.
So while originally you may have been thinking hot tub time machine and manipulating time, I believe Doug can certainly affect your amount of time spent traveling and relieve the stress and aggravation of doing so. Contact Doug Foley at 317-241-3302 or email him at dfoley@firstwing.com for information on these realistic time machines.
