#sharedflights

Since the soft launch of Intelijet.com in November 2013, we've been hard at work developing new site features based on user feedback. Thanks to all the people who participated in our soft launch, this process has resulted in the following significant changes.

SharedFlight Liquidity Map- People wanted to know which flights with open seats were currently available. So we developed the Liquidity Map and have it prominently displayed on the homepage. Using the Liquidity Map you have a visual overview of SharedFlights, empty legs, Operator Initiated SharedFlights or available empty seats looking for users to buy. The routes and cities are selectable, allowing a user to join or start building a trip straight from the map. It's a really cool representation of what's going on in the marketplace.

Flight Assurance- We'll have more details about this program in a future post, but now anytime you buy a seat on Intelijet, we backup your itinerary with comparable airline travel in the event your SharedFlight doesn't form in time for your trip. This gives you the piece of mind you'll make it to your destination, with one-stop shopping and access to a personal concierge to assist you with any of your travel needs.

Filters-  Users now have more control over the data they see in the search results. If you only want to fly on a certain type of aircraft you can now filter the search results in a number of different ways using the "Refine Search" button.

Seating Charts- A lot of people told us when they purchased a seat they wanted to know which seat they'd occupy. This was a large undertaking, but we developed seating charts for each aircraft type in our system. Now when booking, select the seats you want to occupy from the accompanying seating chart.

Seat price differential- Along with what seat you've selected, we recognized within a private jet not all seats are equal. When you select your seat from the seating chart it's accompanied by a premium or discounted price based on our teams perceived difference in the seats value.

Social Media Sharing- When you book a flight you can now easily share your itinerary using the sharing link available on your confirmation page or in your "My Flights" tab. This can help you find other like minded travelers in your network or just boast about your upcoming private jet flight.

Flight Banner- On the homepage we've added a scrolling flight banner, giving users another way of quickly see what's happening in the marketplace. We found people would buy into a SharedFlight if the destination is somewhere interesting. Users told us they didn't always come to our site with a certain destination in mind.

Better site performance- Intelijet.com produces faster, more accurate search results, including mobile. Providing our customers with continually improving data is always a top priority.

We're very excited about these new features of Intelijet, we think the user experience has come along way even since November. As we continue to work improving our capabilities we encourage customer feedback. Thanks again to everyone who's participated thus far and wants to see a vibrant, growing private aircraft sharing marketplace.

When Intelijet is selecting an operator, we first make sure the airplane fits the mission and the operator's carrying the appropriate amount of insurance. As the departure date approaches we start examining pilot qualifications. Even though a pilot may be qualified by the FAA, it's smart risk management to ensure at least one of the two pilots has significant experience in the type of aircraft being flown.

There's a saying, "experience is what you needed 15 seconds ago." On flight decks we don't like hearing this, especially with passengers on board. A method we use to reduce the likelihood of an "experience gap" occurring is ensuring the Pilot-in-Command (PIC), commonly referred to as the Captain has a certainly level of experience. These are the minimum experience thresholds we look for:

Total time: 3000 hrs; 2000 hrs PICTotal multi-engine time: 2000 hrs; 1000 hrs PIC Time in type: 200 hrs; 100 PIC Recency: 70 hrs in last 90 days; 300 hrs/yr No accidents or incidents within the last 5 years; 1st class medical

Since there's no way to get this experience without doing, we look for co-pilots or Second-in-Command (SIC) with the following standards:

Total time: 1500 hours; 500 hrs PIC Total multi-engine time: 1000 hrs Time in type: 100 hrs; reducible to 50 hrs if trained on similar aircraft Recency: 50 hrs in last 90 days; 250 hrs/yr No accidents or incidents within the last 5 years; 1st class medical Appropriately type rated

While it's our preference to always have two pilots, in our opinion certain aircraft with sophisticated avionics and safety equipment can be operated single-pilot without additional risk. The Cirrus SR22, which has avionics and an autopilot that act as the crew, helping the pilot perform checklists and manage the flight is a good example. With aircraft that are operated single-pilot, we look for the same minimum standard as the PIC requirements above.

Beyond the experience level of the pilot, we know proficiency is key. A majority of the time, flights operating normally shouldn't cause pilots a high level of stress, but when things outside what would be considered normal, whether it be something mechanical or weather related, we want to see both pilots receiving regular recurrent training. This allows the pilots to be better prepared and continue to operate the aircraft from a position of low stress, enabling them to make better decisions and manage the risk of the flight appropriately.

Both pilots should be getting recurrent training every six months, either in the aircraft they fly or simulator training at a certified training facility like FlightSafety or Simcom. Simulator training is the preferred, because you can put pilots in scenarios and go further than in an actual plane. Think control jams, engine fires, emergency descents all without putting anybody in harms way. Arguably, more training early in a pilot's career should be in simulators, but this is a topic for another day.