Fast and Affordable - the Earthjet Evolution
When you need to fly, you have only two options:
Option 1: Slow, inconvenient and affordable on the airlines
Option 2: Fast, convenient and expensive by business jet
Until Now:
Option 3: Fast, convenient and affordable by Earthjet
As the airlines cut-back service, air charter, jet travel cards, and fractional ownership continue to expand. Anyone seeking a convenient schedule, direct flights and space on board an airplane, finds themselves looking beyond the airlines. The main barrier remains the price - all the alternatives are still too expensive for most travelers.
Compare the Evolutionary Benefits of Earthjet with Other Air Travel Service:
| |
Earthjet |
Airlines |
Charter |
Jet Cards |
Fractionals |
Ownership |
| Price* |
$650 |
$800 |
$4,000 |
$5,000 |
$8,000 |
$8,000 |
| Upfront fees |
no |
no |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Other fees |
no |
no |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Total travel time |
2½ hours |
up to 8 hours |
2 hours |
2 hours |
2 hours |
2 hours |
| Your schedule |
yes |
no |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Service to local airports |
yes |
no |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| All non-stop flights |
yes |
no |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Book by the seat |
yes |
yes |
no |
no |
no |
no |
| Easy pricing system |
yes |
no |
no |
no |
no |
no |
| Uniform jet fleet |
yes |
no |
no |
no |
no |
no |
| legroom |
yes |
no |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Tray table is a desk |
yes |
no |
maybe |
maybe |
maybe |
maybe |
| Air cell phone, Internet |
yes |
no |
no |
no |
maybe |
maybe |
| Cockpit security door |
yes |
yes |
maybe |
no |
no |
maybe |
|
*Based on Earthjet 600 mile trip per seat; full Y fare airline seat price; charter flight in light jet; Fractional share of light jet all cost included; Jet Card cost per trip; Ownership of light jet cost of 600 mile trip based on 300 hours per year.
|
Earthjet Versus Dayjet™ and Their Eclipse 500™ Microjet
Most of the recent hype hitting the media and trade magazines regarding air taxi planes and business models has been generated by Eclipse Aviation. Eclipse is the developer of the E500 micro jet and Dayjet™ is a start up air taxi business using Eclipse 500™ planes.
Based on our involvement in this industry since 1999, and our close watch on the Very Light Jet (VLJ) development programs since inception, we believe that these airplanes were not designed with the air taxi market as their primary focus. The VLJs are good little private planes which appear to have been designed as a replacement for small propeller airplanes.
The lack of sufficient private pilot demand for VLJs resulted in manufacturers looking for a large market that could enable lowering the cost of the jets they were marketing. Passenger service was tapped as a potential "new" market that would create high demand for VLJs, because there are millions of passengers traveling the airlines. Only a small fraction switching to "air limo" service would justify producing many small jets and lowering the cost. So, the VLJs became air limos or air taxis. Here is what air passengers really want, according to independent stated preference survey data.
Here is a comparison between Earthjet and Dayjet™, so everyone can see the difference. While many details regarding the Eclipse aircraft (3 passengers or 4, lavatory or no lavatory?) and Dayjet™ taxi service remain a mystery, we developed a baseline comparison using company statements and information published in trade magazines.
On Every Important Element of Value Including Price, Earthjet Service is Superior:
| Cost |
Earthjet |
Dayjet™ |
| Price compared with airlines |
Lower than airline full-fare |
higher than full-fare airlines plus overnight stay costs |
| Per seat |
yes |
yes |
| Pricing method |
based only on distance from origin airport |
function of passenger flexibility to change their preferred travel time |
| Seat prices/trip |
$375 for 1½ hrs, $675 for 2½ hrs, $975 for 3½ hrs
|
indications are more than double Earthjet's prices |
| Trip price example |
Boca - Tallahassee = $375 |
Boca - Tallahassee = $1,000 |
| Membership fee |
no |
$250 |
| Onboard Passenger Experience |
|
|
| Stand up cabin |
yes |
no |
| Large seat |
yes |
no |
| Large desk |
yes |
no |
| Lavatory |
yes |
no |
| Air cell and internet |
yes |
no |
| Catering |
yes |
no |
| Room for privacy |
yes |
no |
| Cockpit security door |
yes |
no |
| Coat closet |
yes |
no |
| Service |
|
|
| All Non-stop |
yes |
no |
| Major airports |
yes |
no |
| Local airports |
yes |
yes |
| Passenger sets schedule |
yes |
yes |
| Available weekdays and weekends |
yes |
no service on
weekends |
| Aircraft Capability |
|
|
| 4 passengers |
yes |
no |
| 70% of U.S. domestic airline missions with full
load is possible |
yes |
no |
| Cost per available seat mile |
55
cents |
higher due to fewer missions possible, less seats available per flight |
|
