A taste of the good life, on us….

It may be the most expensive Canadian ski pass on the books this season. Great Canadian Heli-Skiing have launched a new lift pass costing CDN$100,000 ($80,000). The exorbitantly priced Platinum Heli-Skiing Season Pass provides skiers with unlimited vertical access to some of the world’s best powder skiing between Golden and Revelstoke.

The pass is accompanied by a personal concierge to keep them up to date with the latest conditions and forecasts. Owners of the pass may ski on every day of the heli-skiing season if they wish, which runs from December 26th until March 28th. This includes even the peak season of February which is traditionally sold out long in advance. Regardless of any other bookings made, the owner of the pass will be guaranteed access to their desired skiing location by one of the company’s A-Star B2 Helicopters.

Great Canadian Heli-Skiing’s Greg Porter explained, « The Platinum Heli-Skiing Season Pass was designed for our more serious skier who felt a single heli-skiing holiday was simply not enough. This unique pass will make multiple heli-skiing holidays simpler for international visitors and single day trips an option for locals and Albertan skiers ».

Looking for something a little more affordable? Then you might be interested in a Bronze, Silver or Gold Season Pass, ranging from $13,000 for eight days to $70,000 for 48 days. These passes also allow you to book last minute and offer the flexibility of shorter duration trips but multiple visits during the same season.

We previously reported on the 2008 Macao Business Jet Rendez Vous at the MGM Grand Macao from 24th – 26th October 2008.

The third edition, once again, brought China’s elite business leaders to the most exclusive business aviation platform in Asia.

A record number of the best aircraft, including Bombardier, Cessna, Cirrus, Dassault, Embraer, Eurocopter and Gulfstream were on display at the Macau Business Aviation Center (MBAC), culminating in a much anticipated event attended by over 150 VIPs and aviation experts.

The celebrated event was held at the MGM GRAND Macau and MBAC from October 24th to 26th, attracting China’s most distinguished aircraft owners and potential jet buyers. The event organized by Jet Asia-Pacific magazine offered a unique occasion for the industry to showcase the latest capabilities in the field of business aviation.

For this year’s edition VIP guests were flown in from Beijing, Dalian, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Shenzhen via private jets and helicopters to the MBAC.

“Following the previous years’ success, we were able to generate more support from the industry to enhance this unique event” said Mr. Walter Wang, Jet Asia-Pacific magazine editor-in-chief.

Aircraft on static display comprised Bombardier’s Challenger 650 and Challenger 850, Cessna’s Citation X, Cirrus S22, Dassault’s Falcon 2000 and Falcon 900, Embraer’s Legacy 600, Gulfstream’s G200 and G450. The Eurocopter EC120 and EC 135 were also on hand at the venue for exclusive helicopter demo flights.

“This event brings a unique true experience to Chinese entrepreneurs and leaders. During their flights to and out of Macau, they can benefit from the advantages offered by business aviation: flexibility, comfort and privacy. I am confident that Chinese will rapidly consider Business Aviation as a support tool to their international development.” said Mr. Jerome Desmazures, Director of Sales for Dassault.

Apart from sampling impressive private aircraft, guests also indulged the unique service, accommodation and facilities at the MGM GRAND Macau. On the first night’s event, guests enjoyed the ‘Jet and Art’ dinner in the Grande Praca dazzled by exclusive masterpieces brought by Opera Gallery. A one-time opportunity to view Chagall, Botero, Chu The Chun, Dali outside their natural exhibition room in this beautiful arena.

On Saturday, various activities were running in parallel. Ladies enjoyed the Bulgari Exclusive Jewellery and Watch Workshop where they were able to preview over 60 pieces of exclusive jewellery and complication watches that are being shown in Macau for the first time while gentlemen were more focused on the Private Jet Workshop, the Exclusive Maybach Experience and the Longfor’s Summer Palace real estate developments.

At night, Mr. Olivier Burlot, Managing Director of Blu Inc Media (HK) Limited and Ms. Pansy Ho, Managing Director of MGM GRAND Macau gave a welcome speech to commence the Gala Dinner. “Undoubtedly, the annual Jet Rendez Vous serves as a networking occasion for business elites to exchange business information and share opportunities with each other. This year, many guests have travelled in private jets from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau to MGM GRAND Macau, one of the world’s leading and most respected hotels and luxury entertainment resort. I hope all guests enjoy top-class lifestyle and be content with all the activities and entertainment organized” said Ms. Pansy Ho.

The event culminated in a prestigious ‘Jets and Jewels’ Gala Dinner with an astonishing Bulgari jewellery model show featuring 14 sets of exquisite High Jewellery especially flown in to Macau for this event. This year’s gourmet dining also featured a selection of the finest things in life including champagne from Perrier Jouet and Martell cognac.

Given the success of the event, expect Jet Rendez Vous to be a regular fixture in Asia’s luxury aircraft calendar of events.

French aircraft manufacturer Dassault has introduced a jet that changes the playing field for business jet manufacturers operators and pilots. That jet is the $50 million Falcon 7X.

The Falcon 7X is perhaps the most coveted ultra-long range private jet in all of Europe and flies faster, further and higher than its predecessors.

It is the largest Falcon tri-jet business aircraft produced, and Dassault states that the Falcon 7X is the world’s first fly-by-wire business jet.

Launched in May, Geneva-based LunaJets helps travellers to purchase empty leg flights at substantially reduced prices. Empty legs are private jets returning home empty, and LunaJets offers them at prices as low as 50 to 80% off full private jet fare.

Its purpose is to offer passengers who currently fly business class, first class or the ex-Concorde passengers an affordable option to “upgrade” to the many advantages of business aviation travelling.

On lunajets.com you find a list of empty legs within Europe but also transatlantic, to and from Russia and the Middle East. Once you find the one that suits you, logon and buy your flight with your credit card.

LunaJets will call you to confirm your flight and organise your departure schedule. Registration is free, includes a personalized card, email alert on your favourite routes as soon as an empty leg is posted, but also offers an on-demand customized flight quotation service, and very soon a Jet Share forum where you can find other members willing to share a flight with you.

“It is the first time jet operators” explains LunaJets CEO Eymeric Segard, “have the option, for free, to offer and sell their empty leg flights directly and transparently to passengers, who in turn benefit from greatly discounted fares”.

LunaJets has developed a pricing structure that is fixed, and for the first time in the industry, open for all to see. “We calculated prices that are low enough for passengers to pay that extra premium to fly private but high enough to make it interesting for the jet operators.”
He adds “The prices are calculated on the flight time independent of cabin size, and allows passengers to compare our prices with commercial fares and discover the amazing value offered”.

Passengers can buy individual seats on flights shorter than 2h30min such as London to Paris or London to Geneva, or the whole cabin (8-14 passengers) for longer flights such as Dubai to Moscow or Dubai to London
LunaJets works with jet operators who have all their licence and insurance certificates up-to-date and only use aircraft that are younger than 15 years.

With such a simple concept and such an user-friendly website, LunaJets is making flying on private jets accessible to many more, and bringing to the industry new valuable investors.
By offering benefits to both travellers and jet operators LunaJets’ model offers a win-win proposition that could therefore prove to be more sustainable than creating a brand-new airline, particularly during difficult economic times.

Per seat:

London-Paris €890 ($1,200)
London-Geneva €990 ($1,350)

For the whole cabin (8 to 14 passengers):

London-Moscow €12,500 ($17,000)
London-New York or Dubai €25,000 ($34,000)
London-Los Angeles €50,000. ($68,000)

The Hawker 450XP is the latest jet from Hawker Beechcraft and is the successor to the highly acclaimed Hawker 400XP. Based on the interior of the 900XP, it’s the most comfortable, most elegant and best equipped cabin ever offered in a light jet !

The Hawker 450XP also features significant improvements over the 400XP including a completely redesigned cabin and infotainment system, the Cabin Management System Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21, allowing individual passengers to utilize their personal electronic device of choice to catch up on work or enjoy a customized in-flight entertainment system.

The plane uses the new Pratt & Whitney PW535D turbofan engines which provide ten percent better fuel efficiency and a longer range.