Executive AirShare is a Kansas City, Missouri based company and the only "days-based" fractional aircraft provider. Serving the Central U.S. and also Great Lakes/Mid Atlantic area the organization has continued to grow, expanding into Austin, San Antonio and Houston as well as seeing a steady increase of shareowners. In 2009 Executive AirShare had 95 owners, and as of the end of 2012 that number had grown to about 140 shareowners.
With 26 aircraft in its fractional fleet and 16 more that are managed, Executive AirShare offers the world's largest fleet of Embraer Phenom light jet aircraft. Their fractional program currently ranks second only to Berkshire Hathaway's NetJets in the markets the company serves.
Chairman and CEO Robert D. Taylor states, "The key to running a successful fractional program is to ensure that you're generating positive cash flow from operations as well as aircraft sales. We believe that sacrificing service quality for the sake of selling aircraft shares ultimately destroys the owners' experience and eliminates the advantages of fractional ownership."
Executive AirShare Programs
Executive AirShare offers several different types of programs including equity-building charter cards to aircraft leasing and fractional ownership. For fractional owners, the company makes aircraft available on a per-day basis. This enables maximum schedule flexibility as well as the ability to make multiple stops in a single day. This "per day" pricing aims to significantly cut back on expensive deadheading and repositioning costs associated with traditional fractional programs, enabling Executive AirShare to offer a higher quality of service at a lower price.
In simpler terms, a per-day basis program means that fractional owners have the use of their aircraft for the full day. As a comparison, charter planes are rented by the trip, using a pool of aircraft and pilots from throughout the country.
There are four programs in which to choose from, including:
- Fractional ownership. This aircraft ownership program offers the most flexibility as well as access to all of the aircraft available within the fleet.
- LAUNCH. This program is just a step below fractional ownership, ideal for those who are not quite ready for fractional aircraft ownership allowing members to lease an interest in the Phenom 100 without a long-term commitment and upfront acquisition cost.
- LAUNCH premium provides the same benefits as LAUNCH, but with additional access to the Phenom 300.
- EMBark32 is a unique equity program that allows for charter card flexibility and the opportunity to "fly your way" to earning a 1/32nd share ownership without a long-term obligation.
The Aircraft
Executive AirShare's fleet includes the Phenom 300, Phenom 100, King Air 350 and King Air C90B:
- The Phenom 300 offers sophistication and luxury with a flexibile seating configuration for up to seven passengers in addition to generous baggage capacity. This aircraft has the largest cabin in its class, providing extra legroom and comfort with a range of up to 2,298 statute miles.
- The Phenom 100 provides four passengers with an option for a fifth, with a range of 1,300 statute miles in a sophisticated yet practical cabin. Passengers seat facing each other making business meetings easier to conduct, and with 55 cubic feet it also offers the largest baggage compartment in the entry-level jet class.
- The King Air 350 has room for up to nine passengers and the ability to transport an entire staff in comfort. It is ideal for long-range flights but efficient enough for shorter trips as well. It can routinely reach either coast non-stop from the Central United States with a range of 1,700 statute miles.
- The King Air C90B is optimal for mid-range flights including destinations like Denver, Houston, Little Rock, Cheyenne and Chicago. Up to five passengers, with an option for a sixth, can enjoy a luxurious cabin and stowable workables; this aircraft has a range of 1,000 statute miles.
Fractional Ownership Pricing
Pricing is based on region as well as aircraft, share size and other factors.
Within the Central United States including hubs in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Texas, the following rates apply for the Phenom 300 aircraft:
The price for a 1/16th share is $596,875 going on up to $2,350,000 for a ¼ share with the number of occupied days per year at 20 for a 1/16th share and as many as 80 for a ¼ share. Monthly shared expenses start at $4,700 with the expense for a ¼ share priced at $18,800. The owner occupied hourly rate is $2,200 across the board.
Pricing for the Phenom 100 is based on the same structure but starts at just $286,156 for a 1/16 share while monthly expenses are $3,875 on up to $15,500 for a ¼ share. The hourly rate is $1,445 across the board. The King Air 350 is the lowest priced aircraft, with 1/16 shares starting at $224,750, monthly expenses of $3,700 and hourly rates of $1,560.
Great Lakes fractional jet prices are nearly identical according to the aircraft chosen, operating with hubs in Western New York, Pennsylvania and Southern Ontario, Canada. You can find complete pricing on the Executive AirShare website.
LAUNCH and LAUNCH Premium Pricing
The LAUNCH program has a fixed cost of $102,500 and includes access to all aircraft except the Phenom 300. Members receive 25 days or 60 hours with hourly rates ranging from $1,227 to $1,546 depending on the aircraft chosen.
LAUNCH Premium offers access to the Phenom 300 for a fixed cost of $146,750 including 36 days and unlimited hours. The hourly rate for the Phenom 300 is $2,314.
EMBark32
The EMBark32 program provides access to the Phenom 100 at a purchase price of $80,500 offering its members unrestricted flexibility. The hourly rate is $3,112 with a two-hour per day minimum usage. After 150 hours flown, members earn a 1/32 share in a Phenom 100 aircraft and have the option to pay an additional $142,187 to join the fractional program as a 1/16 owner or apply 50% of FMV of 1/32 Phenom 100 towards additional EMBark32 hours.
Editorial Update: Since this article was written the company has changed its name to simply Airshare. Recent and more up to date articles about Airshare can be found in the Related Articles below.