Story:

For one of the most anticipated weekends of the year—the Super Bowl—time is everything. A client of mine, who had access to a company-provided jet card, wanted to explore chartering for the first time. While they had flown privately before, booking flights wasn’t something they had personally handled, and they weren’t sure where to begin.

We started with their goals: attend the Super Bowl with their family and VIP guests, have maximum freedom for arrival and departure, and ensure a seamless trip to and from Las Vegas. As we reviewed options, they realized that the rigid scheduling of their jet card wouldn’t meet their needs.

I introduced the Signature Flight Fund (SFF)—a flexible solution designed to provide value-based options and tailored advice. With the SFF, we discussed three possible solutions to navigate one of private aviation’s less understood realities: the Crew Duty Day.

What is a Crew Duty Day?

A Crew Duty Day refers to the maximum number of hours a flight crew can work in a 24-hour period—typically 14 hours, including standby time, pre-flight prep, and flight duration. It’s a critical safety regulation, but it can present challenges for long days on the ground, like attending an event.

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Here’s how we navigated it:

1. Keep Ground Time Within the Duty Limitations
   
   • To stay within the crew’s duty day, the passengers would need to limit their time at the Super Bowl. This meant arriving just before the game and departing immediately afterward to get the crew back to base.
   • The Upside: This option kept costs low.
   • The Downside: It provided no buffer for post-game celebrations, delays, or a relaxed departure.
2. Duty the Crew Off
   
   • I explained that we could “duty the crew off,” meaning they would take an 8-hour rest period on the ground while the passengers enjoyed the game and post-event activities.
   • The Upside: The passengers had more time in Las Vegas while keeping costs reasonable.
   • The Downside: The departure couldn’t happen until after the crew completed their rest period—meaning a late-night or next-morning return.
3. Bring in a Second Crew for Maximum Flexibility
   
   • For ultimate freedom, I suggested flying a second crew to Las Vegas. This fresh crew would be ready to “duty on” whenever the passengers wanted to leave—whether immediately after the game or after celebrating well into the night.
   • The Upside: The client controlled the schedule completely.
   • The Downside: This added the highest cost due to positioning and crew-related expenses.

The Decision: Flexibility vs. Cost

‍After reviewing the options through Smart Flight Optimization, I provided a comparison between the client’s jet card hourly rate and the flexible charter solutions. For a trip like this—where timing and control mattered more than cost—they chose to prioritize freedom by opting for a second crew.

The experience was seamless. They arrived early for tailgating, stayed for the celebrations, and flew out on their schedule. The family and their guests had the time of their lives, and the client later told me:

“We didn’t realize how much value flexibility adds. Chartering gave us the trip we wanted without compromises.”

My response? “That’s why we created the SFF—freedom to choose what matters most.”

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