Considerations for Buying an Aircraft

August 7, 2023

How to Collaborate on Your Private Jet

Business Jets Offer Effective Ways to Grow Your Business from the Skies

Trying to get work done on a commercial flight can be challenging. You might find yourself crammed into a middle seat with questionable Wi-Fi and an even more questionable beverage list. If you’re traveling with your team, you could end up dispersed throughout the cabin with no way to talk business.

When considering a business jet for travel, it becomes clear that the benefits include more than flexibility, privacy, upgraded furnishings, and control over your schedule: you also get much-needed face time with your colleagues to keep your business momentum going while you fly.

However, not much has been written on best practices for business collaboration in a used private jet. You and your team may not have developed a routine or expectations for how collaboration could look, now that it’s available on your private jet.

In this article, find out how you can maximize your time with your colleagues in the air, while you also sigh with relief at the prospect of never having to fly commercial for work again. Your business aircraft will serve more than just your transportation needs - it becomes an extension of your office, where real work gets done.

Why Private Jets Offer Opportunities for Business Collaboration

When you own one of the many premium pre-owned jets for sale, the opportunities for collaboration immediately present themselves.

First, you have a cabin all to yourself. Everything about your time in the air is on your terms.

While many owners initially see jet ownership instead of a jet card as a way to control your own flight schedule, they often don’t realize that ownership also provides freedom to control how you spend your time in the air.

The benefits of business collaboration on your used private jet allow you to increase your productivity, deepen connections, and keep your boardroom conversations aloft.

The cabin is your meeting room: On your own jet, you can speak openly about strategic and proprietary matters that you aren’t able to discuss when flying commercially.

A private jet flight doesn’t mean lost time: You have a chance to keep the momentum going on your private jet. You’ve gathered a small leadership team on your flight, and now you have a chance to connect and take advantage of your time together.

Use your time in the air for business development: The opportunity to invite business clients aboard for an extended outing or when traveling to an event you’re both attending is an option that likely beats out tickets to the game or branded promotional swag.

While a jet card may offer the same opportunities in terms of privacy and uninterrupted time to work with colleagues, remember that your choices are limited for flight times and the kind of aircraft you travel on. When it comes to inviting a guest aboard, ownership wins out over chartering. You have to consider the social nuances of inviting someone to join you on a charter versus an invitation to board the jet your business owns.

How to Be Strategic about Business Collaboration on a Private Jet

To ensure you’re maximizing your business time while on your jet, it’s important to plan ahead.

As you would in any scenario with a set agenda, it’s critical to communicate expectations for how you’ll continue to work once you’re in the air. However, this planning becomes especially significant when you attempt collaboration for the first time.

Recommendations from a Harvard Business Journal’s piece on designing effective meetings can be adapted for the air. Here are three suggestions from this article that can be transformed for the context of business jet travel:

Plan wisely: If you’re on your way to a business destination that requires last-minute preparations, this should be the focus of your meeting. Ask yourself what needs to be done in the days prior to your flight, so that you can focus on one specific, final item before you land. That way, using your travel time to collaborate with a group doesn’t overlap with other urgent needs. Now, you can wisely use this time together, especially if you don’t get as much time as you’d like when you’re in the office.

Clarify your purpose: This may be more essential than ever when you’re meeting under unexpected, but still meaningful, circumstances. For example, make it clear what you’re planning to accomplish, so that all team members can plan ahead with the tech and other materials they may need. Remember that while your private jet may have Wi-Fi connectivity, screens for sharing presentations, and comfortable seating, you’re still not at headquarters, so everyone needs to know what to expect and have a chance to prepare.

Set a time limit: Many people go into sleep mode when they’re on a flight. It’s typically seen as a time to unwind on the way to an important destination. Others simply don’t like to fly, so they do whatever they can to distract themselves, including diving into emails and other individual tasks. Set a time limit for when your team needs to be “on,” so there’s a clear designation when you’ll be working and when there may be time to relax on the flight.

These recommendations will give you a head start for making the best use of your time in the air for business travel. If you haven’t yet acquired an aircraft to put these suggestions into action, you also need to know how to find the right dealer for pre-owned jets for sale. Read on to find out how to find a jet that can offer an optimal cabin configuration, complete with the tech and amenities you need to keep your business going while you fly.

Find a Private Jet that Meets Your Business Needs

When you’re ready to buy a business jet to increase productivity as you travel and continue to grow your business, partnering with the right dealer is essential. You want to work with a dealer who has earned accreditation by a respected organization of aircraft dealers. This ensures your dealer’s credibility and your jet’s quality.

This partnership ensures that the aircraft you select comes with information on maintenance and service and is sold to you under an agreed-upon set of ethical standards, including the provenance of your aircraft. The jet your dealer says you’re getting is the one you’ll get. You’ll feel secure in your investment, so you can move on to other important matters, including where you’re flying next, who is going to accompany you, and what problems you can solve together in the air.

Learn how to find pre-owned jets for sale by visiting AircraftExchange.com.