Private Aviation Glossary
Private aviation,in plain terms.
From billable flight time to empty legs and safety audits, here are the terms you will meet on a charter quote or a Reserve conversation, explained without the jargon.
Plain language · Advisor-led
The words behind the quote.
Private aviation runs on its own vocabulary. Here are the terms you will meet on a charter quote or a Reserve conversation, in plain language.
- ARGUS Platinum
- ARGUS International is an independent aviation-safety auditor. Its Platinum rating is the top tier, awarded to charter operators that clear a historical safety check, pass an on-site audit, and run an active Safety Management System.
- Billable flight time
- The hours a chartered aircraft is genuinely flying, wheels-up to wheels-down. Time spent taxiing, holding for a clearance, or de-icing is not billed.
- Daily minimum
- Most charter operators bill a minimum number of flight hours per day, commonly around two. It covers the fixed cost of readying an aircraft and crew for the day, even for a short hop.
- Empty leg
- A discounted one-way flight created when an aircraft must reposition without passengers. Operators sell empty legs well below standard rates because the jet is flying that route regardless.
- FAA Part 135
- The section of U.S. federal aviation regulations governing on-demand charter, the commercial flights carrying passengers for hire. A Part 135 certificate sets the rules for maintenance, crew duty limits, and pilot qualifications. It is the floor, not the ceiling.
- FBO (Fixed-Base Operator)
- A private air terminal. Instead of a commercial concourse, charter passengers use an FBO, a discreet lounge with quick security and direct ramp access, and typically arrive 15 to 20 minutes before departure.
- Federal Excise Tax (FET)
- A U.S. federal tax of 7.5% applied to the air-transportation portion of a domestic charter, plus a per-passenger segment fee. The operator collects it and remits it to the IRS. It is not the charter company's fee.
- Fractional ownership
- A model in which you buy a share of a specific aircraft and a set number of annual flight hours, then pay monthly management fees and an hourly operating rate. It suits very frequent flyers, generally above 50 hours a year.
- Fuel surcharge
- A variable line on a charter quote that tracks the current market price of jet fuel, letting an operator quote accurately without constantly resetting its base hourly rates.
- Guaranteed availability
- A membership that gives you the contractual right to book an aircraft within a set window, often 24 to 48 hours' notice, at a fixed hourly rate. It offers the reliable access of ownership without the asset.
- Jet card
- A program in which you prepay for a block of flight hours at a fixed hourly rate. Traditional jet cards can carry rigid terms, blackout dates, and non-refundable funds; modern alternatives keep funds refundable.
- On-demand charter
- Booking a specific aircraft for a specific trip with no membership or long-term commitment, the simplest, pay-as-you-go way to fly private.
- Positioning leg
- When the right aircraft is not based at your departure airport, it flies in empty to collect you. That repositioning flight is a standard, separately itemized charter cost.
- Pre-purchase inspection (PPI)
- A comprehensive, nose-to-tail technical examination of an aircraft and its maintenance records before a sale. It verifies the aircraft's condition and surfaces any issue that affects value or safety, the most critical phase of an acquisition.
- Safety Management System (SMS)
- A formal, company-wide program an operator uses to systematically identify, assess, and manage safety risk. A mature SMS is a sign of safety commitment well beyond minimum regulatory compliance.
- Wyvern Wingman
- Wyvern is an independent aviation-safety auditor. Its Wingman standard certifies operators that pass a detailed audit of safety procedures, pilot records, and maintenance, backed by ongoing flight-by-flight checks.
Keep reading.
Adjacent guides for understanding cost, choosing an aircraft, and how to book.
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