Will most VLJs be piloted by their very lucky owner or by a hired hand?

Answer 1

With respect to many of the other answer-ers, my own questioning in the industry seems to run close to 50-50 for most of the early orders for the new jets. Eclipse says their early orders are running about there; Cessna is a little more-corporate; Diamond and Cirrus are targeting owner-pilots, as well. (Diamond and Cirrus fly only up to FL250; Eclipse and Cessna go to 410. There is additional pilot and crew training for flight above 25,000 feet.)

I think that, in the long run, VLJs won't be so much owner-operated as flown by lower-time professional pilots. In Part 91, you don't need an ATP, and a huge percent of VLJs (virtually all those not going to air taxi) will be flying corporate.

As for their owners, they shouldn't count on luck!

Answer 2

I would guess that most people that can own a VLJ are buying it as a step up from say a king-air.... therefore, they COULD fly it themselves but I say its more likely that they are going to hire a pilot...

Answer 3

it all depends, if your rich enough to buy a vlj then you could probably hire a pilot, but even if you have any sort of pilots license you need a good amount of training to safely trasition from a slower piston powered plane to a jet. i would say that about half fly them themselves and the other half have pilots

Answer 4

Mostly the owners are passengers. But then most passengers are not owners and the actual owners of most jets are corporations and banks. Few owners fly their own jets, the two that come to mind are Dennis Quaid and John Travolta.

Generally, the sort of people who are good in business aren't people I'd want to drive me in a car, much less a jet.