Clearing the Air: Weather Forecasting in Private Jet Travel
December 24, 2024
No matter where a journey takes you, there is always a chance for unexpected, potentially disruptive weather conditions. One of the key pillars of our collective mission at Flexjet is our unwavering and unmatched commitment to safety – a process that starts from the moment you book your flight to post-flight and beyond.
As part of this focus, we take an above-and-beyond approach to predicting, mitigating and adjusting to potential weather-related concerns. Operational safety is not merely a box we check, but an ethos we see woven into everything we do at Flexjet – including forecasting the weather that influences all travel.
A Team Up to the Task
Scaling safety measures to a global arena and elevating overall safety standards is a major initiative at Flexjet. Our growing meteorology team is comprised of some of the top experts in the industry – with varied backgrounds in atmospheric sciences, weather forecasting, broadcast, aviation and research.
Ensuring we have a team trained and experienced in a variety of focus areas strengthens our ability to reliably execute missions in a manner reflective of our superior safety and service standards.
Along with their impressive credentials, this team is truly passionate about the weather. They live and breathe all things meteorology, making them uniquely qualified to assess and monitor your travel conditions. Their behind-the-scenes contributions ultimately lead to enhanced security, efficiency and experiences on every journey.
Our Approach to Weather Forecasting
Preparation, data collection, organization and communication are fundamental components of our protocols regarding weather monitoring. Every morning, our meteorology team of experts compiles a thorough report of the day’s forecast. This is distributed across departments to ensure total transparency and appropriate responses regarding flight planning. From there, the team members look at specific trip routes for the day to identify any concerns and determine if adjustments need to be made.
In order to give the most accurate forecast, Flexjet employs a variety of third-party and proprietary data to inform daily protocols. The moment an aircraft Owner requests information pertaining to weather conditions, our team can initiate their research. Typically, our meteorologists will start to get a clear picture of what circumstances will look like as early as two weeks in advance. However, they really begin to home in on key indicators about 72 hours before a trip, with the most accurate weather prediction available within four hours of an aircraft Owner’s departure.
Aside from individual research and expertise, our team works with some of the industry’s most advanced resources via Flexjet’s state-of-the-art Global Operations Control Center in Cleveland, Ohio. As one of the world’s most technologically innovative centers for operations, it utilizes a 176-foot-wide array of massive screen displays to monitor every Flexjet flight around the world in real-time, as well as any major weather system’s movements.
Maintaining Stringent Safety Standards in Adverse Weather
One does not need to be trained in meteorology to know weather can be unpredictable. In the event that unexpected weather or strong storms emerge, our meteorologists are expertly trained to provide minute-by-minute monitoring and communication throughout the organization.
This real-time knowledge empowers our Owner Services team to maintain transparent communication with our aircraft Owners. It also allows our Flexjet Operations team to make expedient adjustments to flight plans.
While aircraft operational control is ultimately in the hands of our highly experienced pilots, the contributions and input of our meteorology team are paramount to the process.
With safety always at the forefront of decision-making, extreme weather events can lead to delays, ground stops and flow control measures. We may even establish ‘No Fly Zones’ that prohibit any aircraft from operating within those boundaries. While inclement weather can be frustrating, we assure our aircraft Owners we will go the extra mile to avoid or alleviate any inconveniences.
Navigating Additional Logistics
A key step in maintaining operational integrity is assessing conditions throughout the entirety of our aircraft Owner’s flight itinerary — including the route your aircraft takes to arrive at your departure location. Even if conditions seem clear and optimal at your departure location, we will adjust your flight plan and time if we notice any points of concern throughout your journey or at your destination.
Similarly, if your aircraft is located in an area with inhibitive weather before being repositioned to your departure airport, this can also impact your flight schedule. While some aircraft operations still choose to fly in conditions we deem unsafe, we will never compromise our stringent safety standards — the safety of our crews and passengers is the absolute top priority.
One of the benefits of flying with a private jet provider of scale — like Flexjet — is that our floating fleet of more than 300 aircraft are dispatched to you from locations throughout North America and the world. So while our first option for an aircraft to dispatch to you may be in a location of prohibitive weather, we have the resources available to work through our fleet to locate a crewed aircraft coming from an area of fair weather to reposition to you.
Creating Optimal Itineraries for Aircraft Owners
When unexpected weather disrupts a travel plan, our teams work together to determine suitable alternatives to help you get where you need to be in a timely manner. From working directly with FBOs to utilizing the FAA’s Flight Schedule Monitor, we engage with all relevant parties to assist with flight planning.
This allows our teams to manage flow control, review Expected Departure Clearance Time and receive hour-by-hour breakdowns of airport demand and capacity. These are all factors that may lead to a change in an aircraft Owner’s flight itinerary, as our experts collaborate to determine and schedule the most optimal flight routes.
As always, our dedication first and foremost is to the aircraft Owner – maintaining safety and unmatched service throughout every touchpoint.
If you are interested in learning more about our proprietary approach to safety and security, our ultra-modern fleet of private jets or how to experience the benefits of fractional jet ownership, reach out today.
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