VeriJet flies a $2 million jet for $3,000 an hour.
Richard Kane told Insider that he preferred the single-engine aircraft because of its safety and performance.
I took a demo flight on the plane to see what clients think about flying on the jet.
The first single-engine private jet in the world is operated by VeriJet.
The company started with three planes and has grown to 40. VeriJet has built a crew of skilled pilots in less than two years. The Airline Transport Pilot certificate is required to be hired.
Richard Kane told Insider that the single-engine business plane was chosen because of its safety and efficiency.
The SF50 is the cheapest private jet on the market, but it does not skimp on comfort or performance.
Kane says that the SF50 can fly at Mach 0.53 and has a range of over 1,300 nautical miles. It can connect small cities in the US that commercial airlines cannot.
Major airlines usually fly to a central hub before moving on to smaller markets, like Huntsville, Alabama, or Cody, Wyoming. Kane told Insider that one of his customers lives in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, which is not served by any airline.
They use VeriJet to travel directly from Tuscaloosa to their destination instead of driving an hour northeast. On the same day, the client can fly out to a meeting.
When the buyer commits to 100 hours, the VeriJet charter price is lowered to $2,750 with the company&s jet card.
Kane said that those who can afford it find the convenience and time saved worth the money.
Insider took a demo flight on one of VeriJet's SF50 Jets with Kane as the pilot to see what passengers can expect.
I met up with the CEO at the airport on Friday for a demo.
Three Wing Aviation is a fix-based operator that provides things like fuel and maintenance to general aviation planes.
I didn't have to go through security or have my belongings checked when I arrived at the airport, which is a nice perk of flying private.
Kane gave me a tour of the jet after I met him on the ramp. The paint job used dark colors and was easy on the eyes.
Kane showed me some interesting features, like the camera on the nose, which scans for wildlife or debris on the runway to avoid a collision.
The V-shape of the tail was shown to me by him. Kane said that the design uses technology to keep the flight smooth.
We talked about the placement of the engine. Kane explained that the design makes the aircraft "bird proof" because the engine won't ingest birds, making the company's foreign object damage insurance basically zero.
The engine helps the plane fly low and slow, reduces fuel burn, and allows the plane to get into airports that other private jets cannot, like Santa Monica Airport in California. The carbon footprint of the company can be decreased by using bio fuel for the engine.
Kane emphasized that the single-engine is safe and that the system emails status information to the pilot after every flight, indicating if the engine is perfect or needs maintenance.
We boarded the plane and I got to sit at the controls.
The displays were large and responsive, making it easy to input commands.
Kane was able to pull up diagrams, charts, and other flight references with a simple touch.
One of Kane's biggest draws to the Cirrus jet is the systems backed by artificial intelligence.
He told Insider that the plane is one of the safest in the skies because of the systems on it.
The plane knew our exact location at the airport and made sure we lined up for the correct runway.
Kane said the plane would give a warning if we approached the wrong runway.
Kane lined us up on runway six for the takeoff. At about 90 knots, he showed me how to use the controls and I pulled back on the stick.
Kane told me to pull up the flaps, input the desired navigation, and press the autopilot. The plane flew from there.
The system was designed to enhance safety and pilot performance.
Kane showed me the pneumatic boots, which are grooves on the wing that break down accumulated ice.
Kane was reminded to turn on the engine heat when he deployed it, which was something he discussed before the flight.
We flew from Connecticut to Long Island for a 30-minute demo. We got clearance from air traffic control to take off after we inputted the route on the ground.
ATC gave us instructions to descend, ascend, and adjust our heading, which was very easy to do using the flight management system.
We got a great view of the Long Island Sound and the communities around southern Connecticut.
The most impressive phase of the flight was when we started preparing for landing.
Kane configured the plane and we got the runway in sight, but the aircraft told us that we would be battling 19-knot cross winds during our approach.
In a regional jetliner, passengers could expect a bumpy ride, but Kane was able to navigate the plane to the runway without any turbulence.
The CEO says that the smooth ride is due to the turbulence on the tail.
Many of his clients have previously been afraid to fly, but the advanced systems and resistance to birds and turbulence make them feel comfortable flying in the jet.
If things go wrong, the plane has a parachute system that will help recover the jet and lower it to the ground.
There is a red handle on the ceiling. The parachute has been used over 100 times and has saved more than 200 people.
The Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association is related to this.
The auto-land function for emergency situations has also been incorporated. The feature is activated by pressing a button.
VeriJet's Cirrus Vision SF50 can carry seven people, including six passengers and one pilot.
One person can sit at the controls.
Up to five can sit behind. There are two seats in the middle of the jet, and three in the back.
The two middle seats in the back row are almost completely flat.
They have plenty of space.
The far left and far right seats in the back row have very little legroom, but that may not be a problem for short flights.
There is plenty of space in the middle back seat.
The seats were very comfortable. Universal power ports were also offered by the jet.
Seatback pockets.
There are cupholders andUSB ports.
Air conditioning and lights...
There are headsets.
The original article is on Business Insider.
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