Even the most seasoned traveler likely hasn’t traveled around the entire world. But a new exclusive world journey designed by a world leader in luxury travel, Abercrombie & Kent, in partnership with the private aviation experts at Flexjet, is about to provide the ultimate luxury world travel experience.
Abercrombie & Kent was founded in 1962 by Geoffrey Kent, who still runs the company. It remains a highly respected travel company and frequent award winner, and was recently named the World’s Leading Luxury Tour Operator at the World Travel Awards.
The custom journey, called Passport to the World, includes a variety of extravagant features:
- Up to 8 guests will travel to the most alluring destinations, including Japan, China, Hong Kong, India, Turkey, and France — the path is customized by you.
- Travel in a Challenger 605 business jet with large windows, the latest audio and video systems, global Wi-Fi, and leather seats that transform into beds that lay flat.
- Attentive service and insider access to the sites you want to see to ensure every encounter is unforgettable and inspiring.
“Traveling by private jet makes it possible to visit some of the most inspiring World Heritage sites in just two weeks, which under ordinary circumstances would be difficult — perhaps impossible — to see on a single trip,” said Geoffrey Kent in the recent press release.
The UNESCO World Heritage sites spotlight the most fascinating (and sometimes the most threatened) places and customs around the globe. It includes such places as the Kremlin and Red Square, Phoenix Islands, Cappadocia, the Borobudur Temple Compounds, and many others.
The 14-day Passport to the World starts at $1.5 million. The route is completely customized to the traveler who also chooses when to take their trip. It is being talked about as the ideal gift for weddings, anniversaries, and graduations.
For pilots of all skill levels, hypoxia is a serious concern. That’s why so many high-flying pilots keep an oximeter in the cabin to keep track of their oxygen levels. But sometimes these tools can be cumbersome, complex, or inaccurate — that is, until recently!
Now you can read your oxygen levels on the fly with Masimo’s new iSpO2 Pulse Oximeters. Just attach the reader to your fingertip, plug it into your iPhone, iPod, or iPad, and voila! You get a graphic readout that displays key data:
The iSpO2 has a special fingertip reader that works by shining LED lights through your fingertip. Sensors on the other side read a variety of light wavelengths to calculate your health stats.
The impressive app also tracks your readings and displays trends over time. The software keeps measurement histories second-by-second, which you can transfer via e-mail to your computer or anywhere else for graphing, analysis, or long-term storage.
The iSPO2 was introduced at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show and is now available for purchase — and at $249, it’s a great gift idea for the pilot in your life!
Contact L & L International if you need assistance in purchasing or selling a private jet. You can reach our sales specialists today at sales@L-Lint.com, call us any time at 877-453-8276 (+1.305.754.3313), or visit us online.
There’s more than one reason to travel — the list of reasons is as long and varied as the travelers on the road — but some reasons may be more motivational than others. Interestingly, one reason to travel has to do with the effect it has on a traveler’s physical and mental state.
That’s right: Travel has a positive impact on your overall health.
Travel for the heart
One of the major areas travel tends to offer health benefits is the heart. According to the Global Commission on Aging (among other contributors), women who vacation only every six years or so experience a significantly higher risk of having a heart attack or a coronary-related death when compared with women who vacation at least twice a year.
And men, don’t worry, travel is good news for you, too: Men who did not take an annual vacation were shown to have a 20% higher risk of death and a 30% greater risk of death from heart disease.
Travel for the mind
According to experts, the health benefits of travel are almost immediate, too — just a day or two of travel equates to respondents reporting an 89% drop in how affected they are by stress. Furthermore, 86% of people who travel report being satisfied with their outlook on life, compared to just 75% of those who do not travel.
The mental health benefits of travel indicate that it’s not only rejuvenating and age-proofing, it’s also intellectually stimulating — and not merely because the traveler is temporarily out of their workplace.
Travel offers the opportunity to
- engage in new activities,
- hear and speak different languages.
All of these things help travelers view the world from a different perspective and even view their own world differently when they return home.
Travel is also reported to be a great way to strengthen relationships with those you already know. A study conducted by the U.S. Travel Association found that a vacation with a friend or loved one can help deepen the travelers’ bonds.
So what are you waiting for? It sounds like travel is just what the doctor ordered.
It’s never too early to plan your next adventure, and 2014’s unique luxury travel trends are full of great ideas to spice up your itinerary. Take a look at what this year’s luxury globetrotters are pursuing.
Foodie Travel
One of the more popular and growing trends is to focus your trip around authentic foods and wines in often what were previously considered to be unglamorous regions of the world.
Luxury travelers are no longer content with a simple Michelin-starred meal, but are looking for culinary adventures that include farm visits and interactive involvement in the production, such as grape stomping.
Also popping up are gastronomic pilgrimages to regions snagging international attention due to the World Cup.
River Cruises
With 25 new vessels hitting the European waterways, river cruises are gaining popularity as a more exploratory alternative to a traditional ocean cruise.
Luxury travelers can meander down a river and enjoy land and countryside views, as well as the ability to hop on and off the ship often in order to explore towns and villages before catching up with the cruise again at the next port.
Tack-on Destinations
As business travel starts to heat up again, individuals, couples, and families are tacking on destinations at either end of business trips or fitting them into longer layovers.
These mini-vacations allow the traveler to maximize airline ticket costs while fitting in a bit of fun to spruce up a week or weekend of work.
Fancy RVs
The old retirement standby no more, recreational vehicles (RVs) have had a major makeover and luxury travelers can expect to see mobile camping get glamorous (hence the term ‘glamping’).
Amenities now include entertainment systems, WiFi, instant hot water, high thread count sheets, and luxurious bath products. It’s 5-star comfort in a mobile package for travelers who want to cover a little more terrain.
Forget Western Europe
Many travelers are starting to find the whole western European scene a little “been there, done that.” Eastern Europe — Lithuania, Croatia, Estonia, Albania, and the like — are where the globetrotters will be in the coming year.
With beautifully preserved medieval towns and castles and bustling cosmopolitan centers, the mix of street life and the seaside make Eastern Europe more like the Mediterranean.
It’s never too early to think about your next adventure. Where will you go in 2014?
In a recent Forbes article, Eight Trends in Private Jet Travel, customizing jet interior design is listed as one of this year’s biggest trends in the jet industry.
As the article points out, “The recent Business Jet Interiors World Expo attracted hundreds of designers scouting for design options and ideas, including showers and full dining tables. Private jet interiors have been enhanced by top fashion designers, like Donatella Versace.” Even carpet is getting the designer treatment, with custom-made patterns in wool and silk that complement designs in other parts of the interior.
Why are these interior makeovers becoming such a popular trend? Interior upgrades are a cost-effective way to meet changing needs and boost a jet’s value. After all, it’s faster and costs less to refurbish your existing jet than it does to buy a new plane. And, of course, you want your pre-owned jet’s interior to reflect your tastes and your company’s branding.
Making your old jet new
Whether you’re looking for 24k-gold-plated seatbelt buckles a la Donald Trump, simple improvements in seat upholstery, or changing the overall design, interior designs are limited only by your imagination — and budget. With the help of an experienced and knowledgeable provider such as Wisetouch Interiors you can take advantage of this trend.
Wisetouch Interiors, located in Opalocka, Fla., offers mobile interior and exterior detailing, leather restoration, and interior refurbishment. Its refurbishment and fabrication services support entire seat build-up, which includes ordering materials and creating patterns pleasing to each specific cabin’s interior. It can technically modify and/or repair mechanical seats, and it offers free inspections on all completed projects.
To ensure cost-effective quality services, the company’s on-site upholstery shop consists of a large staff of highly trained pattern makers, designers, upholsterers, seamstresses, foam makers, and builders. With more than 100 years of combined aviation experience, Wisetouch Interiors can help you create a jet interior that meets your needs, tastes, and budget.
Jet interiors are as diverse as the companies that own them. Look to a trusted service such as Wisetouch Interiors to ensure your plane reflects your character.
Contact L & L International if you need assistance in purchasing or selling a private jet. You can reach our sales specialists today at sales@L-Lint.com, call us any time at 877-453-8276 (+1.305.754.3313), or visit us online.
There is no shortage of people on the web claiming to have “expert” advice about travel: How to manage it, how to avoid problems, on and on. Like anything else you read on the Internet, it’s important to take travel advice with a grain of salt.
As examples, we found some of the most egregious and outdated tips:
- Book hotel reservations as far ahead as possible. — This tip is an unfortunate leftover from another time. These days, hotel rates and other travel costs change constantly. Making your reservations many months in advance could mean paying some obscene prices. However, wait until the last minute (especially for a destination that is hosting a particular event) and you could pay even more obscene prices. To find a happy medium, do some research on prices ahead of time, so you have a gauge. Then book when you see the prices are good.
- Exchange money in the U.S. before you leave. — This is another leftover that should have gone the same way as “carry traveler’s checks.” Exchange rates vary often, and the best rates are usually at the ATMs in the country where you are traveling. Plus, credit cards that waive foreign transaction fees are readily available.
- Carry lots of U.S. dollars. — While the word’s political troubles ebb and flow, and you will need some U.S. cash on hand, don’t bring more than you need to get yourself out of a jam. Unless all the ATMs and every single one of your credit cards fails or is stolen (hardly likely), the risk of losing all your cash in a mugging or robbery is a far greater concern.
- Travel when you’re young, rest when you’re older. — For some reason, this particular myth reappears every decade or so. On top of not being founded in any sort of fact, this idea can leave a bad taste in the mouths of older travelers. Anyone can travel at any age in their life, and that’s all that needs to be said about that.
- This is the real way to travel. — This tip assumes that every person should travel in a particular way, when it’s really more important to travel the way that you feel is right for you. Like the excitement and energy you find in hostels? Nothing wrong with that. Prefer the experience of a hotel? That’s your prerogative.
Every trip is important to each traveler for different reasons. Even the most mundane trip is an opportunity for an experience, a bit of adventure, and a lesson in something we’ve never experienced.
One of the most common issues in buying used aircraft is identifying incorrect pricing. And it’s easy to understand why: Aircraft pricing is a complex process that involves a lot of different factors. Many buyers fall into one of two common traps:
- The “but-Joe-said” scenario — When buyers base their cost expectations on the recommendations of friends, coworkers, or industry professionals such as pilots, they can end up overpaying or over- or under-buying for their needs. The problem is that most people, even if they’re familiar with aircraft, aren’t well-researched in the entire market and all of the nuances that affect a jet’s fair market value.
- Caveat emptor — Is the price too good to be true? Buyers might not know what’s hidden behind a low price: damage history, missing records, big inspections almost due, the need for engine repairs, or more. Unknown factors can shoot up future expenses in a jiffy.
However, buyers aren’t always completely in the dark — there are ways to get educated on fair market pricing. You can look at resources such as the Aircraft Bluebook and VREF values as well as cross-reference N numbers. You can review an aircraft’s logs and talk to the current mechanic. However, research can’t make up for experience, and these resources don’t account for other, harder-to-spot variables that influence cost:
- Avionics — If a plane needs a new and updated radio, you could be looking at an additional cost of $20,000 or more.
- Engine time — Engines have a limited life expectancy, which is defined by the Time Before Overhaul (TBO). This value is set based on when the average engine needs to be overhauled. If you buy a plane that is nearing its TBO limit, you need to factor in the cost to overhaul the engine.
- Exterior and interior condition — Considerations such as exterior paint condition and corrosion or the need for an interior update can influence the price of a pre-owned aircraft by thousands of dollars.
- Location transfer — Remember to figure in the cost of transporting your newly purchased jet to its new home.
All in all, the best way to get the best price is to have an expert’s assistance in the purchase process. Experience, knowledge, and working with a jet broker you can trust are the keys to avoiding pitfalls and making sure you don’t pay more than you should for the right plane.
Contact L & L International if you need assistance in purchasing or selling a private jet. You can reach our sales specialists today at sales@L-Lint.com, call us any time at 877-453-8276 (+1.305.754.3313), or visit us online.
Just before Thanksgiving, President Obama signed the Small Airplane Revitalization Act into law. This means big changes for the FAA, which will be required to reform certification regulations by Dec. 31, 2015.
The required changes will affect Part 23 general aviation airplanes — that is, most light civil aircraft weighing less than 12,500 pounds. The new act means that Part 23 regulations, which are decades old, will need to be rewritten. There will also be additions to Part 21, which covers aircraft parts, among other things.
The new certification regulations are intended to benefit airplane safety and reduce certification costs. Under the law, the FAA needs to create consensus-based, design-specific standards. The new standards will not be based on existing aircraft weight and propulsion type method like the current regulations, but instead on aircraft and systems-specific parameters. These new standards should speed up adoption of new aircraft designs and lower costs overall.
Kansas Congressman Mike Pompeo, who authored the bill, is thrilled with the progress that has been made. “This is an enormous achievement for general aviation across the nation,” Pompeo said in a press release on his website. “By reforming and modernizing these regulations, this law unleashes small airplane manufacturers to do what they do best: Build airplanes and get them in the air.”
Pompeo is far from the only one who is excited to see the act put into law. “This law is a win for the government as well as general aviation airframers and suppliers,” Pete Bunce, president and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), said in the same press release. “But more importantly, for the general aviation pilots and passengers who will be able to benefit more rapidly from new safety-enhancing technologies.”
Insiders are sure that the law will benefit everyone, from manufacturers to pilots to passengers. Judging by the fact that the act passed both the Senate and the House unanimously this past fall, it looks like just about everyone is excited to see how the new certification regulations can streamline the aircraft business and improve safety and cost.
