PRIVATE JET TOURING: NOT ALL JETS ARE CREATED EQUAL

For those of us who travel extensively, it’s hard to believe that some people don’t like flying. Even when taking the hassle of airports out of the equation, they just prefer to be on solid ground. But for those of us who don’t mind air travel, perhaps even enjoy it, the idea of traveling via private jet is something we hope to one day have the opportunity to do.
Not only are you able to avoid the airline check-in process, but also there are no security lines or baggage claims to speak of. I’ve been fortunate enough to do a small amount of touring on a private jet, and I can attest to the fact that it is pretty great. However, not all private jets are created equal. It is important to speak about the differences so you know what to expect and can prepare accordingly.
Some jets are very small, seating only four to six people with next to no room for luggage. Even when taking a flight on a very light jet, you will reap some of the benefits of private air travel. You still bypass security and won’t be overcharged for a cocktail, but you may have less room in the cabin and be unable to stand up.
Other private jets are rather large and able to hold a fair amount of people, all their personal belongings, and even the production gear. Some touring artists will hire a commercial airliner for private charter, making that aircraft a private jet for that particular flight. Perhaps no one did this better than Iron Maiden when they chartered a Boeing 747 in 2016. Known as Ed Force One, the plane not only carried the band, crew and production gear, it was also piloted by the band’s lead singer Bruce Dickinson! Pretty amazing. Thankfully for those of us who don’t work for Iron Maiden, there are still private jets to get us from show to show. And most of us appreciate the opportunity to experience private air travel.
The most important consideration when traveling via a private jet for live shows is what sort of production you plan to carry. A G5 looks as though it could carry a lot of gear, but the reality is that the cargo holds on these jets are not big at all. This is by design however, because the amount of weight these aircraft can safely handle is not nearly what you might think. And most people traveling on these aircraft are not carrying enough luggage to require a large amount of space, therefore the cargo hold does not need to be very large.
As with anything related to production, you must do your homework well in advance. In this case, a call to your aircraft broker is necessary to obtain the cargo hold dimensions and the weight allowance for the particular aircraft you’ll be traveling in. Compare this information to the specs of the gear you’d like to travel with and see what is realistic. While you may not be restricted to the commercial flight limit of seventy pounds per piece, the gross weight of your fly pack may still restrict what you bring.
For the private jet tour that I was a part of, we used the cargo hold dimensions to mock up a gear pack to see if the entire fly pack would fit. We marked out the footprint on the floor, and taking the curve of the aircraft into consideration we attempted to fit it all in that space.  This practice run offered us the peace of mind that we would be ok when it came time to fly.
If the aircraft assigned to your flight can fit your fly pack and everyone's personal items, consider yourself lucky. But it’s important to mention that small airports and charter companies don’t utilize the convenient baggage conveyor-belt trucks with a motorized belt to load and unload your gear. Instead, you're expected to hand each piece over your head to the pilot, who will then place it in the cargo hold for transport. Something to consider when debating whether or not you’ll take a heavy workbox, or a trap case full of drum hardware.
If you have crunched the numbers and it’s evident that your fly pack will not fit in the cargo hold, you’ll be required have your gear shipped via cargo. Have it delivered to the venue on show day, and picked back up following the show to be shipped to its next destination. If your schedule has you doing many shows involving private jet travel, this will require a fair amount of logistics planning in the weeks leading up to the tour. Make sure that every single move is accounted for and scheduled in advance, and if you’re thorough and have every detail covered you can expect an enjoyable experience. Stepping directly onto a plane after the show will always beat the airport scramble of checking in a fly pack, clearing the security checkpoint, waiting at the departure gate, before finally getting to your coach seat where you’re seated in between two strangers.
As always, knowing your limitations in advance is of utmost importance. I’ve heard horror stories of bands showing up to the airport excited for their private jet experience, only to find out that their gear wouldn’t fit requiring they catch a last-minute commercial flight to make it to their gig. Don't let that happen to you.

Wishing you safe and enjoyable travels!