Travel$ense User's Guide (PDF, 139 MB) - NBAA

156TRAVEL$ENSEAviation Data Service, Inc. (AvData, Inc.) of Wichita, KS, annually publishes acomprehensive evaluation of the Fortune 500 companies. Year after year theAvData analysis reveals that those of the Fortune 500 family that operateaircraft do substantially better for their stockholders than those that do notoperate aircraft.While there are many reasons that contribute to this finding, many companiesfind it appropriate to conduct business in areas where the lower cost offacilities, labor and taxes can provide a competitive advantage, and where anyremoteness from commercial air service can be overcome by the successfuloperation of business aircraft.Incidentally, whereas the Fortune 500 companies represent an importantsource of business aircraft use, it is interesting to note that these 500companies operate only about 13 percent of the nation’s business aircraft fleet.The many other (usually smaller) companies outside of Fortune 500 also haveinteresting stories to tell about the value of business aircraft in improving theirprofitability.Business aircraft operations represent vital elements in many successfulcompanies. These include use by emerging companies and long establishedcorporations as well as by alert individual entrepreneurs.AvData publishes a report every year concerning aviation activity amongFortune 500 companies. Typically, about two thirds of the Fortune 500companies own business aircraft. AvData’s research further indicates that theseaircraft owners enjoy a net income as percent of sales that is significantly higherthan nonowning companies. Indeed, many companies are finding that businessaircraft can provide a competitive edge and/or increased utilization ofmanagerial resources, which increase the opportunity for higher profits.Quantification of the value of business aircraft can be helpful to individual usersin convincing stockholders or others as to the financial wisdom of operatingbusiness aircraft. In addition, the acceptance of charging costs associated withbusiness aircraft operations as a fully legitimate business expense is becomingmuch more widely accepted. Travel$ense provides one of the best and onlymethods for quantifying the financial benefits of business aircraft operations.Employee Time SavingsThe most valuable aspects of business aircraft use flow from personnel timesavings gained in lieu of using commercial airlines. These time savings resultfrom four fundamental advantages.1. Departure and arrival times are most efficient for the business traveler,with minimal idle time before and after the flight.2. Reliever airports used are closer to the trip origin and destination than aircarrier airports and offer less traffic congestion.Copyright © 1999, National Business Aviation Association, Inc.