How do I start a small airline business?

Question

What do i need besides money and how much money too. And it will be part time to my other job which i make a lot too

Answer 1

i always wanted to do something like that. contact me. i know a relatively large amount on the subject.

you can lease planes, instead of buying them. you can also have major airlines do the paperwork and plane maintenance (for a fee of course. companies like Delta and American will do it.)

your best bet is to find a niche. i can help.

theres a saying about what the quickest way to become a millionaire is. the answer "start an airline as a billionaire." but that wont deter anyone with a passion for aviation and business

Answer 2

your better off starting a flight school

and use that corporation to buy planes

I know your looking for a tax write off, one that your can write off a plane with!

Answer 3

There is no way to do this part time, it's just not the right kind of industry. Even a small charter service with one airplane would cost $500,000 minimum to start. You'd need a decent plane, and a commercial pilot, plus hangar space, an arrangement with an aircraft mechanic to do maintenance. You'd need to do advertising to earn business. Between salaries and aircraft maintenance and fuel you're looking at spending $200,000 per year, so you'd need at least that much revenue.

It sounds like you're looking for a business to own, not run. But anything low scale enough to be feasible as a sideline is also very hard to make money at if you have to hire someone to do what ever work you would have done as the owner operator.

Maybe try a video store, or a franchise restaurant.

Answer 4

How much money?  

For a small regional charter/semi-scheduled company using cabin-class light planes, about $50 million.

For a scheduled airline with transport category jet airplanes, about $5 billion.

Part time?  No way.  Being a start-up entrepreneur is a Full-Time job.

Answer 5

The FAA certification process alone will take a couple years and a few $million.

Best thing to do is find an airline about to go under & buy the certificate.

Small airlines nowadays contract with majors to supply regional feed;  they pay you for each flight, then they sell the tickets.  All the passengers and ticket revenue belong to the major -- you just fly the plane and collect a fee.