In researching the Decision Guide to Private Jet Travel, we were impressed by the safety commitment and infrastructure of Sentient Jet Membership. When it comes to market leader NetJets (and Marquis Jet), everyone has high expectations and an equally high regard for their infrastructure and investment in safety. In the charter arena, however, some companies’ notion of safety is merely complying with the FAA’s rules. The rules are complex and exhaustive, but careful operators supplement these rules with additional precautions and assurances.

Sentient is a fast-growing leader in the charter card business. They prefer the term “jet membership,” and argue convincingly that their services are higher-end than the typical charter-sourced provider. For a deposit of $100,000, members may reserve jets at guaranteed hourly rates with ten hours notice (more for peak days). The hourly charges are pro-rated to the actual flight time, plus the customary 12 minutes for taxiing and 7.5% excise tax.

To qualify for a round-trip, there must be two billable hours for each calendar day before returning. “Preferred” jets are newer (average four years old); “select” jets are a bit older. By depositing $250,000 instead of $100,000, members enjoy one hour daily minimums on light and medium jets, rather than the typical two hours.

On these terms, Sentient is in line with other providers. What caught our attention during interviews with company managers was the emphasis placed on safety, and the programs the company has implemented. The company sports both a Chief Safety Officer and a separate, independent Safety Advisory Board, which includes the former Director of the FAA Office of Accident Investigation, a former FAA administrator, former lead investigator of the NTSB, a chief pilot for Flightworks and the President of TWC Aviation. Helium Report defines Sentient as a “defined fleet” broker, meaning that Sentient has a specific relationship with its supplying operators, rather than simply taking all Part-135 qualified comers. To qualify, operators need a Gold rating from third-party rating firm ARG/US. According to ARG/US,

For those operators who provide data on the aircraft operated, and the pilots employed, ARG/US will evaluate for a Gold Rating. The Gold level is assigned to operators who meet or exceed the established ARG/US standards for equipment and crew experience. The emphasis is not only age of aircraft, but also on modern avionics, progressive maintenance, and proven safety devices such as TCAD/TCAS, FMS, and TAWS/GPWS.

The acronyms denote special systems for avoiding traffic, collisions, ground terrain, and for managing flight data parameters. The ARG/US rating defines the operator’s overall safety capability, and is augmented by Sentient’s separate qualification and documentation requirements. Finally, each individual flight is monitored by the TripCHEQ program, jointly developed with ARG/US.

Sentient doesn’t hold a monopoly on safety; they’re just focused organizationally and emphatic in their positioning. To judge providers for yourself, Helium Report suggests you understand how your provider’s safety procedures are formed and administered. To whom does the safety officer report? To an operations executive? To the CEO? To the board? Who has the authority to delay or cancel a flight? By asking enough questions, you’ll get a sense of your provider’s commitment. Do their answers revolve around the FAA regulated minimums, or do they reflect a focussed corporate priority? Our upcoming Decision Guide to Private Jet Travel includes a series of safety-related questions worth posing to prospective providers before you make your decision. You may request your free copy here.