Method and system for providing and managing a fractional aircraft ownership program

• US 8,244,549 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2002
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SJS Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: SJS Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Stener, Gavin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruhl, Dennis
• Application Number:
  US10/122,644
• Time in Patent Office: 3,778 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/1.1, 705/6
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events

Abstract

A method and system for providing fractional ownership of an aircraft. The method includes operating the aircraft under an FAA certification that permits the sale of aircraft capacity. Fractional owners of the aircraft, at least one of the fractional owners may be a syndicate having multiple members. The syndicate members may be managed on behalf of the syndicate. One FAA certification that permits the sale of aircraft capacity includes FAR Part 135. Additionally, the syndicate members may be billed usage fees on behalf of the syndicate, where the usage fees are billed proportional to use of the aircraft. Available capacity of the aircraft may be resold to other fractional owners and syndicate members.

Claims

1. A method for operating a management computer system that coordinates flight schedules and aircraft capacity on one or more fractionally owned aircraft, said method comprising:

providing electronic information regarding one or more fractional owned aircraft to be managed by the management computer system to the management computer system, said electronic information regarding one or more fractional owned aircraft including aircraft identification information,

providing electronic information to the management computer system regarding a plurality of owners of each of said one or more fractional owned aircraft, said plurality of owners having shared access and control over each of said one or more fractional owned aircraft, and said electronic information regarding a plurality of owners including owner identification information and authorization information allowing the owner to reserve the fractional owned aircraft for a potential flight;

providing electronic information to the management computer system regarding one or more members of a managed group upon registration of said one or more members with the managed group, each of said members of said managed group being a potential passenger on a future flight using the fractional aircraft to be reserved in the future by said one or more owners, said information including personal information regarding the member, address information, location information, said management computer system coordinating flight and aircraft capacity of the fractionally owned aircraft and notifying selected members of a managed group about available aircraft capacity on one or more fractional owned aircraft reserved by one of said owners, wherein said selected members of the managed group includes only a certain subset of all the owners and members that have registered with the management computer system;

receiving an electronic booking request by the management computer system from one or more owners of said one or more of the fractional owned aircraft, said management computer system processing the booking request from one or more of said owners to reserve one of the fractionally owned aircraft for a specified flight;

providing potential passenger criteria information in an electronic form to the management computer system, said potential passenger criteria information is specified by the owner reserving one or more fractional aircraft to describe the characteristics of potential members of the managed group that said owner would most prefer to have the management computer system offer available aircraft capacity on said fractional owned aircraft reserved by the owner;

comparing performed by the management computer system of the potential passenger criteria information against the information regarding members provided to the management computer system to determine which members of the managed group best fit the potential passenger criteria provided to the management computer system, said comparison resulting into said select subset of members of the managed group that are closely correlated to the potential passenger criteria, said select subset of members being notified about available capacity on the flight booked by said owner of the fractional owned aircraft;

transmitting an electronic communication from the management computer system to said selected subset of members in the managed group based on the results of the comparison, said communication offering the selected member available aircraft capacity on the flight booked by the owner without transmitting communications to every member of the managed group;

receiving an electronic response by the management computer system from one or more of said selected members indicating that member'"'"'s desire to occupy said available capacity specified in the electronic notification relating to said flight booked by the owner; and

coordinating the departure of the fractional owned aircraft reserved by the owner with the owner and one or more selected members of the managed group that affirmatively responded to the notification message transmitted by the management computer system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the available aircraft capacity includes either passenger seating or freight cargo capacity on the fractional owned aircraft.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the qualified members include individual members or business entities members are associated with.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the owners of the fractionally owned aircraft have at least a partial share of ownership in said aircraft.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising preparing a billing statement to be sent by the management computer system to the travelers on the flight specifying flight usage fees.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the flight usage fees are billed proportional to use of the aircraft.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein registering for membership to the membership group includes agreeing to a minimum time duration of usage.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the minimum time duration is one flight a month.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing the owners with passenger sharing options for aircraft usage.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the passenger sharing options consist of exclusive and shared aircraft usage.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

establishing a reservation response time span when the management computer system substantially guarantees availability of the available aircraft capacity to the selected members.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the reservation time span is a maximum of approximately twenty-four hours.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

communicating to other fractional owners with a notification about the available capacity on the booked flight for the fractionally owned aircraft.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

reselling available capacity on the fractional owned aircraft to other fractional owners in the managed group.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said reselling includes selling the available capacity to an individual nominated by a fractional owner.

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising performing a background check by the management computer system on one or more selected members receiving a notification of available capacity on the specified flight.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the background check includes at least one of the following:

identity, criminal background, nationality, resident status, veracity, and credit.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication to qualified members regarding available capacity on the aircraft is transmitted over an electronic network from the management computer system.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said communication is transmitted wirelessly to the qualified members over the electronic network.

20. The method according to claim 13, wherein the available capacity is on a deadhead portion of flight travel of the aircraft.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the available capacity is on a deadhead portion of flight travel of the aircraft.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein said management computer system is capable of notifying selected members about available capacity on the aircraft on a per seat basis.

23. The method according to claim 1, wherein said management computer system uses a database to perform the comparison of the submitted criteria information against information maintained regarding said members of said managed group, said database including information associated with the fractional owners and members.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the database further includes contact information associated with the owners and members.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the contact information includes electronic contact information.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the electronic contact information includes wireless electronic contact information.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the contact information is utilized to notify the selected members of available capacity on the aircraft.

28. The method according to claim 1, wherein said management computer system is operated by a management computer system operator.

29. The method according to claim 1, wherein said management system operator is an entity other than a fractional owner.

30. The method according to claim 1, wherein said management computer system also performs accounting services related to the flight operation.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein a billing statement is prepared by the management computer system.

32. A management computer system that supports management services for a managed group and one or more fractionally owned aircraft, said system comprising:

(1) an input/output communication port on the management computer system that receives and transmits communications related to the management computer system services, said communications include;

transmissions received by the management computer identifying one or more fractional owned aircraft to be managed by the management computer system,

transmissions received by the management computer system regarding a plurality of owners of each of said one or more fractional owned aircraft, said plurality of owners having shared access and control over each of said one or more fractional owned aircraft, said transmission including owner identification information and authorization information allowing the owner to reserve the fractional owned aircraft for a potential flight;

transmissions received by the management computer system registering one or more members of a managed group, each of said members of said managed group being a potential passenger on a future flight that uses the fractional aircraft as reserved by said one or more owners, including personal information regarding the member, address information, member location information,

booking request transmissions received by the management computer system as transmitted from one or more owners of one or more of the fractional owned aircraft;

said booking request transmission processed by the management computer system to reserve one of the fractionally owned aircraft for a specified flight;

potential passenger criteria transmissions received by the management computer system as specified by the owner reserving one or more fractional aircraft, said criteria describe the characteristics of potential members of the managed group that said owner would most prefer to have the management computer system offer available aircraft capacity on said specified flight to be flown on the fractional owned aircraft;

notification transmissions sent by the management computer system to a selected subset of members in the managed group based on the results of a comparison, said notification offering the selected members available aircraft capacity on the specified flight reserved by the owner without transmitting communications to every member of the managed group;

response transmissions received by the management computer system from one or more of said selected members indicating that member'"'"'s desire to occupy said available capacity on the specified flight;

(2) a database coupled to said management computer system having information related to members of the managed group, information related to one or more fractionally owned aircraft, and information related to fractional owners capable of booking said one or more fractionally owned aircraft, wherein said managed group includes fractional aircraft owners and potential passengers that have registered as members of the managed group;

(3) a comparator coupled to the database in the management computer system that compares one or more criteria for potential passengers from the members in the managed group as provided by the fractional owner, said criteria describing the characteristics of a potential passenger among the members in the managed group that said owner reserving said one of fractional owned aircraft would most prefer the management computer system to send a notification transmission offering available aircraft capacity on the specified flight, against member information retained in the database to determine the best fit for potential passengers from the members in the managed group that should be notified about available capacity on the specified flight booked on the fractionally owned aircraft, said potential passengers being a selected subset of the members in the managed group;

(4) an interactive processor that reviews the results obtained from the comparator and prepares a communication from the management computer system to said selected members of the managed group, said communication offering the selected members available aircraft capacity on the specified flight reserved by the fractional owner without transmitting communications to every member of the managed group;

said processor processes said responses received by the management computer system from one or more of said selected members indicating that member'"'"'s desire to occupy said available capacity on said specified flight.

33. The system according to claim 32 wherein available aircraft capacity includes passenger or freight cargo capacity on the aircraft.

34. The system according to claim 32, wherein the database supporting the management system retains information about specific passenger sharing options during aircraft usage.

35. The system according to claim 32, wherein the database stores a listing of member criteria.

36. A management computer system having a database that supports scheduling services for members in a managed group and one or more fractionally owned aircraft, comprising:

an input/output communication port for a management system that receives and transmits communications related to the management computer system services, said communications include;

transmissions received by the management computer identifying one or more fractional owned aircraft to be managed by the management computer system,

transmissions received by the management computer system regarding a plurality of owners of each of said one or more fractional owned aircraft, said plurality of owners having shared access and control over each of said one or more fractional owned aircraft, said transmission including owner identification information and authorization information allowing the owner to reserve the fractional owned aircraft for a potential flight;

transmissions received by the management computer system registering one or more members of a managed group, each of said members of said managed group being a potential passenger on a future flight that uses the fractional aircraft as reserved by said one or more owners,

booking request transmissions received by the management computer system as transmitted from one or more owners of one or more of the fractional owned aircraft, said booking request transmission processed by the management computer system to reserve one of the fractionally owned aircraft for a specified flight;

potential passenger criteria transmissions received by the management computer system as specified by the owner reserving one or more fractional aircraft, said criteria describe the characteristics of potential members of the managed group that said owner would most prefer to have the management computer system offer available aircraft capacity on said specified flight to be flown on the fractional owned aircraft;

notification transmissions sent by the management computer system to a selected subset of members in the managed group based on the results of a comparison, said notification offering the selected members available aircraft capacity on the specified flight reserved by the owner without transmitting communications to every member of the managed group;

response transmissions received by the management computer system from one or more of said selected members indicating that member'"'"'s desire to occupy said available capacity on the specified flight;

a database coupled to said management computer system, said database possessing a list of members of the managed group, a list of one or more fractionally owned aircraft operated in such a manner to provide available aircraft capacity and a list of fractional owners capable of booking said aircraft capacity, wherein said members of the managed group includes owners of each of said fractional owned aircraft and potential aircraft passengers that have registered as members of the managed group;

said database having data entries on the database that include;

(i) a list of fractional owners of one or more aircraft; and

(ii) account information associated with management group members;

a comparator in the managed system that compares one or more criteria for potential qualified members provided by the fractional owner, said criteria describing the characteristics of an individual that would most preferably be offered available aircraft capacity on the flight booked on said fractional owned aircraft by the owner, against information submitted by the members of the management group so the management system can determine which selected subset of members of the managed group are notified about available capacity on the flight booked on the fractionally owned aircraft;

an interactive processor that reviews the results obtained from the comparator and prepares communication transmissions from the management computer system to said selected members, said communication transmissions offering the selected members available aircraft capacity on the specified flight reserved by the fractional owner without transmitting communications to every member of the managed system;

said processor on the management system processes a response from one or more of said selected members indicating their desire to occupy said available capacity on said flight reserved by the fractional owner.

37. The system according to claim 36, wherein member information includes electronic contact information associated with management group members.

38. The system according to claim 37, wherein the electronic contact information includes at least one of the following:

telephone numbers, email addresses, and wireless device addresses.

39. The system according to claim 36, the communication to qualified members includes an anticipated price on a per seat basis set by the fractional owners.

40. The system according to claim 36, wherein the member information includes personal information regarding the member, address information, member location information.

41. A method for operating a management computer system that manages scheduling and capacity on one or more fractional owned aircraft, said method comprising:

providing a management computer system to support management services for one or more fractionally owned aircraft, said management computer system receives the following information electronically;

aircraft identification information regarding one or more fractional owned aircraft to be managed by the management computer system,

owner identification information with owner authorization information, said owner identification information identifying a plurality of owners of each of said one or more fractional owned aircraft, said plurality of owners having shared access and control over each of said one or more fractional owned aircraft, and said owner authorization information allowing the owner to reserve the fractional owned aircraft for a potential flight;

member information including the member name, address information, location information for one or more members of a managed group upon registration of said one or more members with the managed group, each of said members of said managed group being a potential passenger on a future flight using the fractional aircraft to be reserved in the future by said one or more owners,

receiving an electronic booking request by the management computer system from one or more owners of said one or more of the fractional owned aircraft, said management computer system processing the booking request from one or more of said owners to reserve one of the fractionally owned aircraft for a specified flight;

receiving potential passenger criteria information in an electronic form by the management computer system, said potential passenger criteria information is specified by the owner reserving one or more fractional aircraft to describe the characteristics of potential members of the managed group that said owner would most prefer to have the management computer system to offer available aircraft capacity on said fractional owned aircraft reserved by the owner;

comparing on the management computer system one or more criteria for members provided by the fractional owner, said criteria describing the characteristics of an individual that would most preferably be offered available aircraft capacity on the specified flight booked on said fractional owned aircraft by the owner, against member information submitted by the members of the managed group;

determining by the management computer system which members of the managed group being most closely correlated to the personal criteria information submitted by the owner, said closely correlated members being classified as a qualified member that should be notified about available capacity on the specified flight booked on the fractionally owned aircraft;

transmitting a communication from the management system to said selected qualified members, said communication offering the selected qualified members about available aircraft capacity on the flight booked by the fractional owner without transmitting communications to every member of the managed group;

receiving a response by the management system from one or more of said selected qualified members indicating that member'"'"'s desire to occupy said available capacity on said flight booked by the fractional owner;

coordinating flight support and aircraft capacity of the fractionally owned aircraft by the management computer system to support use of the fractional owned aircraft on the specified flight with the owner of the fractional owned aircraft and one or more selected qualified members being passengers on said specified flight.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein a billing statement is prepared by the management computer system for the owner and one or more qualified members.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein the billing statement includes fees on the per seat basis.

44. The method according to claim 41, wherein a billing statement is generated by the management computer system.

45. The method according to claim 41, further comprising:

collecting fees from the individual that traveling on the flight.

46. The method according to claim 41, further comprising:

receiving owner information by the management computer system as a member of the managed group.

47. The method according to claim 46, wherein the members include at least one of an individual and business entity.

48. The method according to claim 41, wherein the aircraft operates under a certificate allowing charging of fees.

49. A method for operating a management computer system for coordinating flights and capacity on one or more fractional owned aircraft each owned by and under the shared control of one or more fractional owners, said method comprising:

providing electronic information to the management computer system regarding the identification of one or more owners of said fractional owned aircraft and a plurality of members of a managed group,

receiving a request from a first fractional owner of one of said fractional owned aircraft by the management computer system to book a specified flight on said fractional owned aircraft, said booking request from one or more of said owners reserves one of the fractionally owned aircraft for the specified flight through the management computer system;

receiving personal criteria for potential passengers from said owner of said fractional owned aircraft by the management computer system;

comparing said personal criteria for potential passengers provided by the fractional owner to the management computer system, said criteria describing the characteristics of an individual that would most prefer be offered available aircraft capacity, against members information of members in the managed group so the management computer system can determine which selected members of the managed group are to be notified about available capacity on the flight booked on the fractionally owned aircraft;

notifying the selected members of the managed group from the management computer system about available capacity on the specified flight;

receiving responses by the management computer system from one or more selected members with an indication that said selected member wishes to use that available capacity on the specified flight;

coordinating the scheduling of the specified flight under command and control of the fractional owner and the occupancy of the fractional owned aircraft by the selected members responding to the request.

50. The method according to claim 49, further comprising:

billing the fractional owner for the shared flight on a per seat basis.

51. The method according to claim 50, wherein the cost of the shared flight for the fractional owner is set by the management computer system.

52. The method according to claim 49, further comprising determining flight time of the shared flight;

apportioning the flight time between one or more of the fractional owners by the management computer system; and

billing the fractional owners based on the apportioned flight time.

53. The method according to claim 49, further comprising operating the aircraft under a certification that permits the allocation of occupancy of aircraft capacity.

54. The method according to claim 49, wherein said notifying includes transmitting an electronic message.

55. The method according to claim 49, wherein fractional owners includes a plurality of members of said managed group.