Is Fractional Jet Ownership Extravagant? It’s all relative.
Many of us worry a bit about appearing too extravagant to colleagues and friends by investing in a private jet, whether through fractional jet ownership, a jet card, or even private charter. Well, as wonderful and luxurious as the fractional jet options truly are, it pales in comparison to another option that takes extravagance up another 10,000 feet or so.
A story in this week’s Newsweek, entitled “Pimp My Jet,” provides an interesting look at super-luxurious private jets, such as customized Boeing 787’s.
A company called Gore Design, based in Texas, helps complete the jets to personal specs. Jerry and Kathy Gore are the firm’s founders. They help clients get exactly what the want. At least most of the time.
The Gores say their business is driven by their clients’ desire for comfort. By the time the designers finish a plane, it may contain a stateroom or two, lavish bathrooms, plasma televisions, surround-sound audio, couches and reclining chairs. “It’s like taking off in your living room,” says Kathy. There are some things they can’t provide: sorry, Jacuzzi tubs are too heavy for airplanes. (The Sultan of Brunei had one installed years ago, but its weight caused the plane’s range, speed and fuel efficiency to plummet.) One customer wanted a gym, but Gore’s designers worried heavy dumbbells wouldn’t pass FAA muster, so they declined. Still, the company routinely fills planes with custom cabinetry, gold fixtures, videoconferencing systems and showers (some sized for multiple occupants). None of this comes cheap: completion bills run anywhere from $15 million to $60 million per plane, and that’s on top of the $50 million or more to buy a new jetliner from Boeing or Airbus.
All of a sudden, I’m no longer feeling so worried about appearing extravagant. Are you?
