September 09, 2007

Linear Update

From the BusinessWire.


CONCORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Linear Air, the premier air-taxi service that is revolutionizing personal air transportation, has announced the anticipated first flight of their Eclipse 500 Very Light Jet (VLJ) for mid-September. This flight will mark the first customer trip for a VLJ in the Northeast by the Concord, MA based air-taxi service, headed by President and CEO Bill Herp.

The Eclipse 500, manufactured by Albuquerque, New Mexico based Eclipse Aviation Corporation, is the first of a new class of aircraft called Very Light Jets, or VLJs. The cutting edge technology on board this revolutionary aircraft cuts the cost of personal jet travel in half, making private air travel accessible to millions more than currently in existence. The Eclipse 500 cruises at over 400 miles per hour, accommodates 4 passengers with 2 pilots, and has a range of over 1,000 miles.

By adding this jet to their fleet, Linear Air strives to make private jet travel more accessible to a wide-range of businesspeople, with prices not far above commercial airlines first-class or last-minute fares. Over the next two years, Linear Airs VLJ fleet will grow to 30, allowing the company to expand its existing propjet service within point-to-point 500-mile regional networks around major metropolitan areas.







We could not be more excited to be the first air-taxi service in the Northeast to offer service on this revolutionary jet, says Bill Herp, President and CEO of Linear Air. The fact is, this VLJ and the additional fleet weve ordered will make a seamless transition into our current business model allowing customers immediate access to cutting-edge aviation.

Currently, Linear Air operates the largest on-demand fleet of executive Cessna Grand Caravan propjets in the U.S. With the addition of this first VLJ and another three by the end of the year for a total of four in 2007, Linear Air will continue to provide customers the ability to set a custom schedule with attractive fares, convenience and flexibility, now with additional speed and efficiency - a car service with wings type experience.

Linear Air is planning a launch event with its first customer aboard the VLJ later this month. Local dignitaries, officials from the Massachusetts Port Authority and Hanscom Field Airport (a Linear Air base of operations), will join Herp to celebrate this historic occasion.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

According to Mr Nemeths column today, the Hanover Theatre (a non profit entity a.k.a. "The Hand It Over Theatre") has rec'd $17M "from public sources". Nice, huh?

But I almost fell off my chair when I read: "free parking will be provided [for the theatre] at a miniciapal garage across the street".

Now I am not an advocate of the city providing free parking for any business, but how would you feel if your Worcester, for profit, property tax paying business (or house) was in dire need of add'l parking and you pick up the paper and read about yet another hand out for this new theaatre!

Where do the municipals give aways end and the City can afford to forego this parking revenue...yet they wont allow free parking at Worcester Airport??

I truly hope the electorate turn out in massive numbers this Tuesday and run quite a few of these city councilllors outta town on the always late MBTA line. The council had to have voted this, right??

Bill Randell said...

Jahn:

I knew that the Hanover Theatre received alot of monies, but 17 million!! Let us not forget the 200,000 in fees. Also, sorry missed, the part about the free parking.

Admitedly there are not many cars parking there at night, but what about allowing people who live downtown via a paid sticker, letting them park there at night to promote people actually living downtown?

Funny isn't it that Mr Nemeth hardly ever ponticated about the airport anymore??

Anonymous said...

bILL DO YOU THINK THAt when/if the old Tianos on PearL st re-opens as a restaurant that they will get free parking at the Pearl Elm Parking garage.............likewise for Maxwell Silvermans and the Parking garage on Worc center Blvd and central st...........and how about free parking fro Restaurant row on Shrewsbury at the new garage in progress at Unions station...........

My point is ...is the interest of parity......why shouldnt these for profit, property tax paying entertainment/dining venues have free parking provided by the city.........whats good for the goose is good for the gander.....whats given to non tax paying businesses by the city should also be given to the for profit enities as well.

Bill Randell said...

Jahn:

Agreed. What do you Foothills thinks of free parkng for Hanover?


BIll

Anonymous said...

Did you get your reports on the airlines?

Anonymous said...

Now I am not a theatre afficianado, nor am a marketing guru and I am clueless about this type of business..............but if Showcase Cinemas cannot get kids, Mr & Mrs Joe Sixpack, Families, teens, dating couples and the like to come to the old Showcase cinema that was at the site of the new Hanover Theatre............then how can Hanover get the artsy theatre types to come to the new theatre.

Just doesnt seem like the type of area they would frequent........and if it costs theatre types mucho dollars for theater tickets...then why cant they pay a few more bucks to the city to park..........just think of it....we're essentailly subsidizing the parking of the more well heeled theatre crowd.

Did Showcase get free parking when they were there? Not that i can recall. Do the patrons of the Red Baron (it is still there?) get free parking. Nope. How about the employees of the Small Business Service Bureau?

Anyone ever wonder why we're bursting at the seams w/non profits and all for profit entities are fleeing Worcester?

If this was taxable property and lets say its worth $15M when done...thats 180,000 in lost property tax revenue (assuming a $12 comm. rate)........thats 3 cops or teachers