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DayJet plans to revolutionize charter with 239 Eclipse jets that it already has on order. Somebody has been revolutionizing charter since the Wright Brothers first charged for a sightseeing ride, but I’m still a sucker for a new idea.

DayJet is another of those aviation companies formed by smart business people with past successes in other industries. I’d laugh, but I remember laughing at FedEx, so I restrain myself.

DayJet has several new—or almost new—ideas. First, the company spent much time and money on a unique computer program that will supposedly work miracles. I don’t understand that program, so will not discuss it.  

Second, DayJet has those 239 Eclipse VLJs on order, and VLJs have been much heralded as being the future of the charter business. I still have doubts, but many people with money and brains are betting on it.

Third, DayJet is going to sell charter by the seat. You can buy a seat for a trip instead of an entire airplane and will share an airplane with others who bought individual seats. This reminds me of the old round piston engines; when looking at the diagram I can understand how the master cylinder works, but not when you take the diagram away. Likewise, when I read the news stories on DayJet—in every publication from The Wall Street Journal down—this on-demand charter by the seat makes sense to me. When I try to explain it, however, I get confused.

Finally, DayJet has the one new idea that truly fascinates me: They plan to operate on short legs between only a few cities that are, as they say, “underserved” by the airlines. Now that might make the difference. DayJet will start with only five such “DayPorts,” in Florida: Pensacola, Tallahassee, Gainesville, Lakeland, and Boca Raton. Expansion is planned into other southern cities.

I wonder—has aviation ever had so many new ideas to watch at once?

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