Liftbrief / Do-it-yourself game plans
Stage 2: How do you check aircraft fit without pretending to be a dispatcher?
Use published specifications to shortlist; require the operating carrier to confirm the actual mission.
A useful illustration is Textron’s Citation CJ4 Gen2 product card: its performance assumptions specify standard-day, zero-wind conditions, and its range figure is based on a ferry mission. Those assumptions are not equivalent to your passenger-loaded charter. (cessna.txtav.com)
Whether comparing a Phenom 300 with a Citation CJ4 or asking whether a midsize jet can fly coast to coast non-stop, send the same six questions:
- Seating: How many suitable passenger seats are available in the proposed configuration? Identify any lavatory seat or other non-standard seating assumption.
- Baggage: Can the stated items be loaded and secured? Confirm dimensions and weight, not only aggregate baggage volume.
- Payload and range: Is the proposed passenger-and-baggage load compatible with the intended route? What conditions could require a fuel stop?
- Airport suitability: Has the operator assessed the proposed airports and relevant operating restrictions?
- Schedule: Can the itinerary be supported by the assigned aircraft and crew, including the intended return or onward legs?
- Substitution: What minimum cabin, baggage and mission capabilities must a replacement satisfy?
What should an aircraft-fit matrix look like?
Use one row per proposed aircraft or category:
| Requirement | Buyer’s requirement | Supplier’s evidence | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger seating | Eight acceptable cabin seats | Configuration and current photographs | Confirmed / pending / mismatch |
| Baggage | Eight cases plus specified equipment | Written loading assessment | Confirmed / pending / mismatch |
| Non-stop requirement | Required or preferred | Operator’s mission assessment and caveats | Confirmed for planning / conditional |
| Arrival deadline | At meeting location by stated time | Flight plan assumptions plus ground-transfer allowance | Feasible / conditional / infeasible |
| Substitute aircraft | Defined minimum capability | Contract clause and proposed approval process | Accepted / unresolved |
The distinction between confirmed for planning and guaranteed regardless of conditions matters. Do not ask a supplier to override operational limits to preserve an itinerary.
Stage gate: do not compare a smaller aircraft requiring a stop with a larger non-stop option as though the two proposals buy identical journeys.