Private Aviation Glossary
Private aviation has a vocabulary of its own — terms borrowed from commercial aviation, FAA regulations, and industry practice. This glossary cuts through the jargon with plain-English definitions written for travelers, not pilots. Every term links to a full definition page with FAQs, sources, and context on how SkyAccess uses each standard.
Empty Leg Flight
An empty leg flight is a one-way private jet flight sold at a discount because the aircraft has to fly without passengers to its next paid booking. Empty legs are typically priced 25 to 75% below a comparable full charter, with the discount widening as the departure window narrows.
Learn more →Deadhead Flight
A deadhead flight is a non-revenue positioning flight where the aircraft (and often the crew) flies without paying passengers to be in position for the next paid booking. Operators sell deadheads as empty legs at 25 to 75% below a comparable full charter.
Learn more →Repositioning Flight
A repositioning flight is a non-revenue flight that moves a private aircraft from one airport to another to be in position for its next paid booking. When opened for sale to passengers, it becomes an empty leg priced 25 to 75% below a comparable full charter.
Learn more →FBO (Fixed-Base Operator)
An FBO (Fixed-Base Operator) is a private aviation terminal at an airport that provides fuel, hangar, ground handling, and passenger services to private jets, including every empty leg flight. FBOs are where private jet passengers actually arrive and depart; they don't use the commercial terminal.
Learn more →FAA Part 135 Certification
FAA Part 135 is the federal regulation governing non-scheduled commercial air transportation in the United States. Every legitimate private jet charter and empty leg flight is operated under a Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate, the single most important safety standard in private aviation.
Learn more →Wyvern Rating
Wyvern is a private safety-audit firm that rates Part 135 charter operators on two main tiers (Registered, Wingman). Wyvern is the second-largest third-party charter safety auditor in the US after ARGUS; ratings are voluntary and reviewed annually.
Learn more →ARGUS Rating
ARGUS is a private safety-audit firm that rates Part 135 charter operators on three tiers (Gold, Gold Plus, Platinum). An ARGUS rating is a voluntary third-party signal that the operator has passed an independent audit of pilot qualifications, safety management, and operational history.
Learn more →
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is private aviation?
- Private aviation refers to non-commercial and charter flights on privately operated aircraft. Unlike commercial airlines, private flights operate on the passenger's schedule, depart from FBOs (Fixed-Base Operators) rather than commercial terminals, and are operated under FAA Part 135 certificates (in the US) rather than Part 121 airline certificates.
- What is an empty leg flight?
- An empty leg flight is a one-way private jet trip sold at a discount because the aircraft has to reposition without passengers to reach its next paid booking. Empty legs are typically priced 25 to 75% below a comparable full charter, with the same aircraft, crew, and FAA Part 135 safety standards as a full-price charter.
- How does SkyAccess vet its operators?
- SkyAccess verifies that every operator holds a valid Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate (or international equivalent) before allowing them to list inventory. Additional safety credentials — ARGUS ratings (Gold, Gold Plus, Platinum) and Wyvern audits (Registered, Wingman) — are displayed on each operator profile and used for pre-flight Trip CHEQ / PASS checks on the booking day.
Looking for live empty leg flights?
SkyAccess indexes 5,000+ empty leg listings from 900+ certified charter operators. Search by route, date, and aircraft category, with no membership required.
Browse Empty Leg Flights →Looking for more terms? Browse the full private aviation glossary →