Lately it seems that the private jet revolution is bigger in Europe than in the U.S. The latest new fractional ownership and charter brand Jet Republic, a new company set to take on the European leader NetJets Europe. Jet Republic has bought 110 Bombardier Learjet 60XRs which is a full 25 orders and 85 options valued at an impressive $1.5 billion which is said to be the largest single business jet order in European aircraft history. The venture recently launched and will sell a Jet card at 130,000 euros ($190,000) for 25 hours of flying time. Jet Republic has arrangements with 30 business aircraft operators throughout Europe to provide charters for their customers.

About a year after the company gets their first aircraft they will begin a fractional ownership program. They are selling shares now but customers won't be able to use them until next year. Each one-sixteenth share in the Learjet 60XR will entitle the owner to 50 flight hours and owners can go up to a half share with 400 hours. The owners will pay a monthly management fee of 2,000 euros plus an hourly rate of 3,500 euros. Flight Global quotes Jet Republic chief executive Jonathan Breeze as saying he's not concerned about the current economic turmoil. He says it's a great time to launch the company and that when they "put the package together in July we were actually turning investors away."

A European jet operator has become the first fractional ownership company to use the single-engine Diamond D-Jet. Smart Air has ordered eight personal jets and has options for more. Smart Air is based in Luxembourg and will operate their fleet across Europe, planning offices in Finland, UK, France, Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg), Germany and Italy offering access to 1,835 airports. The website doesn't offer the details o the fractional service but it looks like a fairly standard fractional service with different prices for the various areas in Europe. Deliveries of the plane are set to begin in the first quarter of 2010.

[via Aero-News Network]

I'm not someone who does a lot of travel for work, but for those who do the costs of flying back and forth can really add up, both in money and in time. To appeal to part of that large market of people, MyJets is now offering a program called FSO, or Fractional Seat Ownership.

For a one time fee of only $40,000 per seat (ouch) and then a cost of $150 per hour of flight time (plus a small monthly fee), you too can have the convenience of a private jet -- only without the private part. Albeit you will save time not driving to and from a big commercial airport and not waiting through long security lines and all that, but the price still seems a bit steep, doesn't it? I guess for some in very specific situations it might be economical and/or convenient, but I'd be really curious just what the conditions are like on board the plane. The photos don't look all that convincing...or maybe it's just me?

Gay resorts are increasing in popularity but so far I hadn't see any gay-themed fractional resorts until now. Puerto Vallerta's Casa Cupula, a popular gay destination has created a new condo-hotel for gay men and friends. The Private Residences are available in both full and fractional ownership. Shared amenities include rooftop terrace with an infinity pool, secure indoor parking, shared use of an SUV, 24/7 security and a state-of-the-art gym and spa The units also offer all of Casa Cupula's services such as room service, concierge, free continental breakfast, free WiFi Internet access and linens. The units will each be individually designed with home theaters, dual-headed showers, Jacuzzis and in-suite laundry. Some units also come with individual dipping pools, gourmet kitchens and private roof-top terraces. Prices start at under $100,000 for 28-day fractional ownership.

We are back in Vail for a look at yet another project in this Colorado ski resort. The Vail Plaza Hotel and Club is a complex that includes the Vail Plaza hotel, two restaurants and 38 residences. The 207-room Vail Plaza Hotel and Club will be a boutique hotel offering everything from standard guestrooms to four-bedroom suites with gourmet kitchen. Amenities include Egyptian cotton sheets, marble bathrooms and feather beds. The two restaurants will be Ristorante Da Vinci, featuring Italian fine dining and Galileo which will provide hearty American fare. There will also be a lounge for aprés-ski relaxation.The Sorrento spa will have five treatment rooms and there will also be a heated outdoor pool, fitness center and an eight-person hot tub. The hotel will open this June. Fractional interests in the residences start in the low $100K range for two-week shares.

Park City, Utah is getting a new posh place to stay. The Sky Lodge will be home to 22 time share residences that combine classic ski house looks with the latest in luxury. The $36 million six-story structure is designed to be eco-friendly using local indigenous materials, and green building standards that meet or exceed the international LEED requirements. The residences range from 1,260 square feet to over 2,700 square feet of living space and have decks with private hot tubs and views of Old Town and the mountains. The homes include gourmet kitchens, living areas with fireplaces, custom beds and master bathrooms with glass showers and soaking tubs. Some of the three-bedroom units have a home theater room with a 40-inch flatscreen and a wet bar.

Amenities include the Amatsu spa, a fitness center and the Sky Club, a rooftop retreat with a soaking grotto, fire pit, outdoor kitchen and lounge chairs. Complimentary cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served at 5:00 p.m. every evening.The Sky Lodge property is also home to three restaurants, including Easy Street Brasserie and Bar Boheme, a bar with an extensive wine cellar, live jazz, and a deck with fire pit. Each ResortClub member at The Sky Lodge owns a deeded one-eighth fee simple interest in one of the luxury residences on the property and is entitled to 35 nights per year in their own residence. 65 percent of the shared ownership interests already sold and the Sky Lodge should be open November 2007.

[via Hotel & Motel Management]

I've been watching the fraction boom for a long time. Timeshare used to have a negative connotation but these days fractional ownership is a great way to get access to vacation homes, cars, yachts and jets that you could not afford on your own. A new website, Fractional Life aggregates a variety of fractional offers and experiences in various categories. Unlike one of my faves, the Helium Report, the new site doesn't evaluate or provide commentary but it does get all those fractional companies in one place so you can can see all the potentials in one place and make your own decisions.

[via PSFK]

A new fractional jet ownership company is coming to Canada. JetSet Inc. will launch their program of Very Light Jet (VLJ) ownership, JetSet Fractions, at the Canadian International AutoShow. The program will use the MS760x, a four-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft which will be on display at the AutoShow. A total of 20 aircraft have  been ordered for Canada and the U.S. and initial deliveries are scheduled for next month. Fractional shares are selling for US$60,000.