TBM Co-ownership Could Make Private Flying More Affordable

French start-up Moove wants to give small and medium-sized European businesses access to cost-efficient private flights with a fractional-share program using Daher TBM 960 turboprop singles. It expects to launch services next year.

Options start with a one-16th share for €280,000 ($298,000), with the aircraft to be positioned with local operators at airports convenient to each group of owners. On top of the acquisition cost, owners will pay €43,000 to cover 20 flight hours over the course of a year at an average hourly rate that equates to around €2,150.

Moove founder Arthur Ingles, who is the former marketing director of Daher, told BJT he launched the company to create what he feels is a more effective platform for marketing the TBM 960 to new customers. The company introduced an app earlier this year and is already offering it as a tool for users to calculate the cost of private flights, which it can then arrange with local charter operators. It compares the cost of a flight with options such as trains, scheduled air service, and the use of private cars.

According to Ingles, the fractional program will be particularly valuable to customers in smaller cities and more remote regions where there is generally limited availability of aircraft for charter. He said costs can be contained by avoiding the need for expensive positioning flights.

Moove will make arrangements to position the aircraft with suitable operators, who will also handle aspects of maintenance and support. The company can help to arrange financing for the co-owners.