Jim Barnes, COO, and Dave Brittsan, CEO, of db aviation with a Cessna Citation XLS+.

It’s impossible to contest the superiority of private airplane travel. It’s the height of luxury and convenience. Instead of building your schedule around what flight can be booked, every consideration of the travel plans accommodates your schedule. There are no long security lines, no short-term versus long-term parking issues. Chartering with DB Aviation means that you decide when you want to travel, you drive right up to the plane, your car gets valet parked and detailed while you taxi to the runway, and you’re in the air 10 minutes after arriving at the airport.

But for those who may not have any experience with the exclusive world of private aviation, testing the waters can seem like a monumental step forward. On August 18, DB Aviation is hosting a National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Regional Forum. It’s a rare opportunity to compare the actual planes in person.

“The static display will have approximately 20 aircraft from the major manufacturers on the ramp. They will be powered up so you can see the avionics and the lights and the cabin. The manufacturers’ reps will be here. The pilots will be here so they can talk about operating specs: How fast it flies, how high it flies. It’s a chance to sit inside and see how it feels. It’s a test drive, without going in the air,” says Andy Schweickert of DB Aviation. “It’s a literal side-by-side comparison of each aircraft, whether the customers are looking to buy, charter, or buy a fractional share of one of these aircraft.”

Aircraft left to right: Learjet 45XR, Gulfstream G150, and Challenger 300

For the business community, the benefits are obvious. An entire sales team can board a private plane and have a meeting en route to an appointment with clients or prospective clients. Afterwards, they can debrief in the air and everyone is home in time for dinner. “Time is money. When the CEO or the sales team is doing business and needs to get in and out in a day, you’re wasting time standing in a line at a commercial airport,” says Andy. High-performance companies don’t simply do business on a regional level anymore. That’s one of the reasons that private aircraft are such a valuable tool for modern corporations.

However, private airplanes are almost more convenient for making the most out of those precious hours spent not working. Some of the most popular destinations amongst North Shore families don’t have airports accessible to commercial airlines. When traveling to Naples, Florida, the commercial airline traveler has to land in Fort Myers, rent a car, and drive approximately an hour, in normal traffic, before finally getting to Naples. If you leave from one of DB Aviation’s facilities at the Waukegan Regional or Chicago Executive Airports, you land directly at Naples Municipal Airport, where your rental car will be waiting as you step off of the aircraft. Similarly, North Shore skiers can fly directly into Aspen or Vail, instead of wasting their time trying to maneuver Denver International Airport.

The world is filled with convenient airports, but if you only fly commercially, you have access to maybe 20 percent of them. Private air travel means no baggage carousel, no connections, and you always know who’s sitting next to you.

The NBAA Regional Forum allows anyone who’s interested the opportunity to enter the private aviation community and see every aspect of it from the ground up. In addition to the collection of actual aircraft sitting on the ramp, two of DB Aviation’s hangars will be converted into a convention center. Guests will be able to walk from booth to booth and get a feel for all the different aspects of the private aircraft world. Various representatives from smaller airports, known as fixed base operators, will be on hand to speak about their airports and facilities. Airplane fuel providers will be manning booths as well. Banks and private financers will be on-site to discuss financing options. Any question you ever asked yourself about private aviation can be answered at this event.

“We’re honored that NBAA asked us to host this event. Being able to compare these aircraft side by side is an extraordinary opportunity for the North Shore and the Chicagoland area as a whole,” says Andy. “It’s a phenomenal way to travel, to be sure. But it’s more than just fancy jets and high-end destinations. It’s about time—time with clients, co-workers, or family. Luxury is making things happen on your own timetable. Luxury is efficient; it’s easy. That’s why we provide ‘Luxury in Motion.’”

DB Aviation manages more than 30 aircraft available for charter from Waukegan Regional, Chicago Executive, DuPage, and Lewis University Airports. Serving the North Shore for more than 22 years, DB Aviation is keenly in tune with the levels of service necessary for success. They will host the NBAA Regional Forum from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on August 18 at Waukegan Regional Airport. Registration is $75. Advanced registration is available through DB Aviation’s website at dbaviation.com. Registration and valet parking will also be available on the day of the event.