PlaneSense
PlaneSense operates the world's largest civilian Pilatus PC-12 and PC-24 fractional ownership program, serving several hundred high-net-worth individuals and corporate clients with shared aircraft access, in-house maintenance, pilot training, and 2025-launched CobaltPass jet cards.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersPortsmouth, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What PlaneSense does
PlaneSense, Inc. is a Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based fractional aircraft ownership operator founded in 1995 by George Antoniadis (originally incorporated as Alpha Flying, Inc. in 1992; renamed PlaneSense, Inc. in February 2012). The company operates the world's largest civilian fleet of Pilatus PC-12 turboprops (46 aircraft) and PC-24 light jets (16 aircraft), totaling more than 60 aircraft with over 591,000 cumulative flight hours and 47,800+ flights completed in 2025. Its core offering is the PlaneSense Fractional Program, in which high-net-worth individuals and corporations purchase aircraft shares (typically 1/16th at $500K-$850K+ upfront) and pay recurring monthly management fees ($7K-$50K) for guaranteed aircraft availability with no blackout dates, serving both business and leisure travelers across the U.S., Canada, Bermuda, Bahamas, Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico, with European access enabled through the April 2025 Jetfly and December 2025 CaptainJet partnerships.
The company's technical and operational footprint is vertically integrated. All flight operations, maintenance, pilot training, and owner services are in-house rather than subcontracted. The wholly-owned subsidiary Atlas Aircraft Center operates an FAA Part 145 Repair Station (CRS 5APR577Y) out of two locations (Portsmouth, NH and Boulder City, NV) and is a Pilatus Authorized Service Center providing turbine repairs, avionics, and parts. Pilot training infrastructure includes the world's first Pilatus PC-12 NGX Level D Full Motion Flight Simulator (launched February 2025 in Tampa, FL with ASE) and a virtual-reality procedure training program built on the VRpilot VRflow platform. The company holds ARGUS Platinum Elite safety status (one of only five U.S. operators) and has received the AEA Avionics Training Excellence Award for seven consecutive years.
PlaneSense generates revenue through multiple streams: upfront share purchases plus recurring monthly management fees from several hundred fractional owners; the new CobaltPass and CobaltPass+ usage-based jet cards launched in May 2025; charter/pay-per-flight services; external maintenance, avionics, and parts revenue from Atlas Aircraft Center; and the August 2025 PlaneSense Sourcing Solution, which books third-party charter for owners traveling outside the PlaneSense fleet. The firm is privately held and founder-owned, with ~600 employees (including 280+ pilots across 45+ reporting bases), no disclosed institutional investors, and no funding rounds beyond a $23.3M September 2024 transaction (investors undisclosed). Its direct-to-consumer go-to-market combines a website, blog content, client portal, aviation industry events (EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, OBAP, RTAG), and a sales team reachable via phone and email.
PlaneSense firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PlaneSense
- Legal name
- PlaneSense, Inc.
- Website
- https://planesense.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- PlaneSense operates the world's largest civilian Pilatus PC-12 and PC-24 fractional ownership program, serving several hundred high-net-worth individuals and corporate clients with shared aircraft access, in-house maintenance, pilot training, and 2025-launched CobaltPass jet cards.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PlaneSense industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fractional Aircraft Ownership
- NAICS
- Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation (481211), Nonscheduled Air Transportation (48121), Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation (481219), Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)
- SIC
- Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fractional Aircraft Ownership Programs (THABAFAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Business Jet Charter (On-Demand) (THABAFAA), Aircraft Management & Part 135/135-equivalent Operators (THABAFAD)
Keywords
Where PlaneSense is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portsmouth
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
PlaneSense business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Fractional Aircraft Ownership Program: Customers purchase shares (typically 1/16th) in aircraft, paying upfront share cost ($500,000-$850,000) plus monthly management fees ($7,000-$50,000). Provides recurring revenue through management fees and share maintenance.
- CobaltPass Jet Card: Jet card program launched in May 2025 offering clients an innovative flight solution with no blackout dates and ability to customize by aircraft and hours needed.
- Aircraft Maintenance Services (Atlas Aircraft Center): FAA certified Part 145 repair station providing maintenance, inspections, avionics, and parts services to external customers beyond the PlaneSense fleet.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Annual | 1/16th Fractional Share - Entry Level |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Full Aircraft Ownership Option |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Charter/Pay-Per-Flight Option |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | CobaltPass Jet Card |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
PlaneSense product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PlaneSense operates a fractional aircraft ownership program that allows clients to purchase shares (typically 1/16th) in Pilatus PC-12 turboprops and PC-24 jets, gaining access to private aviation with guaranteed availability, no blackout dates, and predictable monthly management fees. The company also offers the CobaltPass Jet Card for flexible flight access, charter services, and the PlaneSense Sourcing Solution for international flight scheduling. All flight operations, maintenance (through Atlas Aircraft Center), pilot training, and owner services are managed in-house.
Product overview
PlaneSense is a fractional aircraft ownership program operator offering two primary products: the Fractional Program for purchasing aircraft shares and the CobaltPass Jet Card for flexible flight access. The company operates a fleet of over 60 aircraft consisting of Pilatus PC-12 turboprops and PC-24 jets, making it the world's largest civilian fleet of these aircraft types. Supporting these core offerings are the PlaneSense Sourcing Solution for international flight scheduling, VRpilot procedure training for pilot development, a world-first PC-12 NGX Level D full motion flight simulator, and Atlas Aircraft Center providing authorized maintenance, avionics, and parts services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CobaltPass: Jet card program offering flexible flight solutions with no blackout dates and customizable aircraft and hours options.
- CobaltPass+
- Atlas Aircraft Center
Products and services
- PlaneSense Fractional Program The flagship fractional aircraft ownership program allowing clients to purchase shares (typically 1/16th) in Pilatus PC-12 turboprop and PC-24 jet aircraft, providing guaranteed availability, no blackout dates, and access to thousands of airports across the U.S., Canada, Bermuda, Bahamas, Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico. Share purchase typically ranges from $500,000 to $850,000 for 1/16th share with monthly management fees of $7,000 to $50,000.
- CobaltPass Jet Card Jet card program offering flexible flight access with no blackout dates and the ability to customize by aircraft type (Pilatus PC-12 or PC-24) and hours needed. Launched May 2025 as a usage-based alternative to full fractional ownership for clients flying under 50 hours annually.
- PlaneSense Sourcing Solution Service offering launched August 2025 that provides clients with seamless scheduling for flights beyond the PlaneSense fleet both nationally and internationally, expanding the program to a global footprint. Coordinates external charter through partner networks including Jetfly and CaptainJet.
- Atlas Aircraft Center Maintenance Services FAA Part 145 certified repair station (CRS 5APR577Y) providing turbine aircraft repairs, inspections, avionics sales and repair, and parts services. Operates two locations: Portsmouth, NH (40,000 sq ft hangar) and Boulder City, NV (36,000 sq ft hangar). Services available to PlaneSense fleet and external customers. Has earned AEA Avionics Training Excellence Awards for seven consecutive years.
- Pilatus PC-12 Turboprop (Fleet) Single-engine turboprop aircraft available through the PlaneSense Fractional Program. The fleet includes 46 PC-12 aircraft, with approximately half being the NGX model. The PC-12 offers access to thousands of airports including short unimproved runways. PlaneSense is the world's largest civilian fleet operator of Pilatus PC-12s.
- Pilatus PC-24 Jet (Fleet) Twin-engine turbojet offering share owners high speed and high altitude capability. PlaneSense operates 16 PC-24 jets and is the launch customer for this aircraft type. The PC-24 jet program was officially launched in 2017 with first delivery in February 2018.
Quantifiable outcome
- Top U.S. lift provider for Overall Satisfaction, Customer Service, and Value for Price Paid (Business Jet Traveler Magazine 2024)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use PlaneSense
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
PlaneSense technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability2 records
Feature4 records
PlaneSense partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- CaptainJetcoreCollaboration with CaptainJet, a European luxury aircraft charter service, expanding private aviation services across Europe and the U.S. Enables PlaneSense clients to book flights on CaptainJet's fleet and coordinate international travel arrangements when traveling in Europe.
- JetflycorePartnership with Jetfly, Europe's largest fractional operator (26 PC-12 turboprops and 13 PC-24 jets), enabling share owners from both programs to use flight hours on the other's fleet. Collectively operates nearly 100 fractionally owned Pilatus aircraft, providing access to over 3,000 airports across Europe and North America. Flight reservations and billing remain with respective programs for seamless client experience.
- Pilatus Aircraft, Ltd.coreLongstanding partnership with Swiss aircraft manufacturer Pilatus. PlaneSense is launch customer for PC-24 jet and received world's first PC-24 delivery in 2018. Partnership includes authorized fleet service center status through Atlas Aircraft Center, parts support, and collaborative training simulator development.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
PlaneSense competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- NetJets: Largest global fractional aircraft ownership program (Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary) operating a diverse fleet across multiple OEMs. Direct competitor to PlaneSense in the U.S. fractional market with similar program structure but vastly larger scale and aircraft diversity.
- Flexjet: Major U.S. fractional ownership provider (private equity-backed by L Catterton) operating Embraer, Bombardier, and Gulfstream fleets. Directly competes with PlaneSense for HNW and corporate fractional share customers, especially in the mid-cabin and large-cabin segments.
- VistaJet: Global private aviation company offering a non-ownership jet membership/program model with a uniform fleet of Bombardier aircraft. Comparable as a peer premium private aviation subscription business targeting HNW and corporate clients, though its program is membership/flight-hour based rather than share-based.
- FlyExclusive: U.S.-based fractional jet ownership and charter operator (publicly traded) running a sizable fleet of Cessna Citation aircraft. Direct competitor to PlaneSense in the fractional space with similar share-pricing economics and HNW targeting.
- Airshare: U.S. fractional aircraft ownership program operating Embraer Phenom jets with a similar recurring-management-fee model. Direct peer competing with PlaneSense for HNW and corporate fractional customers in overlapping U.S. service regions.
- Jetfly: Europe's largest fractional aircraft operator and PlaneSense's official reciprocal partner, also operating Pilatus PC-12 and PC-24 fleets. Direct peer with an identical fractional-share business model on a Pilatus-only fleet in the European market.
Broad incumbents
- Jet Aviation: General Dynamics subsidiary offering aircraft management, charter, fractional, and FBO services globally. Broad incumbent with overlapping fractional and management offerings; comparable to PlaneSense on the fractional program but operates across a much wider portfolio of services and aircraft types.
Emerging players
- Wheels Up: Membership-based private aviation company offering flight-hour access across multiple fleet types plus charter. Comparable to PlaneSense's CobaltPass jet card product rather than core fractional; positioned in the membership/private-flite-access category competing for the same HNW/customer funnel.
Regional players
- Nicholas Air: Smaller U.S. fractional aircraft ownership program operating Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 jets, primarily serving the Southeastern U.S. Comparable business model to PlaneSense but smaller scale and different OEM (Embraer only).
Others
- PrivateFly: Global on-demand private jet charter broker (part of Directional Aviation). Comparable to PlaneSense's PlaneSense Sourcing Solution and CaptainJet collaboration — provides charter-based flight access without ownership commitment, serving a partially overlapping HNW customer base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PlaneSense social profiles
Digital presencePlaneSense compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
PlaneSense financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PlaneSense leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
PlaneSense subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
PlaneSense funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PlaneSense M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PlaneSense
What does PlaneSense do?
PlaneSense operates a fractional aircraft ownership program that allows clients to purchase shares (typically 1/16th) in Pilatus PC-12 turboprops and PC-24 jets, gaining access to private aviation with guaranteed availability, no blackout dates, and predictable monthly management fees. The company also offers the CobaltPass Jet Card for flexible flight access, charter services, and the PlaneSense Sourcing Solution for international flight scheduling. All flight operations, maintenance (through Atlas Aircraft Center), pilot training, and owner services are managed in-house.
Is PlaneSense a public or private company?
PlaneSense is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was PlaneSense founded?
PlaneSense was founded in 1995. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is PlaneSense based?
PlaneSense is headquartered in Portsmouth, United States, in the North America region.
How does PlaneSense make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Fractional Aircraft Ownership Program is the primary driver. The others are cobaltPass Jet Card and aircraft Maintenance Services (Atlas Aircraft Center).
Who are PlaneSense's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are NetJets, Flexjet, VistaJet, FlyExclusive, Airshare and Jetfly. Jet Aviation is listed as a broad incumbent. Wheels Up is listed as an emerging player. Nicholas Air is listed as a regional player. PrivateFly is listed as an others.
Does PlaneSense have an API?
No public API is recorded for PlaneSense.
What industry is PlaneSense in?
PlaneSense's product category is Fractional Aircraft Ownership. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THABAFAC, Fractional Aircraft Ownership Programs, with a secondary code of THABAFAA, Business Jet Charter (On-Demand). Its NAICS code is 481211 and its SIC code is 4522.