Episode 43 with Mr. Richard Hekker

Episode Summary

Join Dr. Adnan Baranbo in the 43rd Episode of AVIAPRENEURS talks about Disrupting Business Aircraft Charter featuring The Founder & CEO of Opes Jet, Mr. Richard Hekker

Mr. Richard Hekker

Mr. Richard Hekker, an Aviaprenuer from the Netherlands, who has more than 15 years of experience in the business aviation industry. Richard is a commercial pilot who started his career flying for HOMAC Aviation Group in Germany. He was a post-holder of Ground Operations and contributor to securing the AOC for the company.

 Later he was in charge of operations for various operators such as Flight Base International and Imperial Jets Europe. Richard was also in charge of business development in Europe for both United Aviation Services and Moonjet Flight Support. Later he joined Excellent Air in Germany as CEO, before establishing Opes Jet in Malta in August 2020.

 Watch this Episode to know Mr. Richard’s answers to the following questions:

• Opes Jet, another platform for booking business aircraft digitally. However, you promise this one is different from all the others that are currently in development, and the ones started in the past. How do you plan to do this?
• So Opes Jet is targeting end users, actual flyers of private aircraft, and not brokers. How do you reach this market?
• Is Opes Jet for everyone? Who’s your ideal customer?
• So Opes Jet’s business model is auction-based. How does it actually work?
• How do you make money in Opes Jet? Subscription, flat fee per booking or commission as a percentage of the charter price?
• Won’t this lead to price wars between the operators making their margins thinner?
• last September, you participated in a panel in Malta about the future of business aviation with Aerobid and Mirai Flights. The participants advised that it’s harder to get operators on board the platforms than customers. Is this the case? How’s your experience with operators joining Opes Jet?
• Chartering a private jet is a big expense, and people are not normally comfortable spending big amounts of money online. How do you plan to deal with this hesitation to spend online? 
• Reaching these people require a big investment in marketing to gain trust. How did you raise funds for Opes Jet?
• Once Opes Jet reaches its full potential, what will be the impact on the business aviation industry? Will people continue using brokers?
• You have a great career as a pilot, consultant, director and VP of Operations, and CEO. Despite this, you left all to set up your own business based on the idea you had and the vision you believed in. Why did you do that?
• What advice do you give the audience on what it takes to start, build and grow a successful aviation business?

All of this and more on the 42nd Episode of AVIAPRENEURS!