Private Jets Operation in San Antonio, Texas Airports 

Private Jets Operation in San Antonio include all the areas used for aircraft servicing and ground handling. Several factors determine the demand for airline operations areas, including the size and type of aircraft operated and the airline’s operating policies. In this stage of private jet planning, many airlines do not specify their specific space requirements, and future airlines cannot be identified, so a program for airline operations areas is usually based on the number/size of gates (called EQAs) and airlines at an airport.

The San Antonio International Airport (IATA: SAT, ICAO: KSAT) is an international airport located in San Antonio, Texas. This building is located about 8 miles north of downtown San Antonio, in Uptown Central. A total of 2,305 acres (933 ha) are covered by the airport, which has three runways. In terms of elevation, it is located at 809 ft (247 m) above sea level. At its 24 gates, San Antonio International Airport serves 12 airlines flying non-stop to 53 destinations in the United States and Mexico with an average of 260 departures and arrivals per day. In the past five years, the peak month for enplanements has been July, which makes up 9.5 percent of annual enplanements. It was assumed that this would continue in the future.

Object-free areas (OFA) north of Terminals A and B, and the Purple Lot, are penetrated by the terminal apron and its service road. There is only 100 feet of OFA available on this side of Taxiway H, for a requirement of 129.5 feet. Service road/terminal apron borders Taxiway H by the southern edge by 125 feet. As a result, approximately four feet of apron are inside OFA.

Aviation Facility in San Antonio International Airport

Based on the FAA aviation forecast and the inventory of existing facilities, the demand/capacity analysis evaluates Airport facilities’ capacity and determines what additional facilities are necessary to meet future demand.

Fixed based operators (FBOs) are businesses that operate on airports and provide aeronautical services, such as fueling, storing private jets, making tie-downs and parking, renting private jets and performing maintenance on aircraft.

The corporate aviation facility at SAT is comprised of hangars and buildings owned by corporations as well as small business aircraft operators.

Aircraft and Runway Management in San Antonio

There is a Runway 13R-31L and a Runway 4-22 designed for aircraft flying the Airplane design group IV (ADG), and a Runway 13L-31R designed for aircraft flying the ADG III. During the planning period, if Runway 13R-31L remains, the critical aircraft is expected to be ADG V and possibly ADG VI, requiring upgrades to meet ADG V and ADG VI standards.

When it comes time to reconstruct runway 4-22, it is not required to be a D-IV runway, and would not be eligible for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funding. Assuming runway 4-22 is retained, it will be downgraded to a B-II visual runway during reconstruction. In terms of capacity or wind coverage, runway 13L-31R does not need to be rebuilt, so FAA funding would not be available for its reconstruction.

San Antonio Private Jet Slot Coordination

A terminal complex’s overall size and configuration are determined by the number of gates needed to support forecast activities. The term “gate” refers to the position where an aircraft parks near the terminal for the purpose of loading and unloading passengers on a daily basis.

Passengers may be loaded via a bridge or on the ground. There are 25 gates in the SAT terminal complex. Despite its proximity to an airfield access gate, Gate A1 is not used due to lack of holdroom space and proximity to an airfield access gate. The passenger boarding bridge (PBB) at Gate A16 does not exist, only as a hold room. Consequently, 23 gates are present.

The San Antonio airport, which hosts approximately 260 departure and landing flight operations daily, demands some slot coordination for flights. Civil aviation regulations apply to international flights landing in San Antonio, with all operators and scheduled flights requiring prior approval and covered by bilateral or multilateral agreements.

A letter of permission must be submitted by airlines in order to operate:

1. Air Operator Certificates
2. Airworthiness Certificates
3. Insurance for Passengers
4. Cargo and Baggage Charter
5. Noise Certificates
6. Lease Agreements for Leased Aircraft
7. General Sales Agent (GSA)
8. Station Licenses
9. AircraftOperator Standard Security Programs AOSPs

According to the Airport Slot Process and Traffic Landings Application in San Antonio, only approved airlines may apply for permission to operate a scheduled flight. Ad-hoc slots and schedules can be requested by approved airlines based on IATA calendar deadlines, and schedule changes must be requested in accordance with Chapter 6 of the IATA regulations.

Airport Timing for Private Jet Operations

TSA is a busy airport operating 24/7 hours, but there are only two checkpoints. Both security checkpoints offer the PreCheck option and are equipped with smart devices. This speed up travelers’ passage through the checkpoints without having to wait in long lines.

Below are the current hours for all TSA checkpoints opening and closing time:

• Terminal A: Daily, 3:30 AM to 6 PM (All passengers and TSA Pre)
• Terminal B: Daily, 3:30 AM to 5 PM (All passengers and TSA Pre)

Ground Handling and Regulations in San Antonio

Ground Operations in San Antonio ensures that the aircraft is safely prepared before and after the flight. The main ground operations are passenger operation, baggage operation and aircraft operations.

1. Passenger Handling

In San Antonio, any passenger on board an aircraft must be identified and registered on a passenger manifest. Regional Transport Airplanes (ATRs), Air Transport Mission Orders (ATMOs), or similar documents that account for the transport of passengers may not be accepted for carriage. European Air Transport Command (EATC) or another competent authority (for national flights) must approve passengers in this situation.

Air terminal personnel must validate the following criteria before accepting passengers for transport:

• The name of the passenger must be registered on a passenger name list and must be authorized by the responsible authority
• Air Passenger Rights (APR), Air Transport Mission Order (ATMO), or Passenger Name List (PNL).
• Travel documents must be valid to identify passengers.
• A valid passport, visa, etc., is required for travel.

2. Air Cargo Handling

SAT operates two segments of air freight:

• The integrated express cargo service
• Belly cargo, or freight carried as payload by passenger aircraft.

Passenger airlines operate a consolidated warehouse on the West Ramp, while integrated express carriers are located on the East Cargo Ramp. The ACRP model was built using aircraft operations forecasts. Below is a description of each functional area:

Cargo building space: Air cargo warehouses, where the offices are located, are used for storing and sorting cargo.

Apron area: For loading and unloading aircraft, planes are parked in paved airside lots. In addition to ground support equipment (GSE), this area also provides parking.

Landside area: Parking and vehicle access to the cargo buildings. Based on existing SAT operations, the needs expressed by air carriers and the requirements estimated by the ACRP model were balanced.

3. Aircraft Handling

The complexity of ground support equipment and the dangers involved in ground handling require maintenance technicians to possess a thorough understanding of safety procedures for aircraft servicing, taxiing, running up, and using ground support equipment. San Antonio’s major aircraft operations include:

• Ramp Safety
• Fuelling and Defueling
• Adverse Weather Conditions
• Aircraft Arrival, Departure and Chocking Operations
• Hand Signals
• Engine Running On/Off-Loading Procedures (ERO)

Overflight Permits for Private Jets Operation

You may have to clear customs at the closest Airport of Entry (AOE) if you are entering the US from south of the border, which may not be the most convenient stopping point for you or others on board. The Border Overflight Exemption (BOE) allows business aviation flights to utilize the AOE that is most appropriate for their needs with some advanced planning. APIS (Advanced Passenger Information System) procedures must be followed and a landing permission must be granted by the port of entry at which the aircraft will arrive by air.

San Antonio overflight permits require the following:

• Operational information (Onboard the utilized aircraft, a copy of this letter must be maintained electronically or in paper form)
• Type of aircraft (Aircraft must be equipped with transponders that report position and altitude (i.e., Mode C, Mode S) )
• Registration number.
• The maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) (The use of approved aircraft must comply with regulatory flight behavior requirements)
• Planned flight route (Upon arrival, you will need to present a copy of this letter to CBP for inspection)

The aircraft must also be operated according to BOE flight rules and crew members must be listed on the BOE application. Overflight Exemptions must be kept onboard, though they may be e-copies on tablets, EFBs, and other smart devices.

Landing Permits for Private Jets Operation

Airport landing permits authorize aircraft to land at specific airports in countries where they are scheduled to land. Obtaining a landing permit indicates that the aircraft type meets safety and noise regulations. In addition, it confirms that the operating airline is authorized to operate commercial flights for revenue.

San Antonio authorities require the following documents for landing permits application:

• Certificate of Airworthiness
• Noise Certificate
• Certificate of Registration
• Insurance Certificate
• Aircraft Operator Certificate
• Airworthiness Review Certificate

Upon successful coordination of the applications, the Directorate General reviews and drafts them in accordance with the regulations and requirements, and then forwards them via AFTN to the NOTAM Office of the General Directorate of State Airports Administration, which is responsible for issuing the landing permit/NOTAM. The operator must also receive a fax copy of the Permit/NOTAM. Whenever an unfavourable opinion is expressed, the operator is informed in writing.

Private Jet Fuel Supply and Facilities in San Antonio

For private jets and all other airlines, San Antonio airport supplied Jet A, Jet B, Avgas 100 LL Mogas and Biokerosene at ground level. There are two above-ground Jet A tanks with a capacity of 420,000 gallons at the Airport fuel farm. During the peak month, 268 aircraft departures were recorded during the aviation demand forecasts. The average dispense of jet fuel per departure averages 2,241 gallons during this average day. 86 percent of the tank’s total capacity is available for storage, which is 360,000 gallons.

Private Jet Operations Oversight at San Antonio Airport

By partnering with iJET, you will be assured that ramp operations will be safe and that ramp challenges will not occur. It is our specialty to handle any issue at the San Antonio airport, and our staff has the knowledge and experience to make things easier.