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A private corporate flight department brings its Boeing Business Jet into the Washington, D.C. area every month. For years, Washington Dulles International looked like the only practical option for an aircraft that size. Here is why the crew moved the operation to Washington-Manassas Airport (KHEF) and Chantilly Air Jet Center, and what the numbers look like since. |
At a Glance |
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|---|---|
| Operator | Private corporate flight department (identified by initials at the customer's request) |
| Aircraft | Boeing Business Jet (BBJ), a Boeing 737 airframe |
| Mission | Regular trips into the Washington, D.C. area, roughly monthly |
| Time on the ground | Several days per visit, usually up to four; passenger counts vary by trip |
| Previous airport | Washington Dulles International |
| Chantilly Air customer since | 2025, approximately 15 trips in the past year |
What the crew was dealing with before the move.
Securing handling and parking for a Boeing Business Jet at Washington Dulles International had become unreliable during busy periods, and the cost of every visit kept climbing. With Dulles often appearing to be the only practical option for a large business jet, the crew contended with the same problems on trip after trip:
Ramp congestion during busy periods
Wait times for handling and services
Rising fees on every visit
Inconsistent service
Difficulty securing international handling in a timely manner
There was no single incident that forced the decision. It was all of the above, continuously.
Four factors made Manassas the obvious choice.
For this operation, Washington-Manassas Airport was the next-closest airport to Washington, D.C. after Dulles, the captain already knew the field, and one call to our team confirmed the aircraft could be accommodated.
Proximity: After Dulles, Washington-Manassas Airport is the next-closest option to Washington, D.C. for this operation
Familiarity: The captain learned to fly at Manassas in the late 1990s and remembered seeing business jets operating in and out
Runway: The 6,200-foot runway at KHEF handles the aircraft
Service: Our team confirmed ramp space, fuel, handling, and customs coordination were all available for a Boeing 737
When the flight department began exploring alternatives to Dulles, Manassas quickly became the obvious choice.
From a first arrival that turned heads to a routine that never varies.
We planned ample ramp space for the first arrival, then made every visit since as routine as any other turn on our ramp.
The first trip was domestic, so no customs coordination was required. General Manager Josh Roy, Line Service Manager Tony Thomas, and Customer Service Manager Hayden Tarver coordinated the turn. The arrival itself became a story the crew still tells: on the approach, Potomac Approach controllers confirmed with the crew several times that Manassas was indeed the intended destination.
"One controller even remarked that they had never before seen a Boeing 737 operating into Manassas."
- A.S., Captain
On a typical visit, the aircraft receives fuel, ground handling, lavatory service, and de-icing when conditions call for it. Ramp parking for up to four days is planned in advance for every trip, since an aircraft of this size is parked on the ramp rather than hangared. For international arrivals, U.S. Customs and Border Protection clears the aircraft on site with 24 hours' advance notice, a process the crew describes as very smooth.
Cost, reliability, and ground time, side by side.
Reliability: Approximately 15 trips in the past year. We have never turned the aircraft away or been unable to accommodate it.
Ground time: From touchdown, the BBJ is parked in under four minutes, with vehicles pulled planeside so passengers step from the aircraft directly into the car.
When a flight crew that operates worldwide calls Chantilly Air Jet Center the finest FBO they use anywhere, it is because every visit runs the same way: prepared, unhurried, and precisely as planned. Your crew will notice the difference on the first arrival. Your passengers will notice it before they reach the car.
Reserve your next Washington turn with us.
Yes. Washington-Manassas Airport (KHEF) has a 6,200-foot runway, and Chantilly Air Jet Center provides ramp parking for large-cabin aircraft, including a Boeing Business Jet parked for up to four days at a time.
No. U.S. Customs and Border Protection clears international arrivals on site at Washington-Manassas Airport with 24 hours' advance notice, arranged through Chantilly Air Jet Center.
No. A Boeing 737-size aircraft is parked on the ramp, with space planned in advance of each arrival. Chantilly Air offers hangar space for aircraft that fit the hangar and takes reservations on the Hangar Space page.
Chantilly Air Jet Center handles large-cabin aircraft at Washington-Manassas Airport, including the Boeing Business Jet, with fuel, ground handling, lavatory service, de-icing, ramp parking, and customs coordination.