The honest answer is that onboarding takes as long as your paperwork takes, and almost every delay we see is on the operator's side rather than ours. That is not a complaint — it is useful, because it means the timeline is yours to control.
The sequence
1. First contact. You tell us what you operate and where. No documents yet.
2. Documents. Operators we bring on evidence current certification, insurance and fleet documentation before receiving a first assignment.
3. Aircraft sheets. One per aircraft: registration, seats, hold volume, runway category.
4. Terms. The operator is paid the full flight at their usual rate: our intermediation is not deducted from what they charge.
5. Live. Requests that match your aircraft start reaching you.
With everything in order, this is days rather than weeks.
The four things that delay it
An expired document. Certificates and policies lapse quietly. The single commonest delay is discovering mid-onboarding that a renewal is outstanding.
A scope mismatch. A certificate approved for domestic work does not cover an international leg by default, and finding that out late means redoing the aircraft mapping. We run scheduled private flights across Central America; any other destination worldwide is coordinated on request.
An aircraft on the fleet but not on the policy. Common, administrative, and it stops that aircraft from receiving anything until corrected.
And a vague aircraft sheet. «Short-field capable» is not a runway category. We need the numbers, because Drake Bay at 83.5 nautical miles and Quepos at 33.4 have different answers and neither is decided by an adjective. The specific aircraft is assigned on confirmation, based on passenger count, baggage and the destination field.
This one is worth fixing regardless of who you work with. A precise sheet is the cheapest competitive advantage available to a small operator, and most do not have one written down anywhere.
What you can do before contacting anyone
Three things, and they help with any intermediary, not just us:
Assemble a current document pack. Certificate with scope, policy with limits, one sheet per aircraft. Keep it where you can send it in five minutes.
Diarise the expiry of each item separately. They rarely lapse together, and a single combined reminder is exactly what misses the one that moved.
And write your aircraft sheet with numbers. Real hold volume rather than the brochure figure, and the actual runway length and width you accept, loaded.
What onboarding does not include
It is not an audit. We do not review manuals or maintenance programmes; that is your authority's remit.
It is not a commitment to send you volume. Being live means eligible, not busy. Requests are not steady and a new operator does not receive more for being new.
And it is not exclusive. Nothing about being listed restricts what you do elsewhere.
The realistic expectation after going live
The first request may take weeks. It depends on whether a passenger searches a route your aircraft serves, which is not something anyone schedules.
An operator whose aircraft fits fields few others serve will see requests sooner. One whose category duplicates what is already available in the same region will wait longer, and that is worth knowing before you invest effort in the paperwork.
We will tell you which of the two you are before you start, if you ask. It is a short conversation and it saves the wrong operator a week of document-gathering.
Frequently asked questions
How long does onboarding take?
Days, with everything in order. Almost every delay is on the operator's side, which means the timeline is yours to control.
What delays it most often?
An expired document, a scope mismatch, an aircraft not on the policy, or a vague aircraft sheet.
What can I prepare in advance?
A current document pack, separate expiry reminders per item, and an aircraft sheet written with numbers.
Is onboarding an audit?
No. Manuals and maintenance programmes are your authority's remit.
Does going live mean I get requests?
It means eligible, not busy. Requests are not steady and being new does not earn more of them.
When will the first one arrive?
Possibly weeks. Sooner if your aircraft fits fields few others serve; later if your category duplicates what is already available.
Let us talk
Operators we bring on evidence current certification, insurance and fleet documentation before receiving a first assignment.