As a member of Empty Jets I noticed something similar the moment the mining infrastructure boom came to an end.
Demand for private flying surged along. General-aviation operations at Midland International Airport jumped almost 10 percent in 2014, according to data reported to U.S. regulators.
Now, private aviation’s role as canary-in-a-coal-mine is being watched closely again. Even as airline traffic rose at Midland International in January, business-jet takeoffs slid along with smaller non-commercial aircraft, according to data tracker FlightAware. Private flights are poised to drop again in February.
That one corporate jet on the tarmac, owned by Cimarex Energy Co., a Denver-based oil explorer, may be on the ground more often these days. The Learjet 60 model typically seats eight passengers and has the range to reach New York or Seattle from Midland.
“We’re looking to control expenses wherever we can,” said Karen Acierno, director of investor relations, declining to provide further details.
More here – Bloomberg Business
I had a quick look at the Empty Jets – Looks like in Tassie flying in a DC3 is a good as it gets. Almost makes Qantas look good