NetJets(R) Inc. Meets the Real-Time Logistics Challenge for High Flying Customers* With Persistence Software

Market Wire, 20050229

Persistence® Software (NASDAQ: PRSW), the leading provider of real-time data services software for transportation and other data intensive markets, today announced that NetJets Inc., the company that pioneered and is the worldwide leader in fractional aircraft ownership, is using Persistence Software's data services architecture as a foundation for IntelliJet II, the company's proprietary software, for handling all aspects of customer relationship management (CRM), scheduling and execution of flight operations.

NetJets pioneered the private aviation industry in 1964. In 1986, NetJets created the concept of fractional aircraft ownership, allowing individuals such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tiger Woods as well as companies to buy a share of a private business jet at a fraction of the cost of whole aircraft ownership. NetJets fractional aircraft owners are then guaranteed aircraft availability 365 days a year with just a few hours' notice. This means that a real-time logistics schedule that accommodates its customers ever changing needs is a critical component supporting their world-class customer service.

In order to service their customers NetJets operates a fleet of 512 private jets in the US and Europe, with over 2,800 pilots and an operations center that provides 250,000 on-demand flights annually to 140 different countries. In order to fulfill these rigorous logistical requirements, NetJets implemented Persistence's data services architecture as a platform for more than 20 application modules of IntelliJet II.

These modules can be used for tracking anything from dietary preferences to real-time crew communications -- an essential facet of the system, as a NetJets pilot takes off with no idea of the final destination of the customer until shortly before the flight plan is finalized.

Mike Midkiff, CIO of NetJets said: "Because IntelliJet II is deployed using Persistence's data services architecture, it integrates and continuously synchronizes all information within the business, every application has the same up-to-date information about customers, planes and crews. We believe this approach is already reducing database hardware and software costs enough to pay for its deployment. The integrated real-time view of customers and operations across the company also provides a significant competitive advantage by enabling us to provide better customer service more cost-effectively than our competitors. Scalability is near linear across all our servers. Performance and infrastructure are so well integrated now, they're actually non-issues."

NetJets is so confident in the system that it provides a customer guarantee that, should it be unable to accommodate a customer request from its fleet, it must charter a third party jet at a much higher cost, making scheduling optimization -- a major competitive factor.

Matt Harris, NetJets' Vice President of Crew Resources, is equally enthusiastic. "One item I particularly love is the feasibility engine, something that is welcomed in the aviation business. It caches the details of a trip problem, like an aircraft capability issues, an airport curfew or a client's specific catering request, during the client's initial call -- not three hours later when he's already packing his bags."

The IntelliJet II architecture uses clustered and synchronized data services to manage all data about airports, pilots, caterers and customers. The initial release of IntelliJet II uses PowerTier/J2EE. Subsequent releases will use the EdgeXtend for Java product with an industry standard J2EE server.

NetJets also plans to use Persistence data services to deploy IntelliJet II to Europe in a virtual data center architecture that will save significant costs against the alternative of opening a physical data center in the region.

"The new system allows us to align the entire company around a shared awareness of events," commented Steven P. Brechter, Chief Operating Officer. "When something changes in one particular area, whether it's a new Owner trip or an updated flight crew briefing, the information is available immediately to the rest of the organization. Work that needs to be done is tracked and the system helps our people be successful in their jobs. The investment we made in the system has helped us stay ahead of our growth and ensure the highest service levels to our Owners."

"NetJets has achieved what most companies only dream of in quality of customer service and efficiency of operations," stated Christopher Keene, President of Persistence Software. "With real-time Data Services from Persistence Software, NetJets has leapfrogged its competitors by fundamentally improving the timeliness and accuracy of customer and schedule data worldwide."

ABOUT NETJETS

NetJets® Inc, a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. company, provides the safest and most secure private aviation travel solutions in the world. NetJets® fractional aircraft ownership allows individuals and companies to buy a piece of a private business jet at a fraction of the cost of whole aircraft ownership, and guarantees availability 365 days a year with just a few hours notice. The NetJets fleet is the largest and most diversified and includes 13 of the most popular business jets.