Source -  http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/06/12/virgin-charter-launches-private-aviation-marketplace/

The U.S. is most of the worldwide market for private aviation, Duffy says, with about 75% of operators based here. The company is starting out only in the U.S. for now.The company has been in private beta for a few months, with 60 operators (out of 2,500 in the U.S.) By September, when they go live, they plan on having the largest 500 operators under contract.

Are these statistics posted anywhere? Can anyone please verify the 2500 operators and name the 500 “largest” operators? What makes an operator, large…and who are the ..largest? It would seem that NetJets, Citation Shares, Bombardier Flexjet, and Jet Direct easily qualify as “largest”. That only leaves 496 large to largest-sized more operators to have “under contract”. What do all these impressive numbers mean?

Well to do clients have their organizations contact small operators who generally control 3-5 jets. Schedules are compared and prices negotiated

A-HA! A moment of clarity. Small operator means 3-5 jets.This leaves 496, more than 5 jet operators to have under contract. That is like at least 2976 and even up to 9996 or maybe 14729!

73% of us understand what this statistic means, 22% of the time.