Posts Tagged ‘Business Jets’
Saturday, June 6th, 2009
Air travelers, whether they know it or not, are used to flying in aircraft that are often 30 years old or older. Many commercial jets in use were manufactured in that era. A great many business and corporate jets are equally old. Hundreds of Learjets from the 1970s or older are still in service. Well maintained, that’s not a problem. They were designed to deliver good performance for a long time.
But it’s also true that technology has advanced tremendously over the same time frame. Computer controlled electronics and avionics, materials and much more have all reached a state of the art that the founders of jet design only imagined. Riding in a jet manufactured to the latest specs provides a speed, convenience and pleasure that older jets simply can’t match.
Fresh off the assembly line in June, 2007, for example, is the Dassault Falcon 7X.
As just one demonstration of its state of the art prowess, the Falcon 7X contains a fly-by-wire system. The leading edge of avionics, this system reduces weight and allows extremely stable and fine mastery of control surfaces. Computerized controls interact with the cables and electronics needed to direct angles of flaps and other gear. Near instantaneous adjustment to all flying conditions results.
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Tags: A700 AdamJet, Adam Aircraft, air travelers, aircraft, avionics, business jet design, business jet pie, Business Jets, commercial jets, computer controlled electronics, corporate jets, Dassault Falcon 7X, Falcon 7X, Flying, Learjets, smaller business jets, Very Light Jet, VLJ
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Friday, June 5th, 2009
Bizjets, Biz Jets, or business jets… Whatever you call them, they are moving out of the realm of the super-rich and into that of the everyday business traveler.
In decades past a Lear jet or Gulfstream was almost exclusively the province of the ultra-rich with cash to spare. They provided a level of privacy, comfort and convenience that no major airline could match. With separate airfields, schedules designed around the traveler’s needs, not the airlines’, private jets were the ultimate in air travel.
But those advantages came at a price tag that few could afford. Hugh Hefner had his famous Playboy Bunny jet. The Sultan of Brunei could command a fleet of Gulfstream models. But the business traveler was still stuck with plain old TWA.
Improved production costs and rising commercial airfares, not to mention the increased pace of an already active business life, created a heightened demand for these air taxis. Multitudes of executives and individual businessmen saw the advantage of paying a higher individual ‘fare’ in order to save time and hassle.
New arrangements for sharing the costs, called ‘fractional ownership’, evolved. Business jets became the timeshare condo of the 1990s. Several businesses would each lease a percentage of the total potential flying time of a Gulfstream or a Lear or a Cessna.
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Tags: air travel, airfields, airline, Biz Jets, bizjets, Business Jets, business traveler, Cessna, commercial airfares, fractional ownership, Gulfstream, Hugh Hefner, larger jets, Lear jet, Private jets
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Thursday, May 14th, 2009
The waning years of WWII saw the introduction of the first jet fighter planes. Though the popular image is that Germany was the first to develop them, British pioneer Frank Whittle had drawing board designs of a jet plane as early as the mid-1930s.
After the end of the war, commercial airlines quickly realized the value of these faster planes. Everyone wants to get where they want to go sooner. Less time in the air means less jet lag, less stress from engine and wind noise, and more time on the ground to take care of business. For upscale business travelers, those goals were first approached in the mid-1960s.
Alongside the development of large, commercial airlines’ use of jets – the famous Boeing 727 and its later cousins – there grew up a cottage industry of smaller jets designed primarily for ultra-rich customers.
Learjet, Lockheed JetStar and the Gulfstream II were the ultimate expressions of those design goals at the time. Selling for around $1 million (a hefty price tag forty years ago), these hand-built air limousines were heavily used by oil-rich sheiks and the J. Paul Getty’s of the day.
For the younger crowd, J. Paul Getty was one of the richest men in the world from the 1940s until his death in 1976. The Bill Gates of his day – only his money came from oil not computers – he was the first individual to crack the $1 billion mark.
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Tags: B757, bizjets, Boeing 727, Business Jets, business jets history, business jets timeline, business travelers, Cessna Citation X, commercial airlines, Express Aviation, first jet fighter planes, fractional ownership, Global Express, Gulfstream II, History of Business Jets, HondaJet, Learjet, Lockheed JetStar, smaller jets, Very Light Jet, VLJ
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Thursday, May 14th, 2009
The name Bombardier brings to mind images of WWII pilots dropping bombs on Europe. Nothing could be further from reality for this Canadian builder of business jets.
Though less well known than some other names, their jets are famed throughout the industry for speed, efficiency and style. The company purchased Learjet about 15 years ago, but even before and since they’ve continued to produce models independent of that line that are outstanding. Bill Gates and Steven Spielberg, among many other notables, own Bombardier business jets. These men are not known for spending money foolishly.
One of the most outstanding models in its current line up is the Global Express XRS. This ultra long-range business jet offers speed that shrinks global distances to local travel times. It offers comfort that makes you sorry the trip was so quick.
With a cabin width of over 8 feet (2.5 m) and a height of over 6 feet (2 m) it provides plenty of space for even larger passengers. The 48-foot/14.7-m length gives you ample room to take a stroll on those rare flights where you have time to spare. But the cruising speed of 0.80 Mach (850 kph/540 mph) means you won’t have too much time to be bored.
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Tags: Bombardier, Bombardier business jets, business jet, Business Jets, Challenger 300 carries, corporate jet, flights, Global Express XRS, larger passengers, Learjet, transcontinental flights
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Wednesday, May 13th, 2009
The name Boeing is, of course, well known to air travelers. Boeing and Airbus between them dominate commercial aircraft. Both have seen bad years. But, with the announcement of their revolutionary 787 Dreamliner made from lightweight composites that offer dramatically lower fuel consumption, Boeing is definitely on top. Airbus’ financial troubles haven’t hurt them either.
Nevertheless, making jets for average consumer flights isn’t the only thing Boeing does. They have a line of business jets that are equally well regarded. A 50-50 partnership between Boeing and General Electric ensures that these planes are the finest modern technology can produce.
Many of the older Boeing Business Jet models are converted 737 and 747 series airliners. Though older, with good refurbishing they offer an outstanding value for those looking for a larger jet. They seat between 25-50 passengers and those travelers are offered the best in business jet travel comfort and amenities.
While images of cramped bathrooms are natural to anyone who has flown in a commercial jet, that’s certainly not the case with Boeing business jets. Many have been converted to offer elegant washrooms complete with showers.
Sleeping quarters on a commercial jet typically consists of a tiny pillow stuffed behind your head and a thin, nylon blanket. Not so in one of these babies. They offer master bedrooms, special bunks and much more for the weary traveler making a long distance journey.
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Tags: 787 Dreamliner, air travelers, Airbus, airliners, Boeing, Boeing 737, Boeing 747, Boeing Business Jet, business jet, Business Jets, commercial aircraft, commercial jet, consumer flights, larger jet, lower fuel consumption
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Tuesday, May 12th, 2009
You may not find a business jet in your driveway in the next few years, but how far away is the nearest small airport? If you’re like many around the country, the answer is fewer than 20 miles. There are over 5,000 small airports in the U.S. that the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) regards as ‘underused’. That means they are used at less than normal capacity for an airport that size.
The latest small private or business jets, VLJs (Very Light Jets), can land on runways as short as 3,000 feet (914 m). By contrast, mid-sized business jets like the Gulfstream G150 require almost 5,000 feet (1524 m) to land. They do have nice long ranges, though: more than 3,000 nautical miles. They can fly from LA to NY in a single hop.
Eclipse Aviation, with their Eclipse E500 can definitely take advantage of that. Using smaller airports means quicker take off and landing, and flights nearer to home for millions. Instead of fighting traffic, security and all the other commercial air travel hassles travelers can simply take a short drive or taxi ride to a local ‘air taxi’.
Fractional ownership arrangements, in which multiple individuals or companies own a part of the aircraft, make having one at your disposal on short notice feasible. At $1 million to $3 million, or even $10 million for the larger private jets, spreading the fractional ownership over as few as five makes the jet less than the average home in major urban areas.
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Tags: air taxi, business jet, Business Jet Air Taxis, Business Jets, commercial air travel, Eclipse Aviation, Eclipse E500, Federal Aviation Administration, Gulfstream G150, small airport, travelers, Very Light Jets, VLJ
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