Jet

Don't count the private jet industry out yet, there are still plenty of jets planned to hit the market when the economy gets sunnier. Gulfstream just unveiled their new flagship business jet, the Gulfstream G650, at company headquarters in Savannah. The aircraft was first announced in March 2008 and will start customer deliveries in 2012. Around 7,000 people gathered at the new G650 manufacturing building for the grand unveiling of the ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range jet. The G650 offers the longest range, fastest speed, largest cabin and the most advanced cockpit in the Gulfstream fleet and can travel 7,000 nautical miles at 0.85 Mach with a maximum operating speed of 0.925, which will make it the fastest civil aircraft flying. It can also climb to an altitude of 51,000 feet, which allows it to avoid traffic and inclement weather for a smoother ride. The aircraft seats 11-18 passengers and has 16 panoramic windows and in-flight access to 195 cubic feet of usable volume in the baggage compartment. A first flight is planned for later this year and it is expected to be certified in 2011.

Aero-News Network reports that among the attendees was Congressman Jack Kingston (R), who talked about the jobs associated with the manufacture of the Gulfstream line. "There may be some members of Congress who had their doubts about corporate jet travel," he told the crowd, "I am not one of them."

UPDATE: Re: questions on price it should be around $65 million.



[via Upscale Swagger]

Is the world ready for a $28 million Siberian superjet? Russian aerospace firm Sukhoi hopes so as it plans to begin deliveries of its Sukhoi Superjet 100 in December, undercutting established jet builders like Embraer and Bombardier. Cheap Siberian labor lowers the cost of the planes, but Sukhoi insists quality will not be compromised as it was developed in collaboration with Finmeccanica of Italy subsidiary Alenia Aeronautica, fetauring optional interiors by famed Italian design firm Pininfarina and the same parts found in more coveted craft. Its 5-seat rows setup, combining style and ergonomics, will be among the largest ever installed on regional transport aircraft thanks to a fuselage almost 18 inches larger than those of competitors.

Taking advantage of the burgeoning interest in top-drawer turboprops, seen by many to be a more economical alternative to jets in tough times, comes the $2.8 million Daher-Socata TBM 850 (above). The stylish plane, the product of a merger between Socata, founded in 1911, and French aerospace firm Daher, offers the advantages of the cruising speeds typical of light jets, but with the economical direct operating costs of a single-engine turboprop. And of course it's a lot cheaper. Equipped with a Pratt & Whitney PT6A engine offering responsive handling and sporty performance, the TBM 850 can climb to 31,000 ft in as little as 20 minutes, fly over 1,400 nautical miles, and slip into a 2,000-ft. airstrip or a mountain runway. It accommodates six people including pilot and co-pilot in its luxurious, air-conditioned cabin.

[via JamesList]

Blue Star Jets, one of the world's largest private aircraft charter brokers, has just launched the world's first online marketplace for travelers seeking to minimize costs by sharing private jet flights - the ShareAJet Exchange. The Exchange enables travelers to share flights to similar destination; if a trip to the desired destination is not already posted, clients may upload their own travel plans with the aim of matching that with another traveler. The idea for the program was hatched this past fall, when with the economy suffering a significant downturn Blue Star Jets' clients began inquiring if they could share private jet flights in order to maintain their luxury lifestyles.

Just as Blue Star Jets centralized the charter business, eliminating the necessity for fractional jet ownership for many clients, the ShareAJet Exchange will again lower the barrier of entry into the marketplace as it brings down the cost of private aviation by nearly 50% according to the firm. Like Blue Star Jets' regular programs, which link up 4,000 aircraft worldwide via its network of charter companies, the ShareAJet Exchange offers access to every category of aircraft, from light, mid, and heavy jets to airliners, helicopters, and turboprops. The company's motto is "Any Jet. Any time. Any place."

The new Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350i (above) is an updated, luxury version of a turboprop plane that's been a big seller since 1964. The economic crisis has caused many corporations to consider swapping expensive jets for more efficient and less costly turboprops like the classic King Air. Beechcraft has added in luxury features and finishes found on much more expensive Hawker business jets to make the $6.6 million King Air 350i a competitive choice. It's billed as is the most luxurious, most comfortable and most capable turbine aircraft ever offered in its class, period. The company compares it to a Range Rover - very refined with rugged underpinnings and exemplary safety features. With the most flexible and technologically advanced cabin ever introduced in a twin turboprop, the plane can ferry 9 passengers in the morning and then be reconfigured into an ultra-luxe VIP shuttle for 2 that same afternoon.

Ever wonder what happens when private jet owners can't pay the bills? Salon has a piece on Nick Popovich of Sage-Popovich, Inc., a firm that repossesses private jets. Popovich could easily write a book about his adventures. He's wound up in jail and faced down threats and all sorts of dangers in order to get planes out of the hands of those who can no longer afford them. The economy has been unkind to the wealthy lately and as you might expect, Popovich's business is booming. His specialty is jumbo jets and he has repo-ed 1,300 of them earning six-figure fees in the process. The jobs vary in level of difficulty, he's flown around the world to chase down private jets and recently was charged with retrieving 240 corporate helicopters from a chain of flight schools. The article makes for fascinating reading and Popovich sounds like a ready-made lead character for a thriller, an adventurer with a cool head and quotes like "It's like a giant chess game, and the stakes can be your life."

Piaggio chief executive Alberto Galassi just announced that plans are finally in place for a new Ferrari jet based on the Avanti turboprop plane (above) at the European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva. Piaggio, which is partly owned by Ferrari and is licensed to use its prancing horse logo, says its shareholders in Abu Dhabi and India are backing the project but declined to release many details. "I promise you one thing, this [will be] a beautiful airplane," Galassi said. "You would not expect anything more from Italian style and Ferrari."

They're not taking orders yet, however. "Who wants to hear about a new airplane, take orders and then wait 10 years for delivery?" Galassi asked. "You don't see Ferrari announcing a new model and then spending years developing it. Ferrari designs the car, builds it and then launches it. I want us to be close to first flight and with the latest technology before we tell people about it." He also joked, "It costs the same to design an ugly aircraft as it does a beautiful one, so we have the beautiful one."

[via JamesList]

Another day, another chance to be outraged over a corporate jet purchase. ABC News reports that JPMorgan Chase will proceed with a $138 million plan that calls for buying two new corporate jets and building a new aircraft hanger at Westchester Airport in New York. JPMorgan Chase has received $25 billion in TARP funds.

The planes are Gulfstream 650s and the hangar has "green" features including using reclaimed wood and quarry tile and adding a roof garden. The JPMorgan hangar would boot out a fixed-base operator Avitat Westchester partly because off the new hangar's green features. Gawker points out that Avitat pampers clients including JPMorgan Chase in a lavish hangar that includes a baby grand piano, giant fishtanks and a food service set up. JPMorgan Chase has four jets at the Westchester Airport. The new Gulfstreams aren't set to arrive until 2013.

JPMorgan Chase has said no TARP money will be used and that future jet purchases are just part of its "normal aircraft replacement policy" and that the company will repay the TARP money before making payments for new planes and renovation.

The saga of Eclipse Jets just gets weirder and weirder and you'll need a scorecard to keep track of all the companies with the Eclipse name. The first was Eclipse Aviation Corporation which produced the planes but filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Then Luxembourg-based EclipseJet Aviation International (part of ETIRC Aviation) was set to buy the company, and in fact their website says they are "the principal distributor of the Eclipse 500 very light jet in Europe, Eastern Europe, Russia, and CIS countries." But that deal fell through and Eclipse entered Chapter 7 liquidation last month which means that the company's assets are set to be liquidated.

Enter a new group, known as Eclipse Jet LLC which as Aero-News Network reports, has joined others hoping to bid on the company's assets. This group contains leaders of the Ad Hoc Customer Committee and Steering Committee including Mike Press a retired USAF colonel who owns an Eclipse 500, and runs a private company to broker Eclipse delivery positions. He is working with other owners and depositors including businessman Mason Holland to try and acquire the assets of Eclipse. The motivation is both to provide support for those who already own planes as well as restarting production of the Eclipse 500, perhaps to complete the seven planes still in various stages of being built inside the plant. Holland and Press have said that they are interesting in reorganizing Eclipse as a sustainable company.

Two other bids for the Eclipse assets have been made public including yet another Eclipse-named group, Eclipse Services and Support LLC, which is a cooperative backed by Linear Air CEO Bill Herp and wants to keep the existing fleet of 259 Eclipse 500 very-light jets in service. Another organization with yet another Eclipse name, New Eclipse Acquisition LLC, is backed by aerospace executive Phil Friedman and also wants to provide support to existing owners and to eventually start producing new aircraft.

While all this is being sorted out, furloughed workers wait for a decision and hope that they will get some money out of the liquidation. Forbes reveals that more than 800 workers have filed a lawsuit seeking back wages and benefits.

Emivest Aerospace is now taking orders for the SJ30 (above), billed the world's fastest, longest range and highest flying light jet. The $8 million SJ30 recently set a new world speed record from London to Dubai, doing the trip in just 7hr 7 min including a fuel stop in Istanbul. Emivest was founded late last year when the Emirates Investment and Development Company acquired an 80% interest in US-based Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corporation, named for aviation pioneer Ed Swearingen. The luxurious single-pilot certified six-seater can retain sea level cabin pressure at 41,000 ft., reducing jet lag, and can fly more than 2,800 miles nonstop at speeds of up to 630 mph.

In one of the most highly-anticipated events in the commercial aviation industry, Sikorsky's stunning new multimillion-dollar S-76D helicopter (above) just successfully completed its first test flight, paving the way for production and delivery by next year. The prototype maneuvered through taxi, hover, hover turns, and forward flight to 40 knots. The sleek helicopter features all-composite, flaw-tolerant main rotor blades; an advanced Thales avionics system and autopilot; dual speed rotor with active vibration control; powerful Pratt & Whitney 210S engines; and an optional ice protection system for all-weather flying. Inside the S-76D, the atmosphere is comparable to a luxurious private jet with satellite phones, entertainment systems, flight progress displays and refreshment cabinets featuring custom woodwork. There are dozens of customization options as well.

Luxury for Him from Loft Publications (right) is a real tour de force of extravagance. The pages are filled with Lurssen yachts, Gulfstream jets, Augusta helicopters, Rolls-Royces, palace hotels like the Burj Al Arab and lots more, all lavishly and lovingly photographed.

"Luxury can manifest itself in different ways and objects of desire differ from person to person," the publishers note. "Although the parameters of what is considered to be luxurious vary greatly, luxury items are always of excellent quality and are exclusive limited editions which tend to be the most technologically advanced within their category."

The categories include Luxury Sailing, Luxury Driving, Luxury Flying, Luxury Destinations and Luxury Moments. "Elegance and distinction have various interpretations, but in all cases, the degree of excellence and quality in the materials and objects is what distinguishes genuine luxury from opulence that is lacking in content."

We first wrote about the PiperJet back in 2006, the small plane is the first pure, jet-powered, turbofan design in the company's 71-year history. The pane has now made its first flight from Piper Headquarters in Vero Beach, Florida. The plane flew for one hour, reaching a maximum altitude of 10,500 feet and a speed of 160 KTAS as per the flight test plan. The PiperJet is powered by a single Williams FJ44-3AP engine and is set to carry six passengers with an option for a seventh or an enclosable lavatory. It will have a range of 1,300 nautical miles and a full-fuel payload of 800 lbs. The jet is priced from $2.199 million and will be certified to a maximum operating altitude of 35,000 feet. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2011.

It's a strange phenomenon but the more big airlines that shut their doors, the more smaller private jet services seem to open up. The latest is Deluge Air (an odd name, in my opinion). Deluge Air plans to offer flights from Wilmington, North Carolina to northern New Jersey, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Nassau, Bahamas. They plan to begin booking flights Aug. 4 on two seven-seat Learjet 35 aircraft, with flights taking off about a week later.The airline will operate out of ISO Aero Service, one of two fixed-base operators, or FBOs, on the grounds of Wilmington International Airport. The service is on deman, customers will pay for private jet service by individual seat instead of booking the entire aircraft and the flights will be operated by private jet companies out of Raleigh and Miami, with Deluge as the sales agent.

According to an article in the Star News Online, fares between Wilmington and Nassau booked seven days or more in advance will be $2,047 each way, with an additional $400 charge for flights booked less than a week in advance. Fares to Teterboro Airport will be $1,075 each way, and $1,398 when not booked at least seven days in advance.

The Jet by Cirrus Design, now officially named "The Vision SJ50" is a luxurious small aircraft is designed to be flown by a single pilot. The Cirrus Vision hopes to blend the best of both the high performance single-engine class and the very light jet category. The plane is powered by a Williams International FJ33-4A-19 engine and will fly at about 300 knots at a maximum operating altitude of 25,000 feet.

The body is spherical to allow for more interior space and it has moveable seats to accommodate up to seven people. The plane has a unique V-Tail design and state-of-the-art advanced avionics and flight systems plus the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System. The Cirrus Vision SJ50 had its first flight last week (Aero News Network has a report of the event with action photos). The 45-minute flight was conducted from company worldwide headquarters at the Duluth International Airport, Duluth, MN.