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Flexjet Nabs Honors in Robb Report

Filed under: Journeys

Fractional jet firm Flexjet picked up props from the Robb Report in its 21st "Best of the Best" issue last month. A great way to keep the prolies away when you travel, this Bombardier-backed company offers "debit cards" for private jet access, so you can buy what you need rather than take on the hefty burden of maintaining your own bird. Both the Flexjet 25 Jet Card and Bombardier Skyjet program got nods from the magazine beloved by the world's wealthy.

Fred Reid, President of Flexjet and Skyjet, was obviously psyched about the results, saying, "By offering a full range of award-winning aviation solutions – from whole aircraft management through our Flexjet One program to fractional jet ownership, jet cards and charter – we are uniquely positioned to help companies and individuals best meet their changing needs."

A few new programs have been announced to give jetsetters more options. The revamped ""Walk Away Lease" program comes with a lot of the perks of fractional ownership ... but you can ditch it with only 90 days notice. And, roundtrip travel comes with a 15 percent discount.

The Flexjet 25 Jet Card is available in 25-, 30- and 35-hour increments and allows card-owners to choose how many days they want access: 275, 325, 355 or 365.

The New $8 Million Emivest SJ30 Jet

Filed under: Wings

emivst
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.

Dubai's Latest Project Underway: $82 Billion Aerospace Center

Filed under: Journeys, Wings, Real Estate Developments


It's hard, these days, to read or hear a sentence about Dubai that doesn't end with a staggering financial figure, usually in the many billions or at least the hundreds of millions. Sheikh Al Mahtoum's vision of Dubai's world-class aerospace center is no different, and investors the world over are trying to get in on the action since its announcement this summer that the project was now well underway.

25 miles outside of Dubai, the land on which contractors from the UAE and Europe have begun construction was slated for development 30 years ago (the equivalent of a century or two in any other developed country). The project adds up to $82 billion in cutting edge technology, aircraft, surrounding residential areas and training options.

At the heart of the plan is the $10 billion Al Maktoum International Airport, which would be twice as big as London's Heathrow and Chicago's sprawling O'Hare airports combined, or roughly double the size of Hong Kong.

Buy Your Eclipse 500 Jet On eBay

Filed under: Wings, Auctions

If you've been itching to get your hands on your own Eclipse 500 private jet, today is your lucky day. That's right, Eclipse is listing on of their first Eclipse 500 private jets up for auction on eBay starting today. The list price is $1,719.942.60 and the reserve will be $1,633.945.47. Your money gets you serial # 000038 of the new very light jet. And the company just started making deliveries of the six-passenger jet last December so you will likely be the first on your block to have one. To claim your prize you have to pick up the plane at the Eclipse plant in Albuquerque, New Mexico and the winning bidder also receives participation in Eclipse's Type Rating Training program for one person. The auction ends on August 10.

[via Technobabble]

Eclipse Concept Jet

Filed under: Wings


The latest plane from Eclipse Aviation is the Eclipse Concept Jet, a a single-engine four-place aircraft. The concept plane represents Eclipse's vision of what a single engine VLJ should be. It's not for sale and is being used for market research.

Aero News Network was there for the first flight of the plane, a 70 minute trip on July 2, and has photos and videos of the experience. The plane was built in just over 200 days. The goal is to have the the plane hit goals of 345 knots, 41,000 feet and a range in excess of 1250 nautical miles. No word yet on when or if the concept will go into production.

Chandelle Winery Celebrates Lindbergh

Filed under: Wine, Wings

Giving a new meaning to the words wine flight, the Chandelle Winery specializes in wines with aviation art. The Sonoma winery takes its name from an aviation term used to describe a 180-degree change in direction and an increase in altitude. To celebrate the 80th anniversary of Charles Lindbergh's New York-to-Paris flight, the winery is offering a special limited edition labeled wine called The 19th Hour, The Spirit of St Louis. The 2004 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon and 2005 Chardonnay Sonoma County wines have a label created by aviation artist Keith Ferris as well as a special 80th anniversary medallion. A portion of the sales will go to the Lindbergh Foundation, which supports technological solutions to improve the environment for a sustainable future. A three bottle box of two 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon and one 2005 Chardonnay Spirit of St Louis 80th Anniversary Edition sells for $70.

[via General Aviation News]

Concorde Parts up for Auction

Filed under: Wings, Auctions


Maybe you never got a chance to fly on the Concorde before the last flight in 2003, but soon you will have the opportunity to own a piece of it. Beginning September 28th and continuing through October 1st, 835 lots of Concorde related items will be sold to the highest bidder. Included in the sale is everything from spare parts to pilot's uniforms, with most bids expected to range from $67-$400. If you have a little more to spend and possibly a larger place to house your collection, you can bid on the plane's landing gear, which weighs 1.5 tons and is expected to fetch upwards of $2,700. Don't be surprised if these estimates are low. In 2003, the Concorde's trademark needle nose sold for $634,000 although it was valued at only $13,000.

The proceeds of the auction will finance a planned airline park in the French City of Toulou. The Aeroscopia will open in 2010 and feature the history of Aerospatiale Toulouse, the maker of Concorde.

The First Customer-Painted Airbus A380

Filed under: Wings


The first customer-painted Airbus A380 has been revealed. Singapore Airlines has the honor of being the first to splash their logo on the ultimate doubledecker jumbo jet. It took 21 days for 100 workers in four shifts to polish and paint the blue and gold Singapore Airlines logo and the name "Singapore Airlines" across the massive plane. The job also took over 580 gallons of paint. Airbus is trying to minimize the ecological damage from the massive project, electrostatic pistols are used to minimize paint mist and used air is cleaned and washed through a multi-stage cleaning process. Singapore Airline will receive the aircraft in October.

[via Asia Travel Tips]

Eclipse Delivers First Customer Plane

Filed under: Wings

We've been waiting for this news since mid 2005 when we first started covering this company, Eclipse Aviation has finally delivered their first very light jet, the Eclipse 500, and just before the end of 2006 too. AV Web reports that the first Eclipse 500 was delivered to a customer on Sunday, New Year's Eve. A formal delivery ceremony will follow at the company headquarters in Albuquerque, N.M. The first customer Eclipse 500 went to co-owners David Crowe, a private owner, and Jet-Alliance, a shared jet ownership company. Crowe is planning to fly recreationally and the jet will be part of Jet- Alliances shared ownership program. Eclipse has another 37 planes currently on the line and goal of delivering 500 planes before the end of 2007 but with a backlog of 2,500 orders you may have to wait a while for yours.

Buy A Plane, Get A Car

Filed under: Wheels, Wings

compair12Buy a plane, get a car, that's the new offer from Comp Air Inc. From now until the end of the year they are offering new Chevy Aveos to buyers of selected models of its airplanes. The offer applies to seven of Comp Air's kit models. The offer means that those who trek down to Merritt Island, Florida to build their own aircraft will have their own way to get around and two new rides to take home. The Aveo has an MSRP of $9,350-$13,050. Probably not the car of your dreams but it's still a free car.

Those who build their aircraft at home are eligible for the new car too as long as they are willing to fly down and drive it home. Comp Air makes composite, kit-built airplanes from two to 11 seats which are powered by piston, turboprop and turbo.Their latest model is the carbon fiber Comp 12 shown here. The high-tech turbine aircraft sells for $249,000 less engine, avionics and interior.

[via General Aviation News]

Rare A-20 Rare War Plane For Sale

Filed under: Wings


You are looking at the only Douglas A-20 capable of flight is for sale. This rare plane, which has been exhibited in several flight museums, was impeccably restored. This plane was part of three different Air Force units as a trainer but was never in combat. After World War II, it was part of the 474 military planes sold to Paul Mantz, one of Hollywood's most famous stunt pilots, for use in movies and as camera planes. The plane was later sold, abandoned and then bought and restored by William J. Farah in 1970. It has bounced in and out of museums including the National Air & Space Museum, the Liberal Flight Museum and the  Lone Star Flight Museum. It is selling for $1,150,000 through Courtesy Aircraft.

[via General Aviation News]

Versace To Design Jet Interiors

Filed under: Wings

Not content with fashion and a burgeoning hotel empire, Versace will now be designing interiors for private jets. The fashion company has announced a new collaboration with Tag Group SA to design interiors for the Boeing BBJ, Bombardier Global Express and other private jets. The interiors will be shown at a British Air Show this summer. The prototype is described as having a white and black scheme including white leather chairs and black carpeting.

Silverjet, Another London to New York Flight Option

Filed under: Wings

The already competitive London to New York flight market is about to get a bit tighter. We've already covered Eos and MAXjet which both offer the same route.  Silverjet Limited will offer low fare, all business class flights. CNN reports that Silverjet is currently raising money to get on London's Alternative Investment Market in May. They expect to start business class service from Luton to Newark within six to nine months after getting on the market. They eventually plan to run ten aircraft to a variety of destinations. Like MAXjet, Silverjet will offer around 100 seats which are flatbeds. The average roundtrip is expected to be $1,700.

Air France To Debut In Flight Phone Usage

Filed under: Gadgets, Services, Wings

Want to be the first to be allowed to use your phone in flight? Then you will want to fly Air France. Breaking Travel News reports that they will take delivery in early 2007 of the first Airbus A318 with the On Air GSM equipment which lets you use your cell phone or BlackBerry during flight. Air France will use the aircraft during a six-month trial of the new service testing it out on short flights within Europe and North Africa. As much as it will be convenient, I think I will mourn the days of the phone-free flight.



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