jet

HondaJet Hits 489 MPH as First Deliveries Approach

Filed under: Wings

Aviation enthusiasts have been closely following the development of the HondaJet. Designed and engineered by the same Japanese motor company that builds everything from cars and motorcycles to lawnmowers and robots, the HondaJet is a thorough re-think of a private jet.

It's been a long time in the making, having started with research as far back as the 1980s and making its first flight in late 2003. Now the HondaJet has made its first FAA-certified test flight, achieving a top speed of 489 miles per hour at 30,000 feet -- by far surpassing the CBR sport bike, the Acura NSX sportscar and Honda F1 cars as the fastest thing the company has ever produced.

The jet is configured to carry five passengers in addition to the pilot and co-pilot. Powered by General Electric jet engines, the aircraft designated HA-420 will be built in Greensboro, North Carolina. Orders are being taken now at around $3.65 million, with production planned for 70 units per year and deliveries targeted for late 2012.

Tags: honda, honda jet, hondajet, jet, private jet

New Bombardiers Will Be World's Most Expensive Business Jets

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings, Wealth

Canadian aviation company Bombardier is aiming to displace Gulfstream as the world's most expensive business jet with the introduction of two new models. The Global 7000 and 8000, which will cost about $65 million apiece, will beat the high-speed range of the $58.5 million Gulfstream G650. Both new private jets will have a high-speed cruise of Mach 0.90; the 7000 will have a range of 7,300 nmi at Mach 0.85, while the 8000's range will top out at 7,900 nmi at Mach 0.85. Both will borrow elements from the existing Global Express XRS and 5000.

New wings, new tech and luxe amenities added to increased fuel efficiency will be the hallmarks of the new craft, aimed to appeal to ultra-wealthy customers in India, Asia and the UAE. The 7000 will have the largest cabin in business aviation while the 8,000 will boast the longest range. The 7000 will be able to fly from London to Singapore, New York to Dubai or Beijing to Washington non-stop with 10 passengers, while the 8000 can do Sydney to Los Angeles, Hong Kong to New York and Mumbai to New York non-stop with eight. Unfortunately the first one won't be ready for delivery until 2016.

Tags: aviation, Bombardier, Gulfstream, jet, most expensive, private jet, worlds most expensive

Concorde Jet Undergoing $22 Million Recommission

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

Progress is a funny thing. Mankind had been racing past aviation milestones for generations. But it seemed like everything came to a sobering halt when the Concorde crashed in Paris ten years ago, killing 113 people and putting the brakes on supersonic commercial aviation. The trial over the incident is only now wrapping up in Paris, but the Concorde may not be grounded forever.

Mirroring the two national airlines that operated the Concorde for years – British Airways and Air France – a $22 million collaboration between Britain's Save Concorde Group (SCG) and France's Olympus 593 has been hard at work to get the supersonic jetliner back in the air. The joint team of engineers is now preparing for initial tests on the Rolls-Royce engines that could lead to the Concorde being cleared for flight once again. The target is to have the jet fly over the opening ceremonies for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

But before you go rearranging your next vacation around the shorter transatlantic flight times the Concorde once afforded to those who could afford it, bear in mind that the goal is to have it operational in a "heritage capacity", indicating that while it may fly for demonstration purposes, it likely will never return to commercial aviation.

[Source: BBC News via Switched]

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Tags: aviation, concorde, jet, london, olympus 593, PlanesTrainsAndAutomobiles, save concorde group

Airborne: The New $9 Million Cessna CJ4

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

Despite some recent troubles as reported by my colleague Deirdre Woollard, Cessna is finally set to begin deliveries of its long-awaited $9 million Citation CJ4 light business jet later this year, featuring improved performance and the company's most stylishly decorated and ergonomically designed cabin ever. Electronically-controlled twin Williams-Rolls FJ44-4A turbofan engines allow for a maximum cruising speed of 500 mph at 35,000 ft. and are quiet and fuel efficient. New swept-back wings borrowed from the Cessna Sovereign help out on aerodynamics for short takeoffs, quick climbs and improved acceleration. Plush new "luxury sedan" style seats and a new sidewall configuration provide more leg, seat and shoulder room. It's also outfitted like a high-end media room thanks to its revolutionary Venue Cabin Management System with amenities such as XM radio, CD and hi-def Blu-Ray DVD player, seat monitors, moving maps and input stations for MP3 players, gaming systems and more.

[via JamesList]

Gallery: Cessna CJ4

Tags: business jet, Cessna, citation cj4, jet, private jet

Gulfstream Shows Off G650 Jet

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

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.

Gallery: Gulfstream 650

[via Upscale Swagger]

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Tags: business jet, BusinessJet, g650, gulfstream, jet, private jet, PrivateJet

$28 Million Superjet Made in Siberia

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

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.

Tags: jet, Pininfarina, private jet, private plane, PrivateJet, PrivatePlane, Russia, Siberia, Sukhoi

Top Class Turboprop: The Daher-Socata TBM 850

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

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]

Tags: aerospace, Daher-Socata, jet, plane, private jet, PrivateJet, turboprop

Blue Star Jets Launches ShareAJet Exchange

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings, Wealth

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."

Tags: Blue Star Jets, BlueStarJets, jet, private aviation, private jet, PrivateAviation, PrivateJet

Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350i

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

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.

Tags: Beechcraft, business jet, BusinessJet, Hawker, Hawker Beechcraft, HawkerBeechcraft, jet, plane, private jet, private plane, PrivateJet, PrivatePlane, turboprop

Times Are Good For The Private Jet Repo Man

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

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."

Source

Tags: jet, nick popovich, NickPopovich, private jet, PrivateJet, repo man, RepoMan, sage popovich, SagePopovich

Piaggio Planning a New Ferrari Jet

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Wings

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]

Tags: airplane, EBACE, Ferrari, Italian style, ItalianStyle, Italy, jet, Piaggio, turboprop

JPMorgan Chase Plans New Jet Purchases

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings, Wealth

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.

Gallery: Corporate Jets For Sale

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Tags: corporate jet, CorporateJet, gulfstream 650, Gulfstream650, jet, jpmorgan chase, JpmorganChase, tarp

Groups Get Ready To Bid On Eclipse Aviation's Assets

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

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.

Tags: eclipse 500, Eclipse500, jet

The New $8 Million Emivest SJ30 Jet

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

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.

Tags: aviation, Emivest, Emivest Aerospace, EmivestAerospace, jet, private jet, PrivateJet, UAE

Sikorsky's New S-76D Helicopter is Airborne

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

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.

Tags: helicopter, jet, Sikorsky

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