There is some good news amidst the bad news for private jet companies. Recently, as CNN reports, Hawker Beechcraft told employees it would cut nearly 500 jobs and Cessna has also planned cuts. But Bombardier Aerospace has said that plans for its new Learjet 85 assembly line will go forward. Bombardier spokesman Leo Knaapen has said that the the company is hiring 500- 700 people to work at the Wichita plant on Learjet 85. Bombardier spokesman Leo Knaapen cites the company's more international focus as a reason for its success at a time when others are faltering. The company has said they are conscious of the financial crisis but for the moment they are not predicting any layoffs at their Wichita plant.

Executive Jet Charters is a Fort Lauderdale based charter service that will take you anywhere in their luxury jets without all those pesky other people.

They have three planes in their fleet, viewable here, which are newly bookable up to a month in advance. Be sure to click on "more pictures" to get a look at the gorgeous interiors.

In this troubled economy, EJC is making a concerted effort to offer the best possible prices and to specialize each flight for the client to make them as comfortable as possible. With the advance bookings, they are able to streamline their process and keep prices even lower.

Their travel experts are available 24 hours a day and cater to both business and private requests. Call them at 954-449-2501 to see how much it would cost to fly to Argentina tomorrow.

Think the airline industry has it tough in the U.S.? Looks like it's no better in Russia. The Russian news agency ITAR-TASS has reported that the Russian aviation industry is in deep trouble and some airlines are facing potential bankruptcy. The reason is the same one that is plaguing the U.S. airlines, jet fuel prices. The cost of aviation fuel in Russia has risen over 70% and even though Russia has its own vast oil deposits, kerosene prices in Moscow are some 5-6% higher than in Europe. Some are predicting that as many as 50% of Russian airlines could go under if conditions don't improve.

In Russia the heaviest demand for air tickets is during the summer peak, and demand falls considerably in the low season October-February, and so some air carriers may be short of revenues to pay to fuel suppliers. Smaller airlines are more vulnerable. Yevgeny Ostrovsky, the director general of a trade house supplying jet fuel to Russian airports, predicts that only five airlines, Aeroflot, S7, Rossiya, Transaero, and YUTair, are likely to survive due to their strong partnership with the government or with large corporations. Even Aeroflot, the largest carrier, has seen the price of jet fuel cut down its profit margin from the 9% it posted in 2006 and 2007 to 3% this year to 2% in 2009.

Ugh, airline food. The growing popularity of private jets and jet charters is changing that stereotype, though, as those who can afford it are not only flying, but also eating, in style. Jet-Chef.com is a service for jet owners, pilots, brokers, flight attendants, etc., and offers access to some of the world's best chefs, caterers, and suppliers for the ultimate in in-flight dining. The service comes in the form of a website directory that makes searching by city, state, or airport and getting in touch with high-class gourmet chef and catering services easy and convenient.

Currently Jet Chef is only available in the U.S., but at the rate the private jet industry is growing they expect to be going international in the near future.

The press for eco-efficient air flight is really gearing up. Last week, Virgin Atlantic tested a flight on coconut oil. Now Aero-News Network reports that an Airbus A320 test aircraft has performed the first test flight powered by the International Aero Engines' new SelectOne standard engine. This engine still uses traditional fuel but it is a new version of the V2500 engine that is more fuel-efficient with lower CO2 emissions. The engine will be available for the A319, A320 and A321. The engine will reduce fuel burn by 1 per cent (along with a corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions) and will also improve time-on-wing by 20 per cent and require less maintenance. Unlike other projects, for more fuel-efficient flight, this one will be pressed into service by the end of the year.

Those Google guys must really be into over-sized private jets, because they're at it again! Apparently having 3 private jets, including a Boeing 767, with landing rights on NASA's Moffett Airfield wasn't good enough for them as they've now added a Boeing 757 to their ever-growing fleet.

Although smaller than the 767 they already have, obviously the 757 is still a large aircraft. Why does Google need so much in the way of wings? Who knows really, but a move like this sure is to get people talking.

For kids who have parents that can afford it, long gone are the days of riding to summer camp on a hot loud bus that smells like peanut butter and sweat. Many families are instead going the route of private jet flights, thanks in part to charter company Revolution Air assigning more than 20 jets to just that purpose this month. Costing about $8,000 per flight, most families choose it to both save time and make for a special experience. The designated jets have specialized menus featuring chicken fingers and ice cream, and it's such a treat for some they're opting to fly instead of taking a bus ride of almost the same length!

Would you fly all the way to Peru just to turn around and fly home in order to keep your frequent-flier status? USA Today has an article on "mileage runs" which are end-of-the-year jaunts in order to have enough miles for status upgrades. According to the article, American lets some AAdvantage frequent-flier program members buy the extra miles to boost them to Platinum or Executive Platinum membership and members of  United's Mileage Plus program who are coming up short can also pay a fee. Getting into these loyalty programs can mean a year of upgrades to first class and free travel. Another way to add miles is to schedule flights with multiple stops. Is it worth it? For those who fly frequently being in one of these programs can make life a lot easier and as we have mentioned before, your best chance of a first class upgrade is if you are a member of one of these programs.

Ex-Patriots cornerback Ty Law certainly loves his cars. On eBay right now you can find his customized Dodge RAM SRT-10 pick-up truck. This truck has a silver exterior and a gray leather interior. This car features a Viper 500 horsepower engine, a Pioneer DVD head unit housed in a custom enclosure with a seven-inch flip-up screen and JL Audio amps and speakers and  22-inch NC Forged 6 Spoke wheels wrapped with Pirelli Scorpion Zeros. The truck also has a bed rug, a tonneau cover and has been lowered using a drop kit. The 2004 has a scant 3035 miles on it and current bids are hovering around $20,000.