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Gulfstream Announces Biggest, Fastest Private Jet Yet

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

Gulfstream has announced their fastest business-class jet ever. The new G650 jet can fly nearly as fast as the speed of sound, .85 Mach and is their biggest plane to date. It will have a nautical range of 7,000 nautical miles meaning it can fly nonstop from Los Angeles to London. The plane will cost $59.5 million and is aimed at the highest end of the private jet market. The Savannah, Georgia-based company plans to begin test flights next year and will start deliveries in 2012.

Tags: airplane, g650, gulfstream, private jet, PrivateJet, wings

8 Reasons to Get A Private Jet

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

I hardly think that anybody with the means to fly in a private jet versus a public plane has need of being convinced which is better, but just in case this list of 8 reasons to get a private jet will certainly seal the deal. Massages, gourmet coffee and catered meals are just the beginning. Forget leg room and a lap tray, on your own plane you can have luxury sleeping arrangements (your own huge bed) and all kinds of other conveniences like wireless internet access, big screen televisions, and even a better view out the windows.

I was convinced at "massages."

Tags: air travel, airplane, AirTravel, jet, plane, private, travel, traveling, wings

Airbus A380 Luxury Plane Tickets Sell for $100,000

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

You've been reading about it, you've been hearing about it, and now it's finally happened: those two tickets up for auction for a luxury suite (plus all kinds of other goodies) on the maiden voyage of the Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 have finally sold -- for $100,000. That sounds like a lot of money to pay for a flight from Singapore to Sydney, but of course it's on an Airbus, it includes a lot of other perks, and that's actually a lot less than what the airline was hoping to get for charity (the "Buy it now" was $380,000). What a bargain!

Tags: 380, A380, airbus, airfare, airline, airlines, auction, bid, bidding, charity, doubledecker jet, DoubledeckerJet, flight, fly, jet, most expensive, MostExpensive, plane, singapore, singapore airlines, SingaporeAirlines, ticket, tickets, wings

Sending Kids To Summer Camp By Private Jet

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wings

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!

Tags: camp, child, children, flight, fly, jet, jets, kid, kids, private, revolution air, RevolutionAir, summer, summer camp, SummerCamp, wings

Boeing 787 Dreamliner VIP Edition

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which we heard about last October, just might be the fastest selling airplane in aviation history. It seems like all the big dogs want one, the latest being Hong Kong real estate tycoon Joseph Lau with his $153 million dollar 787 Dreamliner VIP Edition order. Once completed the Boeing will have 2,400+ square feet of luxurious space filled with amenities like vaulted ceilings, spiral staircases, and video wall displays.

And on a related note, new pictures have been released of the even bigger 4,786 sq foot 747 Dreamliner, complete with Skyloft feature. Gorgeous!

Tags: 747, 787, 787 dreamliner vip edition, 787DreamlinerVipEdition, airplane, boeing, dreamliner, fly, jet, joseph lau, JosephLau, lau, plane, private, vip, wings

Aruba has New Airport Terminal for Private Jets

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wings

Fancy a trip to Aruba? Hate commercial flying and been frustrated in the past with lack of accommodations for your private jet? I'm more of a wannabe than an expert when it comes to globetrotting and travel, so in this case I'm not sure if I'm surprised that Aruba has lacked a terminal just for private jets or not. Being the romantic island getaway that it is I would have thought it would be a priority, but then it is a tropical island and they don't generally follow the normal rules and expectations ever anyway.

But none of that really matters now, as Aruba has finally opened a terminal for private jets -- apparently in a specific effort to attract more upscale patrons. It even has separate customs and immigration so travelers can get through faster and bypass the main terminal altogether.

Tags: airplane, aruba, caribbean, carribbean, carribean, fly, island, jet, plane, private jet, PrivateJet, terminal, travel, tropical, tropics, wings

Decor that Will (and Won't) Fly on a Private Jet

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Wings

The whole idea of having a private jet, besides the obvious privacy aspect, is that you get to have it decorated however you want, right? Maybe not, depending on exactly what features you're after. Any plane that wants to fly in U.S. airspace has the Federal Aviation Administration to comply with, and no matter how fancy you make it a plane just isn't any fun when it's stuck sitting on the ground.

On the bright side, many features can be modified or changed to where they're still enjoyable but don't break any laws -- like chandeliers are okay if they're retractable, and you can have all the heavy mahogany and big screen TVs you want as long as you're willing to trade off in terms of increased fuel and lower over-all capacity for things like passengers and cargo.

So what isn't okay, ever, on a plane? An open flame, which automatically rules out features like fireplaces and gas stoves.

But as long as you have a golden toilet, who cares.

Tags: airplane, decor, decorating, decorations, fly, flying, jet, plane, private jet, private plane, PrivateJet, PrivatePlane, wings

Versace To Design Helicopters

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

Versace's done a Lamborghini and they've designed jet interiors, so their next move is an easy guess. The Italian design house is taking on the whirlibird. Fashion Week Daily reports that Versace is teaming up with fellow Italian company, Agusta Westland to create a line of private helicopter interiors. Helicopter owners will be allowed to personalize the decor of the craft. Given what we've seen in the jets and cars I'm guessing Versace copters will have black and white leather and the classic Greek key design Versace is known for.

Tags: agusta westland, flight, helicopters, versace, wings

Surreal Lucellino Lamp

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

Form and function are well-combined in this unusual Lucellino table lamp, since the light is just as useful as it is artistic. It pretty much goes without saying, however, that your appreciation for this particular piece will be proportional to your appreciation for surrealist art. The lamp is made from brass and plastic, with hand-finished goosefeather wings and a 50 watt non-halogen bulb. The wire-like mount is flexible, so you can situate the light exactly where you want it to be, though the designer recommends that the light be placed about 13" high. Price: $650.

Tags: fly, Lamp, Lucellino, Lucellino Lamp, LucellinoLamp, wings

Luxury Jets Get Bigger and Better

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

As is the case with just about everything else in the luxury market, including yachts and homes, private airplanes are getting bigger and more impressive all the time. Instead of sticking with little six-seaters, jumbo jets that are made to carry hundreds of passengers on long-haul flights are being made over to carry only a handful of people in total comfort. Many are owned by companies and used to ferry around important clients, but some are owned by individuals.

The smaller jets include planes like the Boeing 737 and 747, of which there are around 40 privately configured jets, but the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner is going to be one of the best planes money can buy. The Dreamliner will have only 35 seats, as opposed to about 300 as a commercial plane, and most of them will double as beds. The rest of the interior is up to the buyer. Dreamliners will start at about $150 million and will be released in 2008.

Tags: 787, airplane, airplanes, boeing, dreamliner, plane, planes, wing, wings

Should the U.S. Foot the Bill for the A380 Airport Expansions?

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

A little over 18 months ago the Airbus 380 first popped up on our radar. We were giddy with the possibilities, imagining these massive planes full of luxury and more space than we had ever dreamed possible. However more and more, the double-decker A380 is looking to be nothing but trouble. The concerns have ranged from environmental factors such as the plane's huge wake to delays in production which could make the plane harder to get. The latest wrinkle comes from a Republican lawmaker who is seeking to get Congress to ban U.S. airports from spending federal money on the upgrades necessary in order to make room for the jumbo jet. Rep. John Mica says that until a U.S. airline buys and uses an A380, foreign airlines should pick up the tab. The U.S. government is currently expected to pay for half of the changes in airports in Los Angeles, New York, Miami and San Francisco but Mica feels this is unfair to U.S. taxpayers since Europe gives governmental loans to Airbus.

Tags: a380, airbus, flight, planes, wings

Piaggio Aero P180 Avanti II

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

I've bandied about the term "Ferrari for the skies" before but this is the real deal. Italian company, Piaggio Aero is owned by the Ferrari family and the the Maranello racing team has been flying the Avanti since 2000. The Avanti is also the preferred choice of President Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, general manager Jean Todt and world champion Formula One driver Michael Shumacher.

The P180 Avanti II is the world's fastest turboprop business aircraft. It has a midsize cabin that can hold nine people and is over 6 feet wide and 5 feet 9 inches tall. The plane also uses fuel efficiencies that are nearly 40% less than most business jets and 25% less than the most efficient twin turboprops. The plane sells for around $6.195 million. Check out the interior after the jump.

Tags: airplane, airport, avanti ii, business plane, ferrari, piaggio, plane, turboprop, wings

Continue reading “Piaggio Aero P180 Avanti II”

Flying In The Fast Lane

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

Would you pay to get through airport security faster? The plan to offer a security pass that will let you go through a faster security lane is picking up steam. The Registered Traveler program would require travelers to pay a fee, pass a government background check and submit ten fingerprints. It is expected that as many as 20 airports will have the program in place by 2007. A yearly pass through the Clear registered traveler service sells for $79.95. They currently operate the program out of the Orlando International Airport.

Tags: airline, airport, flying, security, wings

Eos Airlines Offers Curb-To-Plane Service

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

Eos Airlines has a new plan to make their customers feel a little more like they are on a private jet rather than a business jet. The airline will greet each guest curbside at both JFK and Stansted Airport in London and stay with them through check-in and a fast-track security. Eos already offers a similar service for travelers who are running late and this is just an expanded version of that. The service means that you can arrive 45 minutes before your flight. Eos uses Boeing 757 airlines configured for only 48 passengers so that each person has their own pod space which can extend to a full six and a half feet for napping your way overseas. Their larger overhead compartments also mean that most luggage can be carried on. Eos also offers concierge service from Quintessentially. With many other New York-to-London airline options now crowding the field, Eos is working to make their service more appealing. Managing to shave off how much time you need to wait at the airport is a pretty good place to start.

Tags: airlines, business class, eos airlines, EosAirlines, flight, jfk airport, new york airport, wings

Air France To Debut In Flight Phone Usage

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

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.

Tags: airbus a 318, AirbusA318, aviation, cell phone, cell phone flight, phone, wings

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