Aircraft of the Week – Boeing Business Jet
The Boeing Business Jet is a VIP configured airliner which can be assigned to many platforms. Boeing BBJs are usually Boeing 737s although many other variants exist, in narrow body and wide body format. Ranging from the smaller 737-700 known as the BBJ1, to enormous Boeing 747-800s or 787s. But this week’s aircraft of the week is the classic BBJ1, based on the 737-700 platform and made available in 1998, this was the very first Boeing Business Jet offered by Boeing. The Boeing BBJ1 offers an expected airliner class range of 6200 nmi, enough range to fly from New York to Tokyo with plenty of fuel to spare. Capable of seating up to 63 passengers, Boeing BBJ1s are generally configured for 18 or 19 passengers in their most common configurations. Capable of cruising at 553 mph, the Boeing Business Jet is a speedy alternative to slower super long ranged business jets.
Offering the most prestigious luxury possibilities on airliners, the BBJ1 quickly became an important VIP airliner in the industry. The Boeing Business Jet has different living spaces, including bedrooms, dining rooms, meeting rooms, bars, and full sized lavatories with showers. With enough space onboard to accommodate even the most unique of demands, the BBJ platform has made way for other types of VIP airliners. With hundreds of VIP configured Boeings in the world, in addition to Airbus’s ACJs, Boeing still manufactures and sells quite a few Boeing Business Jets. Demand is high for BBJs as they have a history of safety and luxury.
Compared to a super long range jet capable of seating 18 passengers, such as the Global Express or Gulfstream G650, a Boeing BBJ1 costs approximately the same per hour to charter at around $15,000. While this may be slightly more expensive than a super long range jet, it offers the range of nearly every long ranged jet with the exception of the Gulfstream G650, and also offers unbeatable luxury. The lavish interiors of the Boeing Business Jet are more typical of a five star hotel than of any aircraft ever seen before. This explains why the Boeing Business Jet has become such a common aircraft for heads of state and royalty alike.