Aircraft

Gulfstream G550 After a production run spanning 18 years, Gulfstream delivered the final commercial G550 to an international customer on June 30. (Photo: Gulfstream) Nearly two decades after it first entered service, Gulfstream G550 saw its final commercial delivery this week. The Savannah, Georgia airframer has produced more than 600 of the large-cabin twinjets since receiving its type and production certificates in August 2003. According to a company spokesperson, while some special-missions variants continue to undergo modifications, this week's delivery ended G550 production. First announced in 1999 as a derivative of the GV, the G550 (formerly GV-SP) was the launch platform for the company’s PlaneView flight deck and was also certified with an enhanced vision system as a standard safety feature, paving the way for its incorporation into future aircraft designs. With a range of 6,750 nm at Mach 0.80, the type earned more than 50 speed records. It served as the top of the Gulfstream line until the certification of the G650 in 2012. According to JetNet, 603 G550s remain in service worldwide. “The Gulfstream G550 set a new standard for performance and reliability and continues to outperform and impress with its wide-ranging capabilities,” said company president Mark Burns. “Given our vast G550 fleet in service, we look to continuing to support all G550 customers around the world with Gulfstream Customer Support’s extensive network.” Development of the Gulfstream G550 G550 cabin The G550 (GV-SP) with improved engines received its FAA type certificate on August 14, 2003. In 2014, Gulfstream looked at a re-engine with the Rolls-Royce Pearl BR700 development announced in May 2018 for the new Global Express 5500 and 6500 variants but preferred the BR725-powered, 7,500 nmi G650. The 500th Gulfstream G550

Dassault's third flight-test Falcon 6X took to the skies on June 24. The twinjet has a full interior and will be used to test in-flight entertainment and communications systems, as well as evaluate environmental features and temperature control and validate cabin acoustics systems. (Photo: Dassault Aviation) The third flight-test Falcon 6X, registered as F-WAVE, took to the skies late last week, edging Dassault Aviation’s 5,500-nm, large-cabin twinjet one step closer to its planned certification next year. S/N 3, which has a full interior and will be used for cabin design validation, made its inaugural flight on June 24, attaining an altitude of FL400 and speeds up to Mach 0.85, the French aircraft manufacturer announced on Thursday. This follows the first Falcon 6X that flew on March 10 and the second on April 30. To date, these two aircraft have accumulated more than 130 flight-test hours at a rate of two to three flights a week, with envelope expansion now nearly complete, according to Dassault. “This latest flight is yet another sign of the smooth progress we have been making with the Falcon 6X test program,” said Dassault Aviation chairman and CEO Eric Trappier. “We have been consistently impressed with the flight performance and handling of the Falcon 6X and the reliability of aircraft systems.” S/N 3 will be used to test in-flight entertainment and communications systems, as well as evaluate environmental features and temperature control and validate cabin acoustics systems, the company said. A fourth flight-test Falcon 6X, which will also have a full interior, is currently being outfitted at Dassault’s site in Mérignac, France. This aircraft will conduct a two-month global endurance flight campaign to ensure that all Falcon 6X systems are fully mature

The Pilatus PC-24 is a twin-engine business jet developed by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. The Super Versatile Jet A Class of its own. Every crystal found in the mountains of Switzerland is entirely unique. Just as unique is the Pilatus PC-24, the only aircraft combining the versatility of a turboprop with the cabin size of a medium-light jet, and the performance of a light jet. It’s a plane that simply doesn’t fit into any of the existing business jet categories. That’s why they had to create a new one: the Super Versatile Jet (SVJ) category. The Pilatus PC-24 has been engineered to be “off-road“ compatible from the beginning. Its outstanding short-field performance – even on unpaved runways – opens up an incredible level of mobility. With the Pilatus PC-24, you will have access to almost 100% more airports around the world. That means you can fly closer to your final destination than with any other business jet. You‘ll be able to use smaller airports and avoid massive administrative procedures, and reduce ground transfer time to an absolute minimum. PlaneSense will introduce a new shared jet ownership program when it takes delivery of the first Pilatus Pilatus PC-24 in 2017. The company has been a long term user of the Pilatus PC-12 turboprop. The PlaneSense program is scheduled to receive the first Pilatus PC-24 production model in late 2017, and it has already signed for five more to be acquired thereafter. “Offering a comprehensive fractional jet program with choices of aircraft type to ‘match the mission’ is a natural evolution for the PlaneSense program, and more importantly, it is an expansion that our clients enthusiastically support." George Antoniadis, president and CEO of PlaneSense said: “Offering a comprehensive

Private Jet to Cuba If you have been looking for the top of the line private charter service for your next trip to Havana, Cuba, you can count on on the Air Charter team to get you there. Using the most popular aircraft categories in the Havana vicinity for hire include light jets (Learjet 35A, Beechjet 400 A, and Citation CJ3), midsize jets (Learjet 60, Hawker 700 A, and Citation III), and large jets (Gulfstream IV, Challenger 601, and Falcon 2000). The city of Havana offers five airports within a 25 mile radius of the city itself. These are the Jose Marti International Airport (HAV), the Managua Airport (MUMG), the Playa Baracoa Airport (MUPB), the San Antonio De Los Banos Airport (MUSA), and the Mariel Airport (MUML). Call us today at +1-212-999-4926 for more information. Just gather some friends, $11k, and have a good reason to go. Getting to Cuba continues to get easier: AirCharter.com, the jet charter company that pioneered “value”-oriented private air travel via a fleet of smaller, lighter jets, is staking out new turf with flights to once off-limits Caribbean island. Customers will now be able to charter one of from its six-passenger CJ3 jets nonstop to Havana from one of 16 U.S. gateways authorized by the U.S. government; they include virtually all major airports in the state of Florida, including Key West, plus Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, and, farther afield, New York, Chicago, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh. Private Jet to Cuba using one-way pricing, for a flight with a full load of six, varies according to the length of the trip, ranging from $11,112 out of Key West to $22,389 from Chicago. And private or not, the U.S. government still has an

Embraer RJ145 ( Regional Jet 145) The RJ145 is a 50 passenger regional airliner developed by Embraer, the Brazilian aerospace company best known for the Phenom and Legacy series of aircraft commonly used for private charter. At a maximum of 98 feet long, the Embraer RJ145 is the same length as many long ranged business jets such as the Gulfstream G650 (99 feet long) and the Bombardier Global Express 6000 (96 feet long). This regional airliner does not offer the same in-cabin amenities as it’s VIP configured long range jet counterpart, instead, all available cabin room is devoted to seating. The Embraer RJ145 allows for regional travel for large groups without having to fly in a commercial airliner. Since most large jets are limited to 19 passengers, the Embraer RJ145 fulfills the mid-range passenger count (30 - 50 passengers) at a reasonable hourly rate. Here we can see the cabin in a standard 2+1 configuration Embraer RJ145 Because the Embraer RJ145 is essentially a large private jet, the 50 passenger capacity of this aircraft severely limits its range to 1,017 nautical miles. This sort of range is normal for regional airliners, which tend to have a maximum range of slightly under 2,000 nautical miles. These aircraft are perfect for small domestic flights with up to 50 passengers. Most often configured in a 2+1 configuration, the ERJ145 maximizes the on-board space available for holding passengers. Chartering an ERJ145 can cost between $7,600 and $12,000 an hour depending on location and availability. U.S. based RJ145s tend to be under $10,000 an hour and when calculated for the maximum capacity of 50 passengers, this aircraft costs $200 per passenger per hour, which is remarkably inexpensive for a

Dassault Falcon 900 The Falcon 900 is Dassault’s longest running current production aircraft. The original Falcon 900 was released in 1984 and is still a best seller with it’s diverse variants. The original Falcon 900 has been upgraded time and time again, starting with the upgrade to the Falcon 900B, which replaced the triple engine configuration with a more fuel efficient one in order to increase range, various upgrades later, the Falcon 900LX was revealed in 2008 with a refreshed lineup of features including new winglets which allow for more flight stability and speed. The Falcon 900 series has been so popular that Dassault further developed two new aircraft based off of the Falcon 900 platform. The Falcon 2000 and Falcon 7X models are smaller and larger versions of the Falcon 900 respectively. Originally based off of the falcon 50, the 900 shares many features with the Falcon 50, notably trijet engines and long range capability. Trijet engines were developed in 1950 and gained popularity in the 1980s when twin jet aircraft were limited to flying within 60 minutes of an airport in case of engine failure. These new trijet aircraft allowed new levels of freedom with an additional engine for performance and safety purposes. The Falcon 900LX, the most recent and available private jet fits comfortably into the large jet category. With an aircraft length of 66.31 ft, the 900LX may be shorter than modern day competing aircraft, leaving a mere 33.2 feet of cabin length. Larger super heavy aircraft such as the Gulfstream G500 boasts a 50.1 ft cabin length, but compared to other large jets in it’s category such as the Challenger 604 (28.3 ft) the Falcon 900 shines. Cabin size is

Embraer Phenom 100 In terms of VLJs the Embraer Phenom 100 is a stunningly engineered private jet. Embraer, known for their lineage and legacy series of private jets, introduced this aircraft in 2007 to challenge rival VLJs that were currently in production. Boasting a plethora of world’s firsts in VLJs, the Phenom 100, includes the largest cabin in its category, as well as a fully enclosed lavatory with rigid door and a fully flushable toilet. Innovation didn’t stop there though, this remarkable business jet is capable of cruising at 380 kts and at a climb ceiling of 41,000 ft, this coupled with its range of 1320 nautical miles gives it more range than its direct competitors. Typically configured for 4 passengers and 2 pilots, the Phenom 100 is certified for single pilot operations. The cabin is spacious with a cabin width of 5 feet 1 inch and a cabin height of 4 feet and 11 inches, though far from the cabin height of a much more spacious mid-sized jet or large jet, this aircraft is more than spacious enough for any very light jet. Capable of taking off and landing in under 3500 ft, the Phenom 100 allows access to smaller municipal airports, such as those only previously accessible by turboprops and pistons. The enormous 1780 lbf of thrust outputted per engine by the Pratt & Whitney PW 617F - E engines allow not only for short take-offs and landings, but also the climb rate of 3,030 ft/minute will get you to 37,000 ft cruising altitude much quicker and more comfortably than ever before. In-cabin amenities include, but are not limited to, fully controllable windows and lights, as well as, 2 separate temperature zones for

HondaJet - A VLJ to wait for Honda’s HondaJet was an unexpected first from an unexpected manufacturer. This very light business jet is being developed as a direct competitor to all existing very light jets by allowing new levels of performance and efficiency. The 7 seat HondaJet can fly higher, faster, and is more fuel efficient than it’s direct competitors. With a range of 1180 nautical miles, this private aircraft sits comfortably near other jets of its size, though this jet also has a maximum cruise speed of 420 kts, quite a feat for the tiny engines designed by GE and Honda. These engines were created with efficiency in mind, by mounting the GE Honda / HF120 engines to the wings instead of to the fuselage, Honda allowed the cabin to be wider than competing private jets. Though each engine is capable of outputting 2050 lbf of thrust, Honda claims that these engines are up to 17% more fuel efficient than it’s competitors. This immense amount of thrust allows this tiny business jet to take off and land in any airstrip under 4000 ft, which is small enough for smaller, communal airports, as well as larger airports. The HondaJet’s fuselage replaces aluminum with a composite material for an additional 5% weight improvement. The aircraft noise levels are on the low end of the scale for very light jets both in-cabin and out. But improvement doesn’t stop there, the cabin and cockpit are outfitted with the very latest technologies we have to come to expect for the latest generation of business jets. The cockpit interface is exclusively occupied by touch panel screens, and the passenger cabin is home to mobile controllable lights, temperature, and windows. The

Aircraft of the Week - Learjet 45 This week’s aircraft of the week is a difficult aircraft to classify. Most aviation professionals consider the Bombardier Learjet 45 as a “super light jet” meaning a larger light jet. It is also commonly referred to as a small mid jet. Though a brief look at the aircraft's specifications can clear up any questions about the category of this aircraft. Firstly, the Lear 45 has a range of approximately 1,993 nautical miles, on the high end of the scale for light jets which generally have a range between 1,500 and 1,900 nautical miles. Though this also places the Learjet 45 as a lower range mid sized jet. Mid sized jets’ maximum range is generally between 1,900 and 3,000 nautical miles, meaning simply looking at the range of the aircraft is not enough to classify it into a major category. The Learjet 45 is generally configured for up to 9 passengers, a norm in the mid sized jet category, but over the maximum defined 8 passengers for a light jet. Though the Learjet 45 can also be configured for a lower amount of passengers, it would be wise to look at the interior cabin dimensions. Even though this aircraft can seat 9 passengers, the cabin height of 5’ 1 feet and the cabin width of 4’ 10 make it generally taller but less wide than a typical light jet, though aircraft length is more along the lines of a mid sized jet at 19 ft. Bombardier themselves claim that the Lear 45 is a mid sized jet built to sit between the Learjet 31 and the Learjet 60. The learjet 45 is a great middle range aircraft by Bombardier, significantly

Aircraft of the Week - Global Express 6000 The Bombardier global express 6000 is an aircraft well known in the business aviation community and beyond. Global Express has become synonymous with top-end luxury. Occasionally, it is hard to group business jets into categories, jets like the Learjet 45 for example is hard to classify as a Light Jet or a Mid jet and is often put into a “Super Light Jet” category that sits between the two. The Global express 6000 is undoubtedly a long ranged heavy jet, there is no doubt about this aircraft. At nearly 100 feet long and with a 94 foot wingspan, this aircraft is a giant. Boasting a 6 ft 2 inch cabin height and a 7 foot 11 inch cabin width at it’s widest point, the Global Express 6000 cabin is not only tall enough for the majority of passengers, but also wide enough to accommodate a full sized bed and full sized bathroom with a shower. The cabin is filled with natural light though it's 28 large squared windows, which at a glance from outside, look very small, but once in the cabin, you can see the massive size of these windows. The Global 6000 offers a range of features, both expected and unexpected for a private aircraft of this size. The forward area of the cabin can house a crew rest area, allowing for the capability of swapping crews to allow longer flights with little risk of tired crews. Behind this area is a full sized galley, which traditionally hosts a large area to hold and prepare even the most difficult of foods. The cabin itself has dedicated temperature zones, allowing different parts of the cabin to