Corporate Jetsetters: 17,720 Business jets In Active World Service

Feb. 4, 2013

Business jets certainly evoke a rich and famous tag but more and more companies are using the magic and often gold- plated carpets to slash time for mid-level management.

With more business being conducted in remote locations in Russia, South America, China, India and South Africa, business jets can cut time away from home and office by 75 per cent, according to the US-based National Business Aviation Association.

And with 17,720 business jets in active world service it certainly isn't a fad.

According to Randall Padfield, chief operating officer of AIN Publications, these planes are all about time, security and quality of life.

In an article for Barron's Penta magazine and Business Jet Traveller, Mr Padfield says that travel by business jet can cut days off a journey.

A round-the-world business jet trip with meetings in five to seven cities can be accomplished in a quarter of the time an airline passenger would spend, Mr Padfield said.

He also notes that with business jets executives can move in and out of countries with little exposure to the outside world.

Business jets rarely sport company logos these days, and when not resting in a hangar, they are parked in secure areas. Onboard security systems monitor every door and access panel as well as the area outside the aircraft.

Importantly he notes, business jets allow executives to maintain some semblance of a normal life.

Many top executives would refuse to travel as much as they do if they had to fly by commercial airline, because it means considerably more time spent away from home.

An additional plus is that business-jet cabins are office extensions. An executive on a long-range business jet can find a high-speed data system providing wi-fi connectivity, a satellite communication system, and sophisticated cabin entertainment systems normally found in a living room.

Leaving aside what are termed Bizliners, those corporate modifications of 150-seat passenger jets, the larger business jets seating up to 18 will set you back between $48 and $65 million, with operating costs of about $3 million for 400 hours of flying.

But you get considerable performance for your money.

The gold standard is without doubt the ultra-large cabin, ultra high-speed Gulfstream G650.

It is the flagship of the Gulfstream fleet known for decades as the premier builder of business jets.

The G650, with a range of 12,964km, can fly from Perth to Dubai and then non-stop to New York, while getting off the ground in just under 1800m.

The G650 is the most technologically advanced business jet flying today. It comes standard with many advanced safety features such as Enhanced Vision System (EVS) I1, the Head-Up Display (HUD) II and the Synthetic Vision-Primary Flight Display (SV-PFD).

Throw in Triplex Flight Management System, 3-D weather radar, and Advanced Flight Controls and you have the ultimate in sporty cockpits.

But it is in the passenger cabin that executives note the difference, with the G650 longer, wider and taller than any other cabin in its class, catering for up to 18 passengers.

Gulfstream offers 12 floor plans to configure the G650 to meet mission requirements.

Business jets built by competitors Bombardier Aerospace and Dassault Aviation of France, are also up there in the ultimate executive traveller stakes.

Bombardier builds Learjets, Challengers and the Global series, while Dassault has its famous Falcon, which claims the famous Mirage fighter in its pedigree.

In fact Bombardier's Global 7000 and 8000 models, that are in development, will have performance that will pip the GV650, claims the Canadian firm.

Carving out a sizeable market in the corporate arena is Embraer with a family of mid-sized business jets, some based on its regional commuter planes.

Leading the charge is the Legacy 650, a longer range model of the Legacy 600, with a range of 7112km with eight passengers.

Since 2001, Embraer has delivered more than 150 in the Legacy series.

While most of its offerings are the medium-sized range, Embraer also offers the biggest business jet, short of jumping up to the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 types with its Lineage 1000.

This plane is based on the comp any's successful Embraer 190-seat passenger jet.

Biggest changes are additional fuel tanks which double its range to 8244km and a lavish interior, divided into up to 5 sections, including an optional bedroom.

Another major player is Cessna, better known for its extensive range of popular single-engine four and six passenger light planes.

However, the company has a long history in the corporate jet field with a host of models in the Citation series.

Also in the mid-size mix is the Hawker Beechcraft's, Hawker 800 family which is a development of the British Aerospace 125. More than 650 have been built.

The ultimate development of that series is the Hawker 4000 which went into service in 2008, with more than 180 delivered.

With Sharon Petersen

Many top executives would refuse to travel as much as they do if they had to fly by commercial airline. Randall Padfield

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