A thousand reasons to celebrate

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Airbus, Airbus Corporate Jets, Aircraft, Aviation, Boeing, Boeing Business Jets, Bombardier, Business, Business Aircraft, Business Aviation, Challenger 650, Embraer, Gulfstream, Luxury Travel, NBAA, NetJets, News, Transport, Travel

Bombardier’s 1,000th Challenger 600 series aircraft is set to enter into service this year …and that airplane will be the first Challenger 650, built for private aviation leader NetJets Inc.

Bombardier made the announcement as business aircraft manufacturers descended on Las Vegas for the 2015 National Business Aviation Association conference and exhibition.

The airplane will be on static display at the three-day show opening Tuesday.

Pat Gallagher (left) of NetJets with David Coleal of Bombardier in Las Vegas on Monday.

“Our collaboration with NetJets to create their Signature Series concept on our Challenger and Global platforms is evidence of what can be accomplished when two visionary industry leaders join forces,” said David Coleal, president of Bombardier Business Aircraft.

The aircraft is part of an original NetJets order announced in June 2012 for 100 Challenger aircraft with options for an additional 175, Bombardier said.

NetJets has also placed a firm order for 50 Global jets with options for an additional 70 aircraft in March 2011.

“The Challenger 650 aircraft will be a wonderful addition to our fleet,” said Pat Gallagher, NetJets’ executive vice-president of sales and marketing.

The airplane received certification from the Federal Aviation Administration and Transport Canada this month.

With a range of more than 7,400 kilometres, the aircraft can fly from London to New York, Dubai to London or Sao Paulo to Miami non-stop.

In other show news:

Embraer Executive Jets is forecasting a global demand for 9,100 new business jets, worth $259 billion, over the next 10 years.

“This is the total market opportunity to be serviced by all manufacturers and represents a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 3 per cent per year over the next 10 years, Embraer said.

“The analysis foresees that demand is likely to exceed the last decade’s deliveries and market value, when approximately 8,190 business jets were delivered, worth $198 billion.”

Earlier in the day, Boeing Business Jets announced orders for four new BBJ MAX 8 airplanes.

Three airplanes were ordered by an undisclosed customer based in the Middle East while one order came from an undisclosed customer in Asia, Boeing said.

Nearly 100 business aircraft will be on display at NBAA15, which has attracted more than 1,000 exhibitors from around the world.

Meanwhile, Cessna Aircraft Co. debuted its new Citation Longitude business jet.

It also announced plans to enter the large business jet category with the Citation Hemisphere.

“The Longitude and Hemisphere will join the Citation Latitude to complete a new, large-cabin, three-aircraft Citation family,” the company said.

Images are courtesy of Bombardier, NBAA, Embraer, Boeing and Cessna.

 

Billionaires ‘prefer Airbus business jets’

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Airbus, Airbus Corporate Jets, Aircraft, Airlines, Airports, Aviation, Boeing, Business, Flying Palace, Luxury Travel, News, Technology, Transport, Travel

The new ACJ319 Elegance

Airbus is predicting that it will sell 10 corporate jets this year as more billionaires are eager to take their lifestyles into the air.

“In the airline market, the customer is interested in economy. In the corporate jet market, that is not an issue for the customer,” said David Velupillai, marketing director at the European aircraft manufacturer’s corporate jet division.

Speaking from the Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France, he said that a recent study commissioned by the company had provided some new insights into the billionaire lifestyle.

David Velupillai on board an ACJ318

Velupillai said a key finding was that billionaires in the Middle East love to travel with an entourage such as those looking after them and advising them on the ground.

That means they need a larger aircraft that will enable them to travel in comfort, which at present Airbus is best placed to provide, he said.

Airbus business jets can carry groups of between 19 and 50 people. Then, of course, there is the corporate version of the A380 superjumbo, which can carry 100 or more people.

A bedroom on the ACJ319 Elegance

Fly-by-wire is standard on all Airbus corporate jets, which are based on the modern family of Airbus aircraft and include the ACJ318, ACJ319, ACJ320 and ACJ321.

At the same time, Velupillai said, fly-by-wire is non-existent on many competitors’ jets.

“Recently I flew with a billionaire on an Airbus Corporate Jet and he was quite surprised by how comfortable the airplane was,” he said.

“He had never experienced such comfort and freedom of movement on an airplane before.”

Velupillai says that is because Airbus business jets are the widest and tallest in the market.

A new addition to the company’s product line is the new ACJ319 Elegance, an airplane which Velupillai said is easier and faster to outfit and which has generated a lot of buzz since its launch this April.

The lounge on the ACJ319 Elegance

The Elegance offers many innovations, including a modular approach which lets the customer choose from a wide range of seating and socializing options.

More than 170 Airbus business jets are currently in service around the world.

With the number of billionaires forecast to grow in Asia and the Middle East, Airbus is hopeful that the demand for its business jets will remain robust in the next few years.

By the way, if you want to buy one of these aircraft, it could take up to 20 months from order to delivery.

So be patient!

 

Flying Palace claims just ‘speculation’

Flashback: Alwaleed signs the A380 deal in 2007

Remember, the “Flying Palace” ordered in 2007 by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal?

The A380, scheduled for delivery next year, was purported to undergo $200 million worth of cabin outfitting featuring multiple bedrooms, a theatre, a turkish bath and a garage for Rolls Royce cars.

“All these claims are speculation, with the airplane yet to be outfitted,” said Velupillai.

Alwaleed resold his superjumbo in late 2012 to an unidentified customer.

“That’s true, but I can’t reveal the identity of the buyer,” said Velupillai.

All images are courtesy of Airbus.