Twenty for 20: Iconic Jets of the Past and Future
We have compiled a list of 20 business jets that have changed or may change, the way that privately owned aircraft are flown.
When one considers that the Wright Brothers’ first flight covered a distance of only 120 feet, it is essential to keep in mind that some of the people who have contributed to the development of aviation in the future may not have experienced the level of financial success that they deserved. In addition, it’s possible that their achievements won’t become obvious in the following years. In looking back at the past two decades since the launch of Elite Traveler – and forward to new business aircraft still in the launch stages – we have highlighted 20 of the best private jets that have changed the way you fly, or may change the way you fly in the future, even if not all of them got off the ground. Looking back at the past two decades also allows us to look forward to new business aircraft still in the launch stages.
Bombardier Challenger 300/350
According to Amstat, there are around 800 of Bombardier’s Challenger 300/350 aircraft (shown above), which have been called “the triple seven of private jets” by an insider in the business. It’s a workhorse just like the Boeing 777, that’s for sure. It is comfortable, has a large capacity, and has a good range. Because it is capable of flying nonstop for 3,200 nautical miles, it is ideally suited for connecting the East and West Coasts of the United States as well as traveling to the Hawaiian Islands. Even though it has the capacity to seat ten people, it is commonly arranged to accommodate either eight people in two pairs of facing club seats or nine people in a divan with three seats. With a cabin height of 6 feet, it offers a sociable atmosphere in which to travel with family and friends, entertain clients, or get some work done with colleagues. The spacious galley is a major selling point for this aircraft among corporate flight attendants. Twenty years after its maiden voyage, the fact that it is still in service with NetJets, Flexjet, and Vista Global’s VistaJet and XOJET is probably an indication of how popular it is. One of the few points of agreement between these two competitors.
This is the Cirrus Vision SF50.
Where earlier-generation personal planes such as the Eclipse fell short of expectations, Cirrus’ Vision SF50 appears to be ready for takeoff. The General Aircraft Manufacturers Association reports that, over the course of the past three years, it has been the private jet model that has seen the greatest number of deliveries. It goes without saying that the purchase of one Bombardier Global, which has a suggested retail price of less than $3 million, will allow you to purchase more than a dozen SF50s. Owner-pilots are able to bounce between work locations thanks to the aircraft’s more than 28 configurations and range of over 1,000 nautical miles (nm). On the weekends, they may take their families to the lake cottage. This very light jet is equipped with unique Safe Return technology that will auto-land it with the push of a button in the event that the pilot becomes incapacitated. The views from the wide windows are quite breathtaking. Because its seats face forward, passengers won’t have to worry about playing footsie. The layout of the cabin provides ample space for passengers’ shoulders and headroom while they are sitting, and the seats themselves feature an ergonomic design, with clever pull-out tray tables and plenty of spaces to store various small items. If VeriJet has its way, there will be an increased number of Vision Jets in the skies. The air taxi operator has aspirations to expand the existing service area it provides in Florida to include California, Canada, the Northeastern United States, and Europe using more than 130 of the small jets.
Cessna Citation Latitude manufactured by Textron Aviation.
One professional pilot with extensive expertise in the field describes the aircraft as having “easy to fly like smaller Citations, with big jet performance.” The Latitude can be thought of as either a large or a midsize jet, or even as an entry-level super-midsize type. Its maximum takeoff weight of 30,800 pounds puts it just on the edge of the line separating the two categories. A low cabin altitude of 5,950 feet will keep you feeling rejuvenated, in addition to the flat floor that provides 6 feet of headroom in the cabin. The restroom is roomy, and it has the atmosphere of a jumbo airplane. With a range of 2,700 nautical miles, it provides a comfortable ride for your excursions throughout the continent, and it can be customized to seat either seven or eight passengers.
Pilatus PC-24
The Swiss company Pilatus incorporated all that was admired about the PC-12 turboprop into the twin-jet version of the aircraft known as the PC-24. Move closer to the location of your destination: Land and take off from surfaces such as dirt, grass, and small runways (less than 3,000 feet in length) that other planes are unable to access, offering almost 20,000 additional alternatives. It is not need to be concerned about fitting large items such as dog cages, skis, or bags inside picture frames. Its rear cargo door, which measures 4 feet 1 inches by 4 feet 3 inches, can accommodate a normal pallet. It is a long-range light jet since it has the capacity to fly up to 2,000 nautical miles with four passengers. It is possible to transport up to eleven passengers with just one pilot. One of the fans claims that you could take this jet anywhere from your ranch in West Texas to Teterboro, whether you were going on a fishing excursion or to a board meeting.
20/20 Airbus ACJ model.
It has a living area that is larger than the apartment in New York City that you probably lived with a couple of pals when you first graduated college. The cabin has a living space that is 785 square feet. Instead of being able to accommodate 120 passengers, this modification of the Airbus A220-100 creates a VIP aircraft atmosphere that can accommodate up to six distinct passenger zones. The aircraft has a range of up to 18 hours when flying nonstop and can accommodate up to 18 passengers. Owners will be able to customize the interior to meet their specific requirements, which may include private bedrooms large enough for king-size beds, private offices, a media room, dining and lounge areas, and even a shower, allowing them to immediately get to work (or play) after landing.
Gulfstream G650/G650ER
A “new class” of ultra-long-range private airplanes was established by the Gulfstream G650 family, which was designed from scratch. Because of its extensive range, it is possible to fly nonstop from London to Cabo San Lucas, New York to Riyadh, or London to Hong Kong. According to Private Jet Card Comparisons, some of its owners are Jeff Bezos, Dwayne Johnson (also known as The Rock), Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, Elon Musk, Steven Spielberg, and Oprah Winfrey. Other owners include Elon Musk. You have the option of customizing it with up to four distinct living rooms, each of which has its own own temperature control. There is also the possibility of placing the kitchen and the room for crew members to relax in either the front or the back of the airplane. Flatbeds in the G650 may accommodate as many as six people, depending on how you configure them. In addition to being quick, the G650ER can reach a maximum speed of Mach 0.925 and currently holds over 110 speed records.
Embraer Phenom 300E
Conklin & de Decker estimates that the most popular model of light jet has a range of 1,811 nautical miles when operating at its maximum capacity and 2,077 nautical miles when carrying only four passengers. The passenger compartment may be configured to have anywhere from six to eight seats, and there is also a seat in the restroom that is belted to make a total of nine available spots. You may be reminded of a high-performance automobile or an office that is suited for a CEO by the technology and stylings that have been implemented in the Phenom 300 by Jay Beever, who is the head of interior design for Embraer. The Phenom 300 is a reflection of Jay Beever’s work. To put it another way, when most people think of a light jet, the first thing that comes to mind isn’t the Phenom 300’s combination of performance and elegance. Perhaps its best recommendation comes from fleet operators. The Phenom 300 has been selected as the light jet option for use in the jet card and fractional share programs offered by NetJets, Flexjet, Nicholas Air, Airshare, and GrandView Aviation respectively.
Embraer Praetor 500
The Praetor brand is an updated version of Embraer’s Legacy line of aircraft, with the Praetor 500 taking the place of the Legacy 450 and the Praetor 600 filling the role of the Legacy 500. The Praetor 500 is able to fly coast to coast in the United States without making any stops, in addition to having a stand-up cabin that is 6 feet tall. This is a first for the midsize category. If you are thinking on a more international scale, its range of 3,340 nautical miles will allow you to travel nonstop from Singapore to Beijing or Dubai to Bangkok. In addition, a runway that is only 4,222 feet long will be sufficient for that range. You have the choice of selecting anywhere from six to eight seats within the cabin, including a seven-seat arrangement that is comprised entirely of club chairs that can be transformed into totally flat beds.
Embraer Praetor 600
The super midsize Praetor 600 brings both the sleek stylings that have helped define Embraer’s success in the business aircraft market and the backing of Flexjet, the world’s second-largest provider of fractionally owned jets. Both of these factors have contributed to Embraer’s success in the business aircraft market. The Praetor 600 is the centerpiece of the company’s product lineup in both the United States and Europe. And why on earth not? Its nonstop service can take you from Sao Paulo all the way to Miami or from London all the way to New York. In other words, a super midsize jet that has the ability to fly between continents. If you want facing three-seat divans in the back, the cabin can be arranged to provide a total capacity of either eight club seats or ten seats. Recently, the CEO of Flexjet, Mike Silvestro, gave an interview to Flying magazine in which he stated that the Praetor 600 “rounds out the fleet that will let us to meet every potential need and desire of (customers).”
The Liberty 75, which was the very last model in the legendary Learjet line, was in some respects the embodiment of the opinions held by detractors. The last version of the most advanced business jet of the 1960s was essentially just an updated version of the platform on which it had first taken to the air more than 25 years earlier. It was also a thorn in the side of owner Bombardier’s success with its Challenger 350 and Global lines, which have emerged as dominant forces in the super midsize and ultra-long-haul private jet categories, respectively. Amstat reports that there are over 1,250 aircraft of this kind still in operation, despite the fact that no new Learjets will be rolling off the assembly line in the foreseeable future. If you want to fly in the private jet that was once favored by Frank Sinatra and Arnold Palmer, there are still plenty of opportunities in the charter and used aircraft markets. In other words, if you long to fly in the private jet that was once favored by Frank Sinatra and Arnold Palmer, there are still plenty of opportunities.
Eclipse EA500
Although the Eclipse Aerospace EA500 was not a commercial success, it did prompt the aerospace industry to consider the possibility of a large market for smaller private aircraft that had not yet been exploited. According to the data provided by Amstat, there are close to 500 of these very light jets still in use. The Eclipse 500 was initially delivered in 2006, and it was intended to serve as the linchpin of Day Jet, which was an air taxi operator with the goal of making private jet travel more accessible. Vern Raburn, a former executive at Microsoft, had the idea for the aircraft, which did not have a toilet because it was intended to make short journeys between airports in areas where driving would be inefficient. Despite the fact that neither the EA500 nor the 550 lived up to their promises, they undoubtedly had an impact on the market, which is today home to aircraft like as the Embraer Phenom 100, the Cessna Citation Mustang, the HondaJet, and the Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet.
HondaJet HA-420 VLJ
According to the opinion of one industry expert, the fact that Honda entered the market for business jets represented a vote of confidence in the sector as a whole. In spite of the fact that an official announcement has not yet been made, he asserts that “whatever the brilliant engineers at Honda Aircraft are cooking up in their new facility” will undoubtedly be fascinating. Another observer states that the much-lauded HA-420 VLJ “re-energized the VLJ segment.” [Citation needed] Its maximum cruising altitude of 43,000 feet ensures that passengers will always be able to find calm air, and passengers consistently give the pleasant cabin high marks. The organization increased its presence across the globe by obtaining type certifications in Pakistan and Russia in the previous year. Its footprint now extends all the way to North America, Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, China, the Middle East, India, Japan, and Russia in terms of sales and service. In addition, Jet It makes it possible for owner-pilots to purchase a share of the aircraft through its fractional ownership program.
Bombardier Global 7500
The NetJets ultra-long-haul fleet will likely adopt the Global 7500 as its flagship aircraft in the near future. It will be surrounded by reputable company. Competitor VistaJet took delivery of its first 7500 in 2020 and expects to have as many as a dozen in operation by the time 2021 comes to a close. It can remove up to 99.99% of allergens, germs, and viruses from the cabin air with its innovative Pr Air HEPA filter, which can replace the whole volume of air in the cabin in just 90 seconds. With a range of 7,700 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 0.925 knots, this aircraft will make the flight from Asia to North America or Europe a breeze. In addition to that, it provides as many as four distinct living quarters, in addition to a separate cabin for the crew. In addition to individual bedrooms, guests have the option of using the attached shower, as well as the movie room or private office. Then there is its revolutionary Nuage seat, which features a deep recline as well as a leg rest. This allows you to stretch out, catch up on some reading, or have a restful nap without having to lie down completely.
Dassault Falcon 10X
It promises to bridge the gap between VIP airliners and large cabin business jets by combining ultra-long-haul range with the most spacious cabin short of Boeing’s Business Jet or the Airbus Corporate Jet. Dassault’s Falcon 10X combines ultra-long-haul range with the most spacious cabin short of those two aircraft. The cabin width of the 10X will be 9 feet and 1 inch, and the cabin height will be an industry-leading 6 feet and 8 inches. When it goes into operation in 2025, it will have a range of 7,500 nautical miles, which means that it would be able to fly nonstop from Los Angeles to Sydney or from Hong Kong to New York. In addition to its four distinct living rooms, this apartment features a roomy stand-alone bathtub, as well as space for a queen-size bed. Because it has a balanced takeoff length of only 6,000 feet, the Falcon 10X will allow access to airports that are not accessible by converted airliners. This means that you will be able to go closer to your ultimate destination.
Citation CJ4 Gen2 manufactured by Cessna.
The Cessna CJ4 Gen2 is a light jet that can be flown by a single pilot and comes with a takeoff field length of 3,410 feet and a range of 2,165 nautical miles. This helps extend the usefulness of Cessna’s series of light jets. Enhancements are not limited to performance alone. Because there is a brand-new staircase and handrail, entering and leaving the building is now much simpler. In addition to that, there are all new luxurious interiors with recessed lighting. With the addition of the available two-seat couch, the main cabin can accommodate a maximum of eight people, bringing the total number of passengers to ten when counting the belted restroom. In the early months of this year, Cessna received its first order for a CJ4 from a charter company in Europe through DAL Aviation. The company’s managing director, Nicolas Trefeil, had this to say about the Citation jets: “They are cost efficient and comfortable. They have an extremely low number of mechanical obstacles, which ensures reliable functioning. In the event that we require them, we are also able to receive prompt supplies of replacement parts.
The Eve Group’s Solutions for Urban Air Mobility
At least from Flexjet’s point of view, everything revolves around Eve. The world’s second-largest seller of fractional ownership of private jets is placing their bets on an eVTOL that was incubated by Embraer. Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions for its door-to-door strategy, which the company hopes will cause competitors like NetJets, as well as their clients, to get stopped in traffic while traveling to the airport. Eve is anticipated to begin transporting passengers as early as 2026, thanks to an order for 200 aircraft placed by OneSky Flight, the parent company of Flexjet. Although first flights will be made between airports and regular heliports, the long-term goal is to connect you directly from your home or business to the airport, which will save you even more time despite your packed agenda.
Kenny Dichter, the founder and CEO of King Air 360 Wheels Up, likens the current iteration of the King Air to the legendary Jeep. It has a history spanning half a century and is a versatile aircraft that is ready for a variety of commercial operations. Its access to short fields takes you where you want to be, while the modernized interior amenities and state-of-the-art avionics make it ideal for lavish vacations, such as flying the family to the family lake property or small islands in the Bahamas. The King Air 360 was put into service in November of last year, and the details will be the ones that make the biggest difference. There are regular power outlets in addition to UBS charging, and there is a fully enclosed bathroom in the rear of the vehicle. For instance, the side tables are raised, providing customers with additional knee room. The range can be increased from 1,806 to over 2,500 nm when using the ER version.
Gulfstream G700
The future flagship of Gulfstream Aerospace, if you don’t want to buy your own – the price tag is $75 million – the good news is that Qatar Executive and Flexjet, both launch customers, will be providing the G700 in their jet sharing programs. Qatar Executive and Flexjet were both launch customers. As of the month of February, five test aircraft have a combined total of more than 1,100 hours of flight time. When it goes into service the following year, it will have a range of up to 7,500 nautical miles (nm) without making a stop. Because it is ten feet longer, the new cabin has space for five living rooms, and the master bedroom now has a queen-size bed. You can get some rest on the flight from New York to Beijing, allowing you to arrive in Beijing ready to conduct business with your colleagues. The G700 has the capacity to provide flat beds for up to nine persons.
The soon-to-be-produced Falcon 6X by Dassault will reportedly be the world’s first ultra widebody business jet. When it is put into operation, it will have a cabin height of 6 feet and 6 inches and a cabin width of 8 feet and 6 inches. It will have a range of 5,500 nautical miles (about equivalent to traveling from Moscow to Singapore or from Los Angeles to Geneva), and its top speed will be 0.90 Mach. You’ll get a great view from the top thanks to its thirty big windows. In addition, just like the other Falcons, it will provide great performance on short runways, enabling you to land at airports with runways that are shorter than 3,000 feet. To put it another way, while your rivals are driving, you’ll be busy sealing the deal on yet another business transaction in the boardroom.
The Aerion AS2
Many people were taken aback when they learned that Aerion’s mission to restore supersonic travel speeds had been unsuccessful. Robert Bass has motivated us with his nearly twenty-decade-long dedication to a project, which has resulted in over $11 billion in pledges and orders from both NetJets and Flexjet. Although the AS2 is currently nothing more than a collection of intellectual property and computer simulations, the Texas billionaire was instrumental in generating interest that led to the launch of a number of other projects that aim to fly you faster than the speed of sound. In addition to that, he envisioned doing it in a manner that would not produce any carbon dioxide at all. Bass deserves our respect and gratitude for inspiring all of us to fantasize about speedier transportation, just as many of the pioneers in the aviation industry did.
