Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025

ACQUISITIONS LOOKING TO BUY OR SELL A BUSINESS JET? At Duncan Aviation, we understand that buying or selling a jet is a profoundly personal journey. As your vital advisors, we offer operational expertise and timely insights that go beyond the surface and support you throughout your ownership experiences. Our team’s dedication and vast network of industry connections ensure that every decision you make is thoroughly informed, aligning perfectly with your unique mission and aspirations. www.DuncanAviation.aero/aircraftsales 8 Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com New Fleet Flagships Up the Ultra-Long-Range Ante By James Wynbrandt Bigger, Faster, & Best A new generation of flagships—the G700 from Gulfstream Aerospace, Bombardier’s Global 8000, and the Dassault Falcon 6X—are taking command of the world’s ultra-long-range fleets, vying for claim to the greatest range, tallest and widest cabin, maximum operating Mach number, lowest cabin altitude, and other superlatives. With the three new bizjets coming to market within little more than a year (the Falcon 6X last November, the G700 this April, and the Global 8000 slated for the second half of 2025), bragging rights can be fleeting. Whatever the differences at the corners of their envelopes, the three new ultra-long range jets—which by most definitions include aircraft with a range of 5,000 or more nautical miles (nm)—feature proprietary cabin systems including circadian- based lighting to ease transitions between time zones; state-of the art air filtration and purification delivering fresh air devoid of pathogens or other impurities; hi-def entertainment and se- cure high-speed Wi-Fi providing home/office connectivity in the sky; fly-by-wire digital flight controls; and noise-dampening technology that lowers ambient cabin sound levels to some 50 decibels, equivalent to a quiet office. The highest quality interior craftsmanship, styling, and customization options are a given. One more common trait: For jets that place a premium on speed, the new flagships have been slow out of the gate, entering service two or more years behind schedule for reasons including Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification delays (the G700), project revamping (the Global 8000), and supply chain issues (the Falcon 6X). Gulfstream G700 The G700 from Gulfstream Aerospace combines “the very best elements from our most innovative products, and unites them with cutting-edge advances,” says company president Mark Gulfstream G700 Building on excellence. Rolls-Royce. BUILDING ON EXCELLENCE BUILDING ON EXCELLENCE YOU ASKED FOR MORE – WE DELIVERED. YOU ASKED FOR MORE – WE DELIVERED. CORPORATECARE CORPORATECARE® ENHANCED ENHANCED Rolls-Royce.com/enhanced 10 Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com Burns. Supplanting the G650, the new flagship takes honors for both longest range at 7,750 nm—50 nm farther than Bom- bardier’s current flagship, the Global 7500—and as the fast- est business jet flying today, with a top speed of Mach 0.935, according to the Savannah, Georgia company. Outfitted with purpose-developed high-thrust Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines and new winglets, the G700 has already established more than 50 city-pair speed records, while opening nonstop routes in- cluding New York to Hong Kong; London to Tokyo; and Los Angeles to Dubai. Inside, the six-foot, three-inch-tall and eight-foot, two- inch-wide interior shares the same cross-section as the G650, but the stretched fuselage adds almost 10 feet to the now 57- foot long main cabin, hosting up to five living areas. An ultra- galley, flexible six-place passenger lounge, and grand master suite with shower are among the layout options. At 41,000 feet, cabin altitude is 2,840 feet. Price: $81 million (2024) Bombardier Global 8000 Bombardier aims to retake the longest-range title and add “the fastest business jet ever” to its portfolio with the Glob- al 8000—“the absolute pinnacle of business aviation,” says president and CEO Éric Martel. The new Global’s projected 8,000 nm-plus range will link Houston and Dubai; Los Ange- les and Singapore; and London and Perth, and its Mmo (maxi- mum operating speed) limit of Mach 0.94 just outpaces the G700 (a flight test vehicle used for the Global 8000 program briefly went supersonic as part of certification). Moreover, the Global 8000 promises “the first-ever transcontinental ultra-high-speed cruise of Mach 0.92,” the Montreal air- framer says. Sharing the same fuselage and cabin dimensions as the Global 7500 at six-foot, two-inches tall, eight feet wide, and 54 feet, five inches long, the Global 8000 offers a choice of three or four cabin zones with interior options including the category’s largest galley and the largest 4K TV on a business jet (55 inch- es). A three-zone “open office” executive cabin, designed for corporate collaboration, features Nuage zero-gravity seats. A four-zone cabin offers a principal suite with full-size bed and stand-up shower. Cabin altitude is 2,900 feet at 41,000 feet. The Global 8000 program launched in 2010 as a longer- legged but shorter cabin version of what became the Global 7500. Few buyers showed interest in trading interior space for range, and in 2022, five years after the Global 8000’s initial 2017 service entry date, Bombardier announced the program’s reconfiguration. The range improvement is mainly achieved by optimizing empty weight and creating more fuel storage capac- ity, while its next generation GE Passport engines each replace individual fan blades with a single titanium blisk, improving efficiency and saving weight. Price: $81 million (2024) Bombardier Global 8000 Business flight solutions aligned with your people and your goals. CONTACT US 24/7 US +1 888 247 7278 | UK +44 1293 844 886 | privatejets@airpartner.com OUR SERVICES: + ON DEMAND PRIVATE JETS + GROUP CHARTER + CHARTER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM Charter private aircraft according to your preferences, travel requirements and scheduling needs - giving you even greater flexibility for your business flights. 12 Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com Dassault Falcon 6X Though last among the three in range and airspeed, the Falcon 6X from Dassault Aviation achieves the largest advance in the category, signaling the French aerospace company’s intent to challenge the Bombardier-Gulfstream ultra-long-range du- opoly. Branded as “the first ultra-widebody” purpose-built business jet, the 6X features the tallest and widest cabin in business aviation, at six feet, six inches high, and eight feet, six inches wide. “Times and trends change,” says Carlos Brana, executive vice- president, civil aviation, of the break from the Falcon’s tradi- tionally modest cabin cross sections. “Passengers want space and the comforts of home, especially on long flights.” Range-wise, at 5,500 nm—though some 2,500 nm short of the G700 and Global 8000, and 1,000 nm less than Das- sault’s own Falcon 8X—the 6X can link London and Hong Kong; Los Angeles and Geneva; and Beijing and San Fran- cisco. The new Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW812D engines deliver an Mmo of Mach 0.90, along with double-digit im- provements in fuel efficiency and emissions over current- generation turbofans. The 40-foot, four-inch-long cabin is configured in three zones, with options including a large entryway, a spacious rear lounge, and a crew rest area. Its industry-first skylight over the galley area adds to the natural light, as do 30 windows, each some 10 percent larger than in current-generation Falcons. Cabin altitude is 3,900 feet 41,000 feet. The 6X also features flaperons—a combination aileron and flap that optimize performance and handling—and the Falcon- Scan diagnostics system, which monitors and reports on 100,000 6X maintenance parameters, both Falcon firsts. Introduced in 2017, the 6X takes its fuselage cross-section from the canceled Falcon 5X program, shelved due to devel- opment snags with its intended Safran Silvercrest powerplant. Meanwhile, Dassault’s forthcoming Falcon 10X, scheduled for service entry in 2027, will offer a projected 7,500-nm range and an even more expansive cabin at six feet, eight inches tall, nine feet, one inch wide, and 53 feet, 10 inches long, further escalating the aerial range wars. Price: $54.9 million (2024) In the interim, bragging rights remain in play. Gulfstream hopes to bring its G800 to market—an 8,000-nm range follow-on to the G700—before Bombardier’s Global 8000 enters service next year. A replacement for the G650/650ER, the G800 mates the G650ER fuselage with the G700’s wings. Precise range is unde- fined and Mmo is currently specified at Mach 0.925, but don’t be surprised if Gulfstream tries to reclaim both the range and speed titles atop the leaderboard before the forthcoming jet’s official performance numbers are announced. BJT Dassault Falcon 6X Experience comfort never before offered in this class of aircraft. Or the class above it. THE SUPER VERSATILE JET pilatus-aircraft.com In the world of business jets, it’s all about passenger comfort. By Mark Huber The Cabin Is The Thing B ottom line for existing and potential private jet owners: If it’s in their beach house or Bentley, they want it in their airplane. If hot tubs were possible at 30,000 feet, they’d ask for those, too. Every year, jet builders become incrementally better at meeting those rarefied expectations. Over the last decade alone, the market has seen demonstrable and dramatic im- provements in passenger seat comfort and functionality, in- cluding better artificial lighting, bigger cabin windows, and larger galleys and lavatories. Also: a collection of “whiz bang” technology—fast and seamless Wi-Fi and voice communi- cation, larger TVs, onboard servers that can store whatever video or audio entertainment you like, and cabin management systems that allow you to control just about everything in the cabin from a touch panel at your seat or via your portable smart device. Commands include changing the cabin light color, ordering a drink, selecting a surround-sound movie, and adjusting the temperature. Higher pounds-per-square-inch pressurization ratios mean lower cabin altitudes while cruising above the airliners— significantly reducing fatigue. In some aircraft this feature is combined with a cabin air humidification system to further enhance comfort. These are the features necessary to compete in today’s busi- ness jet world. In the words of Leona Qi, president, U.S., at VistaJet, “We continue to challenge the boundaries of what is possible at 40,000 feet. This dedication is reflected in ini- tiatives like our Wellness program, exclusive to those flying onboard our Global 7500, which offers ergonomic seating and jetlag-reducing technologies.” Modern private jet cabins do almost everything except shine your shoes. It’s not just the functionality that’s improved, but rather the physical cabin itself—it’s bigger and more stylish. That’s across all categories, not just in the $81 million ultra- long-range, large-cabin aircraft such as the Bombardier Global 7500, but even in $6 million light jets. 14 Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com F L Y F A R T H E R O N E V E R Y F L I G H T AviationPartners.com +1.206.762.1171 Sales@Winglets.com Blended Winglets are among the most desired business aircraft upgrades. The performance-boosting, fuel-saving, and range-extending mods catch the attention of jet buyers and reduce emissions. Increase future resale value for Dassault Falcon or Hawker business jets and enjoy the benefits now. 16 Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com Trenched center aisles are increasingly giving way to uni- formly flat floors and cleverly designed new cabin shells to in- crease head and shoulder room. Sidewall nooks hold additional personal effects. And there’s more room for luggage than ever before. Consider that a midsize Hawker 800 of the 1980s offers 49 cubic feet of room for baggage, while today’s considerably smaller HondaJet provides 66, and the Cessna Citation CJ4, an- other light jet, offers 77. After all, why have a private jet if you need to pack light? Business Jet Traveler recently looked at how cabin features on various classes of business jet models have evolved. Entry-Level Light Jets Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet G2+ Ninety-six Vision Jets were delivered last year and it’s easy to see why. The latest version of this single-engine jet, the G2+, blends the best of minivan utility with luxury sports car styling to deliver an interior that is both highly useful and aestheti- cally pleasing. The Vision Jet features modular seating for up to five adults and two more optional jump seats suitable for small children. The cabin is about five feet wide, four feet high, and nearly 11 feet long. The interior fit and finish quality is at a high level for an entry-level jet, with a cabin that includes luxurious automotive-style leather seats, high-end substrates, gener- ous seat tracking, sidewall cut-outs for personal-item stowage, cup holders, armrests, USB power ports, airbag seatbelts (crew positions), and climate-controlled air-conditioning, with op- tions for enhanced interior lighting, drop-down entertainment screens, Wi-Fi-ground link, and 110V AC power. The centered aft engine positioning gives the airplane a more flexible center of gravity for loading, makes the engine easier to service and inspect before flights, and mitigates onboard noise and any damage to the cabin from an uncontained engine failure. The G2+ adds improved cabin noise insulation and a higher- powered cabin pressurization system that allows the aircraft to maintain an 8,000-foot cabin at its new maximum operating BJT SPECIAL ADVERTISING INSERT 2024 UNCOMPROMISING SAFETY STANDARDS As an aircraft passenger, you rely on your pilots to handle technical and operational details of the flight. Go behind the scenes to learn how their training prepares them to safely get you to your destination. F or most people, weather is just a happy circumstance or a frus- trating nuisance. For pilots, read- ing weather patterns is part of the job. They must decipher myriad sources of forecasted weather information during the flight planning process to determine routes, altitudes, fuel consumption, and time to destination. When Mother Nature disrupts the flight plan, a highly skilled pilot will make adjustments to determine the best course of action. Training providers like FlightSafety International (FSI) ensure pilots understand how to weigh factors like time, distance, fuel, passenger con- venience, and safety to create the right plan for any weather condition. ADJUSTING FOR DENSITY ALTITUDE Density altitude can effectively shorten runways—but pilots can train to accom- modate this factor. Essentially, density altitude indicates the altitude that the aircraft “thinks” it’s flying at based on atmospheric conditions. As an aircraft climbs into higher, less dense air, its performance generally decreases due to many factors. At high-density altitudes, aircraft need more runway to take off, cannot climb as quickly or as steeply, and need a longer landing roll. The three factors that affect density altitude are the elevation of the airport, outside air temperature, and humidity, with humidity having the smallest effect on aircraft performance. A high-eleva- tion airport such as Aspen (7,820 feet) on an 82˚F summer afternoon may have a density altitude of more than 10,500 feet, even with a relatively low 17% humidity. This means an aircraft taking off or land- ing at this airport would perform as if it’s at more than 10,000 feet—and operations can become more challenging when the temperature rises. “During simulator training, the pilots perform density altitude calculations for operations in these [high and hot] conditions and then we have them actu- ally fly these scenarios,” said Richard Meikle, Executive Vice President Safety, Courseware, and Compliance at FSI. “If you’re used to fairly rapid climb-outs away from airports, and then the instruc- tor positions the simulator to a high-den- sity altitude airport, the performance is noticeably degraded. The instructors can adjust the simulated weight of the air- craft and the temperature to allow clients to experience and understand the differ- ent performance levels.” While density altitude affects all air- craft to some degree, it affects piston- powered aircraft more than turboprops or jets simply because of the latter’s higher thrust-to-weight ratio. “Not all airplanes are created equal,” said Meikle. “Sometimes it’s very difficult for an owner or passenger to see some aircraft departing from an airport and hear from your pilot that your aircraft can’t depart because it doesn’t meet the performance requirements.” ADJUSTING FOR COLD OR PRECIPITATION In the opposite extreme, cold weather can also affect an aircraft’s performance. Frost on the wings can alter the airfoil DEMYSTIFYING WEATHER DELAYS shape and disrupt airflow enough to considerably hinder the generation of lift. This is why it’s important to hangar your aircraft and/or ensure it is com- pletely de-iced prior to takeoff in frost- forming conditions. Anti-icing systems also draw power from the engine’s bleed air system, reducing engine perfor- mance. This can especially be a factor at high-elevation airports. In addition, wet or icy runways can decrease airport capacity or even pre- vent specific aircraft from landing at all. During preflight planning, pilots note the length and condition of the runway(s) at the destination airport to ensure that the aircraft they are flying can stop in the given distance. They will take many factors into consideration: whether the runway is grooved (provid- ing additional traction and water runoff capability) or ungrooved, wind direc- tion, airport altitude, density altitude, and the required length of runway for the given conditions. However, even with this information, runway excursions account for more than a third of all aviation accidents each year. “Landing on a runway that has now become wet when the airplane perfor- mance doesn’t support it is extremely dangerous,” said Mark Kleinhans, director of safety for FSI. “The two best ways to handle this are to either divert to an airport that has a longer runway or wait for the weather to pass and the run- way to dry. Either option may inconve- nience the passengers but is better than a damaged aircraft or worse.” ADJUSTING FOR WINDS AT TAKEOFF AND LANDING Since airflow over the wings (or rotor blades in the case of helicopters) gener- ates the lift that enables the aircraft to fly, wind is an important element dur- ing takeoff and landing. A headwind straight down the runway is preferable as it assists in the generation of lift on takeoff and helps slow the aircraft on landing. A tailwind down the runway is undesirable since it negates lift on take- off and pushes the aircraft on landing (causing a longer, more squirrelly land- ing roll). In addition, crosswinds can push the aircraft off the runway if they are strong enough. “High, gusty winds low to the ground can cause turbulence and wind shear, which make it very difficult for pilots to keep a smooth, stabilized approach to landing,” said Meikle. “If an airplane is drifting, floating, too fast or too slow, too high or too low on final, the pilots often elect to go around and set up for another approach. Pilots are trained to execute go-arounds, which are much safer than trying to force an aircraft down in an unstable condition.” Sometimes the impetus of a go-around starts well before the final approach. Air traffic control demands that seem benign 100 miles out can result in an unstabi- lized approach. For example, if air traf- fic control (ATC) keeps your aircraft at a higher altitude than planned to allow another aircraft to pass under you, by the time they let your aircraft descend, your approach is steeper and faster than planned. With some high-performance aircraft, that speed is difficult to bleed off in time to make a good approach. Meikle says that pilots are mission- oriented, and they want to complete the planned flight as much as the pas- sengers want to be on the ground. “It’s important that pilots are recognized for making the good decision when they go around, regardless of the cause,” Meikle said. “If they’re in a position where they feel like the go-around was the best option, they should be thanked for mak- ing the right decision.” ADJUSTING FOR THE NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM Even when the weather is perfect in the area you’re leaving, you may be hit with delays due to weather in other parts of the country. “Storm fronts can extend hundreds of miles across from multiple states and affect an entire region of the country,” said Meikle. “The most extreme thunder- storms can tower more than 55,000 feet, which is higher than the service ceiling of any passenger or business jet.” Since these thunderstorms (techni- cally called cumulonimbus clouds) gen- erate updrafts and downdrafts of tre- mendous force, and hail that can cause significant damage to an aircraft, ATC often route traffic—both commercial and private—hundreds of miles out of the way when a storm front of sufficient height and ferocity cuts across a planned flight path. The rerouting can affect hun - dreds of flights, creating pinch points at the areas north and south of a storm front, which typically travels from the west to the east in North America (hur- ricanes and other localized wind pat- terns can disrupt this usual flow). The rerouting increases ATC’s workload as it provides multiple course and altitude changes to hundreds of aircraft to work them safely through the pinch points. Weather directly affecting major air- ports also plays a role in the national airspace system. As the weather deteri- orates and visibility decreases, the num- ber of aircraft that a particular airport can handle also decreases. For exam- ple, at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport—one of the busiest in the world—an aircraft typically lands about every 30 seconds for a visual capacity of about 119 arrivals per hour. But when visibility is less than 3 statute miles, the airport capacity can drop to as low as 94 arrivals per hour. This means that upon arrival at the airport, some aircraft must circle and wait for their turn to land. “In this situation, instead of stack- ing aircraft in long orbits at different altitudes near the airport, ATC may hold aircraft that haven’t departed yet on the ground,” said Meikle. “They can either call a ground stop—which prevents any aircraft on a flight plan to land at spe- cific airports from departing anywhere in the U.S.—or hold all aircraft in a spe- cific region.” While ground holds may be frustrating to passengers, they are safer than in-air orbits and may ultimately help the pas- sengers reach their destination. Consider an airport like Teterboro, NJ, a popular destination for business aircraft. In very close proximity, there are three major air- ports with high volumes of airline traffic. When weather approaches the area, the normal departure and arrival paths may be cut off and limited routing options exist for safe operations. This is when ATC will implement a ground delay and hold programs to ensure there is suffi- cient space for aircraft to safely navigate through the gaps in the weather. “Aircraft on ground holds use little to no fuel, depending on how long the hold is and when the pilots are notified,” said Meikle. “Whereas aircraft can be in hold- ing patterns for so long that they reach a critical fuel level and must divert to a different airport to land safely.” Passengers can check the status of the national airspace system and delays at specific airports at https://nasstatus. faa.gov/. PREPARING FOR THESE ADJUSTMENTS One way to reduce anxiety caused by weather delays is to build a buffer in your schedule. Just as pilots plan their flights with at least 45-minute fuel reserves, schedule your flight with a comfort- able “time reserve” to account for any unexpected delay. You can also discuss weather and diversion options with your pilot before takeoff. Diversion decisions often need to be made well in advance of landing to arrange for ground transporta- tion, since you’re not landing at the des- ignated airport. “It’s much easier to have a discussion with your pilot on the ground if there’s any possibility that the flight may have to divert, especially if your destination is in a mountainous area,” said Meikle. “A more suitable airport 10 miles away in a straight line may look great to your pilot, but may add more than an hour of drive time for you if you’re driving on moun- tain roads, and you might have a better alternative that works for both of you.” RICHARD MEIKLE FlightSafety Executive Vice President Safety, Courseware, and Compliance If an airplane is drifting, floating, too fast or too slow, too high or too low on final, the pilots often elect to go around and set up for another approach. Pilots are trained to exe- cute go-arounds, which are much safer than trying to force an aircraft down in an unstable condition. “ “ “T hank you for saving my life and the lives of my passengers.” There’s nothing quite as gratifying as saving the life of another human being. For the team at FlightSafety International, receiving a call, letter, or email from a customer expressing heartfelt gratitude for providing training that liter- ally has saved one or more lives makes the job more than worthwhile. “In 2020, we implemented an inadver- tent flight into IMC [instrument meteo- rological conditions] module in all of our helicopter courses, and all helicopter pilots take it whether they are instru- ment rated or not,” said Richard Meikle, EVP Safety, Courseware and Compliance, noting that it was the pilots’ spacial dis- orientation in IMC that killed basketball star Kobe Bryant, family, and friends in January 2020. “Since then, we’ve had at least four emails from pilots saying that training literally saved their life. None of those pilots were required by regu- lation to get this IMC training because they were flying under visual flight rules (VFR), but by providing training beyond the regulations, we made them safer pilots who made it home.” SAFE PILOT TRAITS The ultimate goal of training is to enhance pilot safety, but as long as humans are piloting the ship, they will still have human traits, tendencies, and foibles. Meikle says there are three key traits that define a safe pilot: knowing and operating within one’s limitations, applying disci- pline to one’s thoughts and actions, and assessing the situation before acting. “Impulsive action in an aircraft can have bad consequences,” said Meikle. “There are, of course, times where you have to act very promptly and that assessment phase may be quite short—such as an engine failure on takeoff—but those events are relatively rare. Generally, you have enough time to assess the situation and make an informed decision before you take action.” Disciplined thought includes the methodical use of checklists and follow- ing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for every flight. Sometimes familiarity with an aircraft or beautiful flying con- ditions can lull pilots into shortcutting procedures or skipping the checklist. But well-trained, disciplined pilots recognize that daily habits become ingrained and good habits can be more quickly recalled when something goes awry; a pilot used to using checklists won’t need to fumble for them in an emergency situation. Pilots who know and operate within their limitations tend to be safer pilots because they don’t often create emer- gency situations: the VFR pilot who lands in deteriorating weather short of their destination, the charter pilot who declines a severely overloaded trip, or the bizjet pilot who diverts to a dry runway when an unexpected rain shower makes a short field too tight to land safely. According to Meikle, “Limitations include those of the aircraft they are fly- ing, airspace and operational limitations, and the pilot’s own personal limitations in terms of competency, experience, and training with regard to the upcoming flight.” ENHANCING PILOT SAFETY THROUGH TRAINING Training is one way that pilots learn the extent of these limitations and can, in certain circumstances, expand them. A pilot who knows the aircraft systems and operational performance of their air- craft is less limited than an unfamiliar pilot who isn’t sure. “From a safety point of view, we train pilots all the way the aircraft limits, but we encourage them to maintain a set of more conservative personal limits based on their experience in total, and in the aircraft for the conditions” said Mark Kleinhans, FSI’s director of safety. “Their skillset exceeds the requirements of each flight. We have to ensure there are no gaps in knowledge or skills.” EXPANDING LIMITATIONS THROUGH FSI’S MASTER AVIATOR PROGRAM One way pilots can address their personal limitations is through FlightSafety’s Master Aviator program. Launched in 2015 for fixed-wing pilots and in 2016 for helicopter pilots, the Master Aviator program awards pilots for completing a set of core and elec- tive courses beyond the typical initial or recurrent training events. “The Master Aviator program is a ter- rific indicator to pilots of the commit- ment of their flight department and the individuals within to enhance their skills beyond the core,” said Meikle. “It takes most pilots a couple of years to complete all of the requirements for a particular aircraft, and pilots can earn Master Aviator in multiple aircraft to really hone their skills on each.” Advanced simulator courses in rejected takeoffs, helicopter approach and landing accident reduction, crew resource management, energy man- agement, using night vision goggles, upset prevention and recovery train- ing, and international procedures strengthen pilots’ abilities to han- dle these situations. Elective online courses include topics such as fatigue management, warm/cold weather operations, corporate aviation secu- rity, safety management systems, and weather radar. “Any pilot who completes one of our core courses is a safe, competent pilot, but the Master Aviator program takes them to the next level,” said Kleinhans. “Think of it like this: most everyone who drives a car knows how to drive defen- sively and how to avoid accidents, but none of us are qualified to be a security detail for the president of the United States. The president’s limo driver is trained to a higher level. And that’s what the Master Aviator is designed to do.” TRAINING BEYOND THE AIRCRAFT When pilots complete initial or recur- rent training at FlightSafety, they get much more than practice simply fly- ing the aircraft. FlightSafety curricu- lum is continuously updated to incor- porate various human factors topics such as communication, leadership and teamwork, workload management, problem-solving and decision-making, and situational awareness. In addition, FlightSafety keeps its finger on the pulse of the industry to address key concerns like runway incursions/excursions, unstable approaches, and the reluctance to go around in its course materials. “We try to bring awareness of what’s happening in the industry to the class- room so pilots gain an appreciation for what’s going on outside of their own operations,” said Meikle. “If you under- stand what’s going on in the industry, there may be a nugget or two that you can bring back to your own operation to make it even safer than it is now.” FlightSafety’s partnerships with GE Aerospace and the Presage Group have fostered innovation in teaching and reinforcing core pilot competencies based on actual industry and pilot data. Through GE Aerospace’s flight data ana- lytics program, FlightSafety can access aggregated flight data from thousands of aircraft and analyze trends that affect how pilots fly specific aircraft types in various situations. The insights provided are then worked into the curriculum. For example, when the data showed a link between unstable approaches and run- way excursions, the FSI team created a “spotlight” to focus on runway excursion prevention in every fixed-wing initial or recurrent course. Executing a “go-around” during an unstable approach is often the best way to prevent a runway excursion. Yet the data indicated that only about 3% of unstable approaches resulted in go-arounds; during the rest, the pilots wrestled the aircraft to the ground, usu- ally with a favorable outcome albeit with reduced safety margins and in some cases, narrowly avoiding a seri- ous event. FlightSafety worked with the Presage Group to study the psychology of the go-around using simulators to fly various approaches and interviewing the pilots afterward about their decision to go or not go around. Presage and FSI then jointly developed course content and scenarios for use in training. SMART INVESTMENTS IN INSTRUCTORS AND CLASSROOM TECH FlightSafety’s investment in its curricu- lum isn’t always externally driven; in fact, its initial and continual investment in instructors and classroom technology has kept it ahead of its competitors for decades. “When we hire a new instructor, we go beyond checking the boxes to make them legal to be an instructor,” said Kleinhans. “It’s a long process to become a FlightSafety instructor, including learning how to train clients that have deficiencies or need additional practice, and how to challenge those who have clear mastery of the aircraft. We invest a lot in how our instructors actually deliver the training because our philos- ophy is to train not just what’s required but what will actually keep people safe.” Recognizing that the learning styles of students have changed over the years, FlightSafety also strives to provide the best learning aids for each client. “Pilots in my generation are used to receiving a book, a booklet to take notes in, and a highlighter,” said Meikle. “If you did that to many of the clients walking in today, they would not be impressed because they expect the content to be digital. But on the other hand, if you gave me an iPad with the course loaded on it and told me to take my notes on the iPad, it would be quite frustrating. So technol- ogy cannot be a one-size-fits-all solution.” Meikle noted that for technology to work in the classroom, it must be intui- tive. Students shouldn’t need to spend too much time learning how to use the tech- nology before they get to the content. This is one reason that FlightSafety has limited its use of technologies such as virtual real- ity and eye tracking to specific applica- tions like hands-on maintenance training and instrument training in helicopters. “Technology is great, but it can’t be added simply for the wow factor,” said Kleinhans. “In some ways, it may feel like we move more slowly than the marketplace allows, but we are being intentional with the inte- gration of technology in our classrooms. We’re trying to make sure that any tech- nology we deploy improves the training environment [and does] not detract from it.” MARK KLEINHANS FlightSafety’s Director of Safety When we hire a new instructor, we go beyond checking the boxes to make them legal to be an instructor. ““ Our training goes beyond checking regulatory boxes. By collecting and analyzing critical data, we ensure pilots train more effectively for the right safety risk areas—and enhance overall industry safety. Learn more about our data-enhanced training at FlightSafety.com SMARTER AVIATION TRAINING Leveraging data for safer outcomes Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com 17 altitude of 31,000 feet. The aircraft can be equipped with the Gogo Avance L3 air-to-ground connectivity solution, a com- paratively economical way to access the web, email, moving maps, and flight information. Light Jets Embraer Phenom 100EX Although it fits into the light jet category, the Phenom 100EX shares many features of its larger siblings, such as upper tech panels, wider seats with a two-inch backrest gain and extra knee support, increased use of more sustainable materials, and flush-to-the-wall tables. The EX version also has the pre- viously optional side-facing fifth seat and belted lavatory as standard features. Customers can choose from four interior color schemes— navy blue, gray, tan, and black—and three new seat styles. The interior also makes more use of leather and eco-friendly Ultra Leather and fewer veneers to maximize durability and maintainability. The 100EX’s cockpit was also enhanced by adding more pilot legroom and an open-concept cockpit for easier communica- tion within the cabin. In addition, the 100EX is the first light jet equipped with a runway overrun awareness and alerting system, which enhances safety during critical takeoff and land- ing operations. Textron Aviation Cessna Model 525 Series These three models—the M2 Gen2, Citation CJ3 Gen2, and CJ4 Gen2—comprise Cessna’s current light jet offerings. A descendant of the CJ1+, the M2 Gen2 began deliveries in 2022. Improvements include three more inches of cockpit leg- room and a cabin with more durable materials, new sidewall ledges, a choice of wood or carpet flooring materials, accent lighting, illuminated cupholders, and wireless and USB charg- ing ports at each passenger seat. Deliveries of the newest iteration of the CJ3, the CJ3 Gen2, are scheduled to begin in 2025. Improvements include reworked entry steps with grab handles, more cockpit legroom, and a fold-down, side-facing single seat opposite the entry door. Be- tween-seat slimline tables have been added along with USB-C charging ports at every seat and wireless charging. The CJ4 Gen2’s cabin is 21 inches longer than the CJ3’s. Added features include new folding airstairs, ambient lighting, and a galley with improved storage. The inflight entertainment sys- tem was enhanced with a wireless cabin management system that comes with a media server that can stream preloaded au- dio and video files, access SiriusXM satellite radio, and display moving maps. 18 Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com Other Light Jets On the larger end of the light jet spectrum, both Embraer’s Phe- nom 300E and the Pilatus PC-24 remain strong sellers and both aircraft have recently undergone significant cabin modernizations. The 300E features the Lufthansa Technik Nice-HD cabin management system, a quieter cabin, and the available Bossa Nova interior that includes revised seat stitching, carbon-fiber accents, piano-black veneer, accent leather, and gold plating. Embraer was the first business jet manufacturer to certify a runway overrun awareness and alerting system, in the Phenom 300E, which also offers autothrottle, coupled go-around, and emergency descent mode. The PC-24 adds a new, 6-foot, 6-inch long three-place, side-facing divan that converts into a bed, new cabin manage- ment and audio systems, and a payload increase of 600 pounds. As a result, the PC-24’s range grew to 2,040 nautical miles. Other improvements include reduced ambient noise through improvements to passenger service unit ducting and tuned engine accessory air intake ducts, and the addition of noise- absorbing panels. An integrated Lufthansa Technik cabin man- agement system features a 10-inch touchscreen controller with a 3D moving map, four high-fidelity speakers with a sub-woofer option, mood lighting, USB ports, and a media storage server . Medium & Super-Medium Embraer Praetor 500 & 600 Embraer delivered 41 Praetors in 2023. The aircraft are improved midsize and super-midsize jets derived from the Legacy 450 and 500 models and offer redesigned cabins, tweaked engines, new winglets, more fuel capacity, and upgraded avionics. Both are two-pilot aircraft. The 500 features seating for seven to nine passengers and has a maximum range of 3,340 nautical miles, while the 600 has room for eight to 12 passengers and a maxi- mum range of 4,018 nautical miles. Baggage capacity is very generous for aircraft in these classes: 150 cubic feet in the 500 and 155 in the 600. These aircraft compete directly with the midsize Citation Lat- itude and super-midsize Citation Longitude, both from Textron Aviation’s Cessna division. The Praetor 600 actually bests the Longitude in terms of range and cabin width, and unlike the Longitude, it offers full fly-by-wire flight controls. Improvements over the Legacy models are particularly no- ticeable in the cabin. The stylish Bossa Nova interiors are heavy on carbon fiber, piano-black accents, and elegant stitch pat- terns. The cabin altitude is just 5,800 feet while the aircraft is at 45,000 feet. Passengers can enjoy optional high-speed Viasat Ka-band connectivity for streaming even large files. NEXT-GENERATION TECHNOLOGY FLYING NOW. Pratt & Whitney’s dynamic portfolio of engines isn’t just leading the way in business aviation – it’s transforming the industry. The revolutionary PW800 exceeds standards in performance, fuel efficiency and availability to comfortably and quietly deliver a flying experience unlike any other. Today’s innovations moving you toward tomorrow’s solutions – it’s how we do business. DISCOVER OUR INDUSTRY-LEADING LINEUP AT PRATTWHITNEY.COM SETTING THE BUSINESS STANDARD. THEN SOARING ABOVE IT. Gogo Avance L5 air-to-ground high-speed connectivity cov- ering the U.S. and parts of Canada is also optional. An “upper tech panel” displays flight information and cabin management controls that appear when needed, then vanish, leaving a clean, smooth look. A new, three-place divan (on the 600) is more orthopedically friendly, with a 105-degree seating angle. In 2020, Embraer enhanced the air quality in the interior with the addition of COVID-era HEPA filters and a one-touch electric lavatory door. Last year, fractional provider NetJets announced an order for up to 250 Praetor 500s with deliveries beginning in 2025. Other Midsize and Super-midsize Models The Cessna Citation Latitude (midsize) and Longitude, Bom- bardier Challenger 3500, and Gulfstream G280 (all super-mid- size) are popular choices in these categories. The Latitude and Longitude share the same flat floor cabin cross-section (72 inches tall, 77 inches wide), but the Latitude’s cabin is 3 feet, 5 inches shorter. Both feature a new seating design. NetJets placed substantial new orders and options for both models as part of a 1,500 aircraft deal worth an estimated $30 billion. The Challenger 3500 is the latest version of the Challenger 300 series that began deliveries in 2004. The 3500 incorporates many of the advanced cabin features, including the redesigned, zero-gravity Nuage seating architecture of Bombardier’s cur- rent flagship, the Global 7500. While Gulfstream reportedly is working on a successor aircraft to the G280, it continues to refine the existing product and last year began offering it with a lower cabin altitude (reduced to 4,800 at 41,000 feet) and a plasma ionization clean air system. Large Cabin Dassault Falcon 6X Deliveries of the 6X began earlier this year. The 12- to 14-passenger aircraft has the largest cross-section of any in- production, purpose-designed business jet: eight and a half feet wide, six and a half feet high, and just over 40 feet long yielding 1,843 cubic feet of volume. A skylight illuminates the 20 Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com 21 entryway, and 30 windows flood the space with natural light. All that room allows for a good deal of flexibility, including the ability to have conference-table seating for six and a comfort- able aft stateroom. The wider cabin also makes it possible for the 6X to offer a bigger galley. The 155-cubic-foot baggage compartment is accessible in flight, plus there are another 76 cubic feet of unpressurized baggage space. The environmental system delivers a cabin altitude of 3,900 feet while the aircraft is at 41,000 feet. The air-filtration sys- tem both circulates and refreshes air every two to three min- utes, and the cabin is extremely quiet. High-speed satellite connectivity via FalconConnect will be on par with what the most sophisticated home or office equipment delivers. The system provides simplified cabin management and entertain- ment control wirelessly through personal devices while pro- viding seamless, global communications. Large Cabin, Ultra-Long Range Bombardier Global 7500 The 7500 features a four-zone, 2,637-cubic-foot passenger cabin with the Lufthansa Nice Touch cabin management sys- tem, Nuage zero-gravity single executive seats, and Soleil cabin lighting designed with circadian rhythm-based technology to combat jet lag; a large galley; and a dedicated crew suite. The galley is 20 percent larger than that on the Global 6000, with double convection/microwave/steam oven capabilities. Range is 7,700 nautical miles. Other cabin features include a center lounge/media room with 42- to 50-inch flat-screen monitors; adjustable color LEDs in the ceiling; a conference/dining table that seats six; a private stateroom; an optional stand-up steam shower; a more robust environmental-control system; and a capacious 195-cubic-foot baggage hold. An integrated cabin-management and in-flight- entertainment system allows passengers to control LED lighting and window shades as well as having communication, entertain- ment, and information access and streaming via personal smart devices using new high-speed, Ka-band satellite technology. Gulfstream G700 What makes the G700 a true luxury long-hauler is the avail- able Grand Suite in the aft fuselage. It can be equipped with a curved-edge, queen-size bed opposite a full-size dresser. The adjacent aft lav features two windows, a stand-up closet, a large vanity, and an optional stand-up shower. The lav also provides in-flight access to the pressurized, 195-cubic-foot baggage hold. The G700’s range is 7,750 nautical miles at Mach 0.85 and 6,650 nautical miles at Mach 0.90. Top speed is Mach 0.935. The cabin altitude is just 2,840 feet at 41,000 feet, meaning passengers should experience less fatigue on flights. BJT For more on ultra-long range jets, see page 8. 22 Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com Helicopters are being integrated into the private jet experience. By Mark Huber Good to the Last Mile S ometimes the worst part of the private jet experience is the commute to the airport. With that in mind, in 2022 fractional operator Flexjet formed its own ver- tical lift division after acquiring helicopter service providers AAG in the U.S. and Halo Aviation in the UK in 2021. Customers can now apply their fixed-wing fractional hours to helicopter service on an interchange basis. For a nominal extra charge, Flexjet will even arrange ground transportation to make the journey truly seamless. Flexjet Vertical Lift provides the service with 21 helicopters in three main areas: New York City/Northeast, South Florida/ Bahamas, and London. New York and London have long been popular helicopter passenger markets, but the popularity of the service in South Florida surprised Eli Flint, president of Flexjet Vertical Lift. “It’s demand we weren’t quite anticipating,” he said. “I was blown away.” The service there covers an area with borders roughly be- tween Palm Beach to Naples, to Key West, and over to the Baha- mas from a base at Miami-Opa locka Executive Airport (KOPF). Flexjet initially moved two of its Sikorsky S-76 twin-engine helicopters from New York to cover the market. The service uses landing facilities in areas designed to maximize customer convenience, such as the helipad atop the headquarters build- ing of the Warren Henry Automotive Group in North Miami or North County Airport (F45) in West Palm Beach. For the London helicopter market, Flexjet operates a fleet of 10 six- and eight-seat Leonardo AW109 and AW169 models. Flint pointed out that the British have long appreciated the utility of executive helicopters. Accessing helicopter service is relatively simple, Flint said. “When a fixed-wing owner wants to use helicopters, we have a dedicated person on the owner services team in Cleveland. All he does is facilitate communication between the fixed-wing team and the helicopter team.” While the UK-based AW109s are somewhat smaller than the S-76s and AW169s, all of Flexjet’s helicopters are twin-engine and flown with two pilots. “The AW109s are really popular in the UK. The British love them and they are used to them, but we fly them multi-crew even though a lot of European operators fly them single-pilot. We don’t do that even if it means giving up the ability to carry another passenger in the back,” Flint said. “All of the safety standards, operating procedures, and resources Flexjet Sikorsky S-76 Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com 23 that we have in jets we’ve extended to helicopters. That includes the level of pilots we hire and maintain, the level of safety over- sight, and the program credentials.” eVTOLS Are Next Flexjet also is planning on adding electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to its helicopter service once those air- craft become available. “We want to make sure we are at the forefront of it. We’re looking at everything and have visited all the production facilities,” Flint said. “I think it is going to happen.” In 2021, Flexjet sister company OneSky Flight ordered 200 eVTOLs from Embraer-funded Eve Air Mobility. It plans to de- ploy 100 in the U.S. and 100 in the UK. Fractional competitor NetJets also has placed a substantial eVTOL order from Lilium. Flexjet’s eVTOL service could begin as early as 2026. Adding eVTOLs to the mix promises to exponentially expand vertical flight passenger service from far more locations, ac- cording to Rob Wiesenthal, CEO of Blade Urban Air Mobility. Blade brokers integrated helicopter and jet trips with its Blade- One seasonal service between New York’s Westchester County Airport (KHPN) and Miami and Palm Beach, Florida. Jets at Westchester are linked via helicopter service from the West Side of Manhattan. Blade also collaborates with private jet ser- vice providers to deliver seamless service to special events and seasonal attractions such as the Monaco Yacht Show, where a one-hour drive becomes a seven-minute helicopter flight. Last year Blade and Beta Technologies collaborated to per- form the first test of a piloted eVTOL in the greater New York City area. In April 2021, Blade agreed to facilitate the purchase of up to 20 Beta Alia 250 aircraft by its network of operators. Blade intends for these aircraft to be deployed on routes be- tween its network of dedicated terminals in the U.S. “The most important urban air mobility service in the world is our New York to JFK/ New York to Newark Airport product,” Wiesenthal noted. Blade offers an annual airport pass for the by-the-seat service for $735. After that customers can fly as much as they want on the routes for as little as $95 each way. Infrastructure is the key to growing the eVTOL market, he said, both in terms of terminal infrastructure and existing customers and routes. Wiesenthal believes eVTOLs and helicopters will go through a “cohabitation phase” because “not every platform is right for the mission” and the market will require “different use cases” depending on the mission. But he thinks that predictions that eVTOLs will become so pervasive as to darken the skies and become fixtures on every rooftop are wildly exaggerated. “That’s just not the near-term or even mid-term reality. These are going to be shared operations where you’re on a schedule or operating continuously. You’re not going to be able to go on an app and all of a sudden have an aircraft land on your building and for forty bucks go wherever you want.” Government has, and will continue to play a large role, main- ly via the provision of incentives to encourage eVTOL use, Wi- esenthal believes. He said this could take the form of allowing “longer operating hours, not having [noise] curfews, [charging] lower landing fees,” and facilitating the installation of electric charging stations. However, Wiesenthal and some others think that the widespread use of eVTOLs will first emerge outside the U.S., most likely in the Middle East. “The governments throughout the Middle East have been very proactive in trying to prove their technological prowess. They’re interested in becoming City 2.0 and you will likely see certification there first. That’s important to these manufac- turers and I think it’s a great proving ground for them. We’re excited about it, and then you’re going to see it come back to the United States,” he said. But no matter how or where the eVTOL market evolves, it promises to enhance last-mile service, making the trip to the airport that much more convenient. BJT OneSky Flight’s HALO ordered 200 eVTOLs from Embraer-funded Eve Air Mobility. Blade provides vertical lift from New York City to local airports. 24 Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com Electric air taxi pioneers say they will compete with ground-based ride-hailing like Uber, but is that realistic? By Charles Alcock What Can You Expect From eVTOL Air Taxi Services? Y ou’ve paid a small fortune to be in the back of that stretch limo. The water you’ve been offered comes from an artisanal spring in France’s Au- vergne region and is bottled by monks chanting in Latin. But you’re still the traffic-gridlocked chump watch- ing a 1992 Ford Taurus edge ahead of you in the crawl to the airport. You’re going to want those monks praying that you don’t miss your flight. That isn’t text from marketing materials produced by one of the start-ups preparing to launch air taxi services using new eVTOL aircraft, but it very well could be. Electric vertical take- off and landing vehicles have been conceived as congestion- busters, promising a guilt-free way to fly short distances without spewing excess carbon dioxide into the atmosphere or alienating the masses with noise from your helicopter. Frontrunners like Joby and Archer in the U.S. say they will have their four-seat aircraft certified by the FAA around the end of 2024, with deliveries to operators and the launch of taxi flights in select locations from 2025. At least, that’s what they are telling their investors. Many industry observers ques- tion whether the regulators will move that fast. Nonetheless, eVTOLs are coming, and here’s what you can expect from com- panies including Supernal, Lilium, Volocopter, Eve Air Mobility, and Vertical Aerospace. In the on-demand business model, passengers will book seats on phone apps for aircraft departing from whichever of eVTOL vehicles like Joby’s four-passenger model will operate from new vertiports. Cabin interior of Archer’s Midnight eVTOL. Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com 25 the new vertiports is closest to their current location. This may well require a connecting car journey with a ride- hailing provider like Uber or Lyft— that in theory could be arranged via the same app. How Much Will Rides Cost? In the early days of eVTOLs, Archer estimates that prices will be close to that of Uber Black or Premium rides at maybe $6 per passenger per mile. It says this compares with around $11 in a chartered helicopter, but this is based on the assumption that all seats will be filled. Joby is also targeting pricing compa- rable to Uber Black and said it is simu- lating pricing mechanisms to manage supply and demand. The on-demand model hinges on per-seat pricing, meaning that passengers will share the ride with strangers, although Joby said that customers could book mul- tiple seats for small group trips. As aircraft numbers increase along with competition between service providers, prices could edge closer to Uber X rates at between $2 and $3 per passenger per mile. Archer claims that beyond 2030, prices could fall even further. Initially, the vertiports may just be repurposed existing heliports al- ready in use by old-school rotorcraft. Ground infrastructure companies such as Skyports and Ferrovial are invest- ing in plans to develop networks of vertiports in new locations that could include top floors of parking lots or next to major train stations to provide easier connections between modes of transportation. To be clear, these eV- TOLs are not (yet) going to be able to drop you on your front lawn after a night sipping cocktails downtown. The vertiports will be fitted with equipment to recharge the batteries of the eVTOL aircraft. Most of the new wilsonair.com what’s the attraction? GREAT SERVICE & TRUE HOSPITALITY. MEM 901-345-2992 CHA 423-855-2299 HOU 713-649-8700 CLT 704-359-0440 American Family Owned and Operated 26 Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com vehicles are expected to be able to fly several short hops before having to be recharged. Full recharging of battery packs could take around 45 minutes, so the air taxi services will need to manage aircraft availability carefully. Battery Power Constrains Range Battery capacity is the main limitation on how far eVTOL air- craft can fly. Generally speaking, the maximum range is capped at around 100 miles, but many of the early air taxi services will be far shorter at 30 or 40 miles tops. Some of the earliest services are likely to be airport transfers to and from city centers. Archer has a partnership with United Airlines to offer flights from Manhattan to Newark Liberty In- ternational Airport in New Jersey, and also from downtown Chicago to O’Hare International Airport. Its rival Joby has a similar alliance in the works with Delta Air Lines, promising seven-minute rides to JFK International Airport. “We are working with Delta to offer the opportunity for their customers to reserve a seat for seamless short-range journeys to and from city airports when booking Delta travel,” a Joby spokeswoman explained to BJT. “Booking will also be available directly through Joby’s mobile-first app, as well as with other partners such as Uber.” At least for now, eVTOL connections to airports will have to drop off passengers groundside, meaning they will still have to endure security screening one way or another. However, eVTOL manufacturers and operators have been striking agreements with FBO groups including Atlantic Aviation, Signature Avia- tion, and Clay Lacy Aviation. This raises the prospect of business jet passengers being permitted seamless boarding if the TSA permits this approach. In early August, Archer, whose aircraft is called Midnight, revealed a list of planned vertiport locations across the Greater Los Angeles area, confirming ambitions to launch services there in 2026. The sites include Los Angeles International, Orange County, Santa Monica, Hollywood Burbank, Long Beach, and Van Nuys airports. The University of California is looking at putting vertiports at existing helipads on its campuses. The Los Angeles Rams NFL team wants to have eVTOL connections between the SoFi stadium and Woodland Hills, where it has its practice facility. What About All My Baggage? Exactly how many linebackers will fit in these compact aircraft remains to be seen. The anticipated maximum payload is expected to be around 1,000 pounds, so after accounting for a pilot and four passengers, there won’t be much space to spare for baggage. Both Joby and Eve Air Mobility, an offshoot of business jet manufacturer Embraer, have said that each eVTOL passenger will be able to take a standard airline carry-on bag and one personal item onboard. No Pilot Onboard If you’re reading this from the Chinese city of Shenzhen, you may already have had the chance to ride an eVTOL. EHang achieved a world first in October 2023 when China’s Civil Aviation Adminis- tration issued a type certificate for its two-seat EH216-S model. The company does not yet have a license to operate commer- cial services, but it is being permitted to conduct demonstration flights under a special permit. What’s more, there is no pilot on board EHang’s fully autono- mous aircraft that are controlled via software from a ground- based command center. That’s something that Boeing subsid- iary Wisk Aero is striving for in the U.S. by around 2030. For now, the eVTOL air taxi business model will require opera- tors to recruit and train large numbers of pilots for aircraft the manufacturers say will be far easier to fly than current equipment. “We will hire commercially-rated pilots [of existing aircraft] who will then complete a transition course to learn how to fly the Joby aircraft, in accordance with FAA regulations,” explained Joby’s spokeswoman. BJT Japan’s SkyDrive sees eVTOLs operating alongside rail services. Supernal’s SA-2 eVTOL aircraft. Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com 27 Tired of flying on unreliable and rigid airlines? Options abound but research is required. By Mark Huber F or collectible auto auction impresario Dana Mecum, the decision to break away from the airlines came while waiting at a passenger gate at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, he told Business Jet Traveler a few years ago. “It took me two hours to drive to the airport. I’m in the security line for an hour, get pulled out for a pat down in a private room and that takes a while, and finally, I get to the gate, where I decide to use my mileage to upgrade to first class. They tell me I owe an additional $5.43 in tax, but they won’t let me pay it there. They say I have to go back to ticketing and come through security again. So, I refuse and tell the gate agent to call security because either I’m getting on the plane in first class or I’m going to jail. Meanwhile, the plane is delayed an hour for some other reason, and finally they let me on. We back up from the tarmac and sit there for two hours. My two-and-a-half-hour flight winds up taking nine hours when you count the drive to the airport.” Two Cessna Citations and a Learjet later, Mecum has no regrets. While he opted for whole aircraft ownership, that so- lution doesn’t make sense for everyone. There are exceptions, but the general rule of thumb is to avoid whole aircraft owner- ship unless you are flying 300 to 400 hours per year—or more. There is a large menu of fractional, membership, and prepaid charter and card programs available for those who want to make the switch to private aviation without whole aircraft ownership. And demand for fractional programs is surging. ( See sidebar.) “Fractional is quite strong and doing well,” says Brian Foley, principal of aviation market analysis consultancy Brian Foley Associates. “It’s still a very popular option. I attribute that to fliers wanting to avoid environmentalists, the tax man, and shareholders,” and people who want to fly anonymously and not have to worry about the headaches that come with own- ing, operating, and managing a multimillion-dollar aircraft, he adds. Foley wryly notes that people who want to fly privately won’t be dissuaded by political or public relations consider- ations. “People who can afford it won’t fly less, they’ll just find ways to do it that aren’t as public.” Decision Points: Finding the Right Private Jet Program for You 28 Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com But what should be your decision criteria in selecting any program? Business Jet Traveler solicited the advice of industry experts, who delivered the following advice: Know your mission “How frequently do you travel, where do you go, and with how many people?” is the first question to ask, says Foley. “If you’re just going between Albany [New York] and New York City, may- be a turboprop will do from a regional operator.” “If you are flying 10 hours a year or less, it makes no sense to buy into a [national] program,” counsels Nick Copley, presi- dent of the Sherpa Report, since those types of programs offer all kinds of amenities you don’t really need. Your local charter operator may be a better bet if you just “do a handful of flights here and there and they’ve got the right airplanes for you. It can be much more economical.” Put a toe in the water Our experts suggest a “try before you buy” strategy before jump- ing head-long into what could be a seven- or eight-figure com- Fractionals On Fire Private jet fractional ownership program flight ac- tivity is posting strong growth, according to Travis Kuhn, senior vice president of market intelligence for Argus International. After growing by 8.9 percent in 2023, recent monthly trends suggest the number for 2024 could almost double that. “It’s on track to be up 16 percent. We’ve seen some incredible months in that industry over the last year,” says Kuhn. “The programs have a lot of new aircraft on order and there are a lot of people who have entered that side of the market.” Indeed, over the last year industry leader NetJets placed orders and options for 1,500 new jets from Textron Aviation, potentially worth $30 billion over the next 15 years, and another for 250 Praetor 500 midsize jets from Embraer, a deal potentially worth more than $5 billion. Other programs also have added aircraft, though more modestly. Kuhn thinks both fractional and charter programs will post net year-over-year gains. “Those segments of the business are pretty strong right now.” The gains come after Part 135 charter posted an 8.6 percent drop in 2023 and Part 91 private flying—typically the rules governing whole aircraft ownership—decreased by 2.6 percent. Some of the decline was driven by the COVID bounce, which saw a surge of new customers into the fractional and charter spaces. Kuhn surmises that most of those new customers opted for light or medium jet cabins, the sections of the market that re- cently have seen the most contraction. But along with that contraction has come a shift in days of the week demand patterns, signaling a return to normalcy, Kuhn says. “Pre-COVID, Thursday was always the busiest day of the week. Your next two busiest days were Wednesday and Friday. Then you’d see a significant drop-off on Saturday and demand would pick back up on Sunday and continue to tick up on Monday and Tuesday and then you would repeat the cycle. During COVID, Thursday would still be the busiest day of the week, but you saw activity spike up on Sunday, reflecting a boom in leisure flights.” Now demand has shifted back to a model primarily driven by business users, Kuhn says. Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com 29 mitment strung over multiple years. And that typically means chartering a few individual flights to get a feel for the purchase. “Go and do a few flights,” says Copley. “It will teach you so much if you’ve flown privately before [you make a decision].” “If a user isn’t familiar with private aviation, it might be worth chartering just to get a taste of it first. It gives you the oppor- tunity to try different models of aircraft and kind of understand how the process works,” says Foley. Manage your expectations Some people jump into the charter or fractional space thinking that the make and model of aircraft they prefer, or bought a share in, will always be available on the day and time they want it. The system doesn’t work that way, even at large operators such as NetJets or Flexjet. “Let’s say an operator has 100 airplanes,” says Rolland Vin- cent, principal in the aviation consulting firm of Rolland Vin- cent Associates and a director of the JetNet iQ business aircraft intelligence service. “On any given morning, somewhere be- tween 20 and 30 percent won’t be available due to mainte- nance, being out of position, in front of scheduled events, or something else is going on. So, if a customer is buying a share because he wants to use it on a specific day, the so-called peak demand days such as the Indianapolis 500, the Kentucky Derby, or the day before Thanksgiving, they could run into a blackout restriction and be disappointed.” Do your homework “People spending this kind of money really should be doing their due diligence on the organization running the program that they’re considering,” says Vincent. “Talk to trusted advi- sors who understand this space well. There’s a lot of zeroes on the table and the most important people on earth are on that airplane with you.” Vincent urges customers to get granular by obtaining program performance data and most importantly “talking to customers who’ve been in the program. I want to talk to someone I trust who is already a customer and ask them about their experience and how service promises match up with delivery.” Vincent says he personally would lean toward a program that provides a healthy selection of different aircraft models and a program on the larger side with its own back-up aircraft. “The brochures will tell you that you’re always going to be in Initially, immediately after the COVID crisis passed, demand was disproportionately for large-cabin air- craft as international travel reopened. Kuhn thinks that increased demand will spread across more air- craft categories as time goes on “barring some out- side influence” such as another pandemic or a finan- cial crisis. He also thinks that people driven into the fractional or charter markets because of COVID and have re- mained in it post-pandemic are likely to stay. “Those who have stuck around have essentially been in it for four years now and they have learned about the market and the different operators.” Kuhn notes that overall activity in North America is still up 11.8 percent compared to pre-pandemic 2019. Without COVID the industry would have grown at a 2 to 3 percent annual rate, right where the market settled at the end of 2023. 30 Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com that beautiful airplane that you see in the pictures. That’s not always the case due to availability. Larger companies have the potential to lock up higher quality back-up aircraft from the charter market. They are going to have that ability to reach out into the supply chain.” Copley emphasizes the need to look at safety factors. “What is the training for their pilots, what kinds of systems are on the planes and how are they maintained, and do they have a safety management system rated by a third party?” It may seem obvious, but Foley counsels to check company finances and not be lured in by big discounts that seemingly provide service below costs, especially if they require large de- posits or an inordinate amount of prepaid flight hours. While a select few start-up programs that have engaged in these prac- tices have failed over the years, Foley doesn’t think the as- sociated odor from those isolated events has driven customers from the market. “A lot of folks who buy these shares are pretty high-net-worth individuals. No one wants to lose money [if a program fails], but they’ve got the financial wherewithal to find a program that is more stable.” Nevertheless, he says, “You want to find a good balance between discounts and risk and not pay too much upfront.” Understand charges, finance, and resale “Sometimes people pick a ‘brand’ name because they have heard it before without fully understanding all the costs,” says Foley. Those include “deadhead” charges (flying an empty airplane to either pick you up or return it to base after it drops you off). “I think you need to understand re- gional differences between providers and which ones have the strengths to best cover your travel area. And there’s always the fine print in the contracts. Know what the prepayment terms are and if those assets are held in an escrow or a trust account for those funds.” Foley says that it also is important for program customers, particularly fractional owners, to understand the financial vari- ability involved with exiting a program and/or disposing of an aircraft share. “Market values of an aircraft can fluctuate quite a bit. Shortly after COVID hit, resale values were pretty darn good—in many cases were even more than the airplane was worth a few years before. But then again, there was the 2009 financial crisis. Then a lot of fractional owners ran for the exits and had to sell at a market low.” In general, a company that owns a lot of the same model of an aircraft should not be a concern to owners when it comes time to dispose of a share, he adds, specifically that too many of those aircraft would flood the market at the same time and de- press resale values. Foley uses the example of industry-leader NetJets. “They’ve been very measured in their approach to the used market. They haven’t been known to dump a bunch of certain models [onto the market] all at once, something that would upset the preowned market. They’ve been a good stew- ard of that over time.” However, Foley argues that some “other providers may not be as financially stable [as a larger operator]. In that case, you do risk losing your principal on the share that you bought.” Have a back-up Even the best programs can run into problems. If you find your travel needs trend to the short-notice and exigent, or oc- casionally you need more than one airplane at the same time, maybe you need multiple programs. It is an increasing trend, according to Vincent. “We’re finding that some people actu- ally have more than one program. They may have a fractional program and a jet card, or they’ll have one or the other and also occasionally charter.” He says this is even the case with whole aircraft owners, noting that six to seven percent of those surveyed by JetNet iQ also have a jet card. BJT Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com 31 Looking to land on your favorite back-country airstrip or lake? Or maybe just that short runway at your favorite resort? These single-engine turboprops may be just the ticket. By Mark Huber The Singles Club D ue to their ability to land on short un- paved fields and fly distances of be- tween 900 and 1,900 nautical miles, single-engine turboprops never seem to go out of fashion. And over the last two de- cades just about all the major manufacturers have incorporated private jet amenities into these aircraft—features that include the latest glass instrument panels, digital engine controls, and more comfortable cabins. Thanks to continuous improvements in engine technology, single-engine turboprops flown by single pilots are as safe and reliable as their twin- engine cousins—and often deliver comparable performance in terms of range, speed, and cabin dimensions—but with considerably lower fuel burn. The right one for you depends upon your mission. Here are the latest models. 1 NBAA IFR theoretical maximum range at Mach 0.85 with 8 passengers, 4 crew and NBAA IFR reserves. Actual range will be a ffected by ATC routing, operating speed, weather, out fitting options and other factors. 2 Maximum Operating Mach Number. Farther: 7,750 nm/14,353 km1 Faster: Mach 0.9352 YOU’RE AN INNOVATOR. TIME TO FLY LIKE IT. 34 Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com Textron Aviation Cessna 208 Caravan Base Price: $2.4M Seats: Up to 9 passengers (typical, can hold up to 13 in commuter configuration) Maximum Cruising Speed: 186 knots Maximum Range: 1,070 nautical miles In production since 1984, the model 208 is the short-body ver- sion of the Caravan. The rugged aircraft has been extensively updated over the years and now features Garmin glass panel avionics and several different cabin layout schemes. Adding amphibious floats drops maximum cruise speed to 159 knots and range to 875 nautical miles. The takeoff water run is 2,341 feet (1,160 feet on wheeled gear). Daher Kodiak 100 Base Price: $2.963M Seats: Up to 9 passengers Maximum Cruising Speed: 183 knots Maximum Range: 1,132 nautical miles The Kodiak 100 is a float-ready, single-engine turboprop de- signed to get in and out of tight spots under harsh conditions. The unpressurized aircraft features a 45-foot-long high wing mated to a rugged aluminum fuselage with a large 54-by-57- inch rear cargo door, heavy-duty and high-riding fixed land- ing gear, a time-tested Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34 engine, and Garmin’s G1000 series glass-panel avionics. At 174 knots, the airplane will get you about 1,000 nautical miles of range. The Utility Set Most of these high-wing, unpressurized models have been approved for amphibious float installation. Adding floats increases drag, reduces speed, and will swell the price upwards of approximately $500,000. They are also top performers on wheeled landing gear and can easily handle rough, unimproved airstrips. Daher Kodiak 900 Base Price: $3.614M Seats: Up to 10 passengers Maximum Cruising Speed: 210 knots Maximum Range: 1,129 nautical miles While not certified for float operations, the Kodiak 900 is a larg- er, faster version of the 100. Compared with the original, the 900 cruises 36 knots faster (210 knots) and has a fuselage stretch of 3.9 feet, enabling greater payloads. Heavily loaded, the 900 climbs to 12,000 feet in just 11 minutes. Cabin volume increases from 248 to 309 cubic feet. The extra cabin space allows for the installation of an eight-place, double-club executive configuration. The seats can be quickly and easily changed to provide more cargo space. While the 900, like the 100, is unpressurized, it includes air conditioning and a two-zone heating and cooling environmental control system. Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com 35 Textron Aviation Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX Base Price: $2.685M Seats: Up to 9 passengers (13 in commuter configuration) Maximum Cruising Speed: 185 knots Maximum Range: 912 nautical miles Deliveries of this updated Grand Caravan began in 2013. It fea- tures a more powerful 867 horsepower Pratt & Whitney Canada engine that delivers a 40% increase in the rate of climb and somewhat better specific fuel consumption. The EX is adept at getting in and out of tight spots: on wheeled gear it requires a takeoff run of just 2,160 feet and can land in less than 1,900 feet. The unpressurized cabin measures 16 feet, nine inches long; 64 inches wide, and 54 inches tall. The EX features Gar- min G1000 NXi glass panel avionics. The 300-Knot Club These pressurized, low-wing singles have near light jet performance. While they can’t all equal the short field performance of their high-winged cousins, these aircraft can still get you into plenty of places that jets cannot go. Epic E1000 GX Base Price: $4.45M Seats: Up to 5 passengers Maximum Cruising Speed: 333 knots Maximum Range: 1,560 nautical miles The carbon-fiber E1000 is powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PT6-67A engine, which propels the airplane to its maximum cruise altitude of 34,000 feet in just 15 minutes. The aircraft features the three-screen Garmin G1000 NXi glass-panel avi- onics system and Genesys digital autopilot. The sculpted cock- pit and the cabin both feature the latest automotive styling cues and offer all the modern conveniences, including USB ports. The 15-foot-long cabin offers more space than a twin-engine King Air C90, with a full 31.2 inches of legroom between the facing club seats. Daher TBM 960 Base Price: $5.044M Seats: Up to 5 passengers Maximum Cruising Speed: 330 knots Maximum Range: 1,730 nautical miles The TBM 960 is the most recent iteration of a line of single- engine turboprops that date back to the late 1980s. Compared to most of its peers, the TBM’s cabin is on the snug side but its high-speed performance and extended range capability remain popular with pilot-owners. The 960 has the HomeSafe emergency Autoland system, which activates automatically if the pilot goes more than 30 minutes without interacting with aircraft systems. It can also be activated by a passenger in the event of pilot incapacitation. 36 Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com Piper M700 Fury Base Price: $4.15M Seats: Up to 5 passengers Maximum Cruising Speed: 301 knots Maximum Range: 1,852 nautical miles The newest member of the ‘300 Club,’ the Fury is a repowered version of Piper’s previous flagship, the pressurized single- engine M600SLS. The Fury adds 100 horsepower for a total of 700, enabling climbs to 25,000 feet in under 14 minutes and cutting both takeoff and landing distances by 700 feet. Like the TBM 960, the Fury features the Garmin G3000 avionics system with the emergency Autoland feature. And like the TBM, its cabin is relatively snug although overall cabin volume is somewhat larger. Bigger Cabin Cruisers These are the top—and most expensive—turboprop singles. They feature range and cabin amenities that rival some light jets and interior dimensions that are equal to, or better, than some twin-engine turboprops. Pilatus PC-12 NGX Base Price: $6.2M Seats: Up to 7 passengers (executive cabin) Maximum Cruising Speed: 290 knots Maximum Range: 1,803 nautical miles (4 passengers, 1 pilot) The Pilatus PC-12 fills a unique niche in the single-engine tur- boprop world: a versatile aircraft that can land on short, un- paved fields, swallow outsized payloads through its large aft cargo door, and cruise for six-plus hours comfortably above most adverse weather. With cabin dimensions on par with that of a Beechcraft King Air B200, the PC-12 features a 10% more pow- erful Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6E-67XP engine, a propeller that can be operated at lower speeds to mitigate external and internal noise, and a variety of avionics improvements designed to mitigate pilot workload and increase safety. Textron Aviation Beechcraft Denali (in flight test; certification expected in 2025) Base Price: $7M+ Seats: Up to 7 passengers (executive cabin) Maximum Cruising Speed: 285 knots Maximum Range: 1,600 nautical miles (4 passengers, 1 pilot) The Denali is aimed squarely at the market for the Pilatus PC-12, which, until now, has not faced a viable competitor. The Denali’s cabin is the same height as the PC-12’s cabin but 3 inches wider and 2 inches shorter. The aircraft also features a 53-by-59-inch rear cargo door (slightly larger than the one on the PC-12). The Denali’s cockpit is equipped with Garmin G3000 avionics and Autoland. Power comes from the all-new, GE Catalyst engine with single-lever power control. BJT Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com 37 T he private aviation industry could not function without the existence of fixed base operators (FBOs). These gateway experiences are a crucial component of the system, providing ground han- dling, parking, hangar space, towing, and, in most cases, fuel for aircraft. For passengers, FBOs typically offer amenities including com- fortable lobbies and waiting areas, refreshment bars, business centers, conference rooms, and customer-service representa- tives or concierges to arrange hotels, ground transportation, or even dinner reservations. For pilots and crew, there are lounges, snooze rooms, flight-planning areas, and even courtesy cars. To determine which FBOs provide the best overall experiences for passenger and crew alike, BJT sister publication Aviation International News has conducted its annual quality survey since 1981. AIN polls a select subset of its industry readership, including pilots, flight schedulers, and dispatchers—those who can evaluate FBOs most knowledgeably. These subscribers have year-round access to a website that allows them to rate FBOs at any time, with their most current rating of a location replacing any previous one. AIN culled through thousands of responses from the past five years to compile cumulative average scores in its latest annual lists of the best FBOs in the Americas and the rest of the world. FBO AIRPORT CODE AIRPORT OVERALL AVERAGE CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR FARNBOROUGH AIRPORT EGLF FARNBOROUGH 4.67 -0.02 HARRODS AVIATION-THE BROMPTON EGSS LONDON STANSTED 4.61 N/A UNIVERSAL AVIATION EGSS LONDON STANSTED 4.61 0.00 HARRODS AVIATION-THE KNIGHTSBRIDGE EGSS LONDON STANSTED 4.54 0.12 EXECUJET AUSTRALIA YSSY SYDNEY KINGSFORD SMITH 4.52 0.00 JET AVIATION EHAM AMSTERDAM SCHIPHOL 4.52 0.05 ECCELSA GENEREAL AVIATION LIEO OLBIA COSTA SMERALDA 4.49 0.01 SIGNATURE AVIATION EDDM MUNICH 4.49 0.01 TOP-RATED FBOS IN EUROPE, THE MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA, AND ASIA-PACIFIC Survey results from Aviation International News reveal which airport facilities offer the most impressive services and amenities. By Curt Epstein The World’s Top FBOs Farnborough Airport 38 Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com The magazine asked survey respondents to rate facilities they’d used during the past year on a scale of 1 to 5 in the following categories: Line service—competence and professionalism of the workers who meet the airplane on the ramp and service it. Passenger amenities—quality of lobbies, lounges, conference rooms, and refreshments, as well as availability of ground transportation. Pilot amenities—availability and quality of pilot lounges, flight- planning facilities, snooze rooms, crew showers, entertainment and recreation offerings, and complementary crew cars. Facilities—cleanliness, comfort, upkeep, and convenience of the location. Customer service—professionalism of customer-service rep- resentatives, their familiarity with the local area, and their as- sistance with reservations and catering. FBO AIRPORT CODE AIRPORT OVERALL AVERAGE CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR PENTASTAR AVIATION KPTK OAKLAND COUNTY INTL 4.81 0.03 Top 5% AMERICAN AERO KFTW FORT WORTH MEACHAM INTL 4.79 0.02 Top 5% SHELTAIR KTPA KTPA TAMPA INTL 4.76 -0.01 Top 5% GALAXY FBO KADS ADDISON 4.74 N/A Top 5% HENRIKSEN JET CENTER KTME HOUSTON EXECUTIVE 4.74 0.02 Top 5% BANYAN AIR SERVICE KFXE FORT LAUDERDALE EXECUTIVE 4.73 0.00 Top 5% JET AVIATION KPBI PALM BEACH INTL 4.73 0.01 Top 5% HENRIKSEN JET CENTER KEDC AUSTIN EXECUTIVE 4.72 0.01 Top 5% WILSON AIR CENTER KMEM MEMPHIS INTL 4.71 -0.02 Top 5% BUSINESS JET CENTER KDAL DALLAS LOVE FIELD 4.70 0.01 Top 5% GALAXY FBO KCXO LONE STAR EXECUTIVE 4.70 N/A Top 5% SHELTAIR KBJC KBJC ROCKY MOUNTAIN METROPOLITAN 4.70 -0.01 Top 5% SHELTAIR KFLL KFLL FORT LAUDERDALE/HOLLYWOOD INTL 4.70 -0.01 Top 5% AERO-ONE AVIATION KDHN DOTHAN REGIONAL 4.69 0.00 Top 5% BASE OPERATIONS AT PAGE FIELD KFMY PAGE FIELD 4.69 0.01 Top 5% WESTERN AIRCRAFT KBOI BOISE AIR TERMINAL/GOWEN FIELD 4.69 0.00 Top 5% GLOBAL SELECT KSGR SUGAR LAND REGIONAL 4.68 0.01 Top 10% LUX FBO CYHU ST-HUBERT 4.68 0.04 Top 10% MCKINNEY AIR CENTER KTKI MCKINNEY NATIONAL AIRPORT 4.68 0.02 Top 10% SHELTAIR KORL ORLANDO EXECUTIVE 4.68 0.01 Top 10% DESERT JET CENTER KTRM JACQUELINE COCHRAN REGIONAL 4.67 0.05 Top 10% HAWTHORNE GLOBAL AVIATION SERVICES KPWK CHICAGO EXECUTIVE 4.67 0.00 Top 10% SHELTAIR KJAX JACKSONVILLE INTL 4.67 0.01 Top 10% SIGNATURE AVIATION (FORMERLY MERIDIAN) KTEB TETERBORO 4.67 0.00 Top 10% SHELTAIR KDAB DAYTONA BEACH INTL 4.66 0.04 Top 10% TEXAS JET KFTW FORT WORTH MEACHAM INTL 4.66 0.01 Top 10% WILSON AIR CENTER KCHA LOVELL FIELD 4.66 0.00 Top 10% JET CENTER AT SANTA FE KSAF SANTA FE MUNICIPAL 4.65 0.00 Top 10% MODERN AVIATION KAPA CENTENNIAL 4.65 0.02 Top 10% SHELTAIR KDTO DENTON MUNICIPAL 4.65 N/A Top 10% US TRINITY AVIATION KDTO DENTON MUNICIPAL 4.65 N/A Top 10% TOP-RATED FBOS IN THE AMERICAS Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com 39 The survey responses demonstrate that to be a top-scoring FBO, it is not enough to excel in only one area. Facilities must demonstrate excel- lence across the board. For example, while two locations each earned the highest scores in two of the five cat- egories this year, one ranked among the top 20 percent of FBOs in the Americas, while the other placed be- low that threshold. In the 2024 AIN survey, Texas and Florida dominated the top 5% of FBOs, with those states each fielding five locations or one-third of the top tier each. No other state had as many as two, with the remaining five slots filled by facilities in Michigan, Tennessee, Colorado, Alabama, and Idaho. For the fourth consecutive year, Pentastar Aviation, a full service-provider at Detroit-area Oakland County International Airport (KPTK), has received the highest score (4.81) in AIN’s annual FBO survey. The company—born from the former Chrys- ler flight department—has evolved over the past six decades to become an independent, full-service FBO, offering a gamut of maintenance, completions, and refurbishment services. Penta- star also offers a robust aircraft charter and management divi- sion in addition to traditional aircraft handling, fueling, and sheltering. For the second straight year, it is the only facility to be ranked among the top 10 locations in all five categories: line service (4.83), passenger amenities (4.76), pilot amenities (4.77), facili- ties (4.79), and CSRs (4.89). The Avfuel-branded complex is home to 30 turbine-powered aircraft ranging from a BBJ-8 to an Eclipse very light jet. It includes 155,000 square feet of hangar space and 10 acres of reinforced ramp space. The main 5,000-square-foot terminal offers passenger lounges, multimedia-equipped conference rooms, company offices, and the Five-Star Café. The latter houses the company’s in-house professional catering depart- ment, which has become so popular that in addition to serving customers at neighboring FBOs, it also services operators at other airports in the region. The complex also includes the Stargate, a separate large-air- craft charter terminal with its own baggage carousel and what is believed to be the only privately operated jetway in the country. In second place this year, with an aggregate score of 4.78, was American Aero at Fort Worth Meacham International Air- port (which was recently sold to Modern Aviation) followed by Sheltair at Tampa International which earned a score of 4.76. AIN’s annual FBO survey divides the world into two groups: the Americas and the Rest of World (RoW). This year, UK facilities dominated the top of the charts in the latter group with designated business aviation gateway Farnborough Air- port (EGLF)—with its overall score of 4.67—once again earn- ing the highest accolades in the survey, as it has virtually since the day it opened two decades ago. While the RoW FBO scores tend to lag those of the Americas, London-area Farn- borough’s score would have placed it firmly amongst the top 10% of all service providers this year. The complex earned top 10 scores in the passenger (4.76) and pilot amenities (4.73) categories this year, and the second highest score overall for facilities (4.86). Its three-story 52,000-square-foot terminal features VIP cus- tomer lounges that can accommodate up to 60 people for high- capacity flights, conference rooms, crew lounge and snooze rooms, work area, passenger and crew shower facilities, and laundry service. It even has a fully-equipped gym attached to one of its hangars. Drive-through customs and immigration clearance and ramp- side vehicle access is available, along with an on-airport hotel. Farnborough is in the second year of a £55 million ($69.5 mil- lion) investment program that will increase the airport’s existing 240,000-square-foot hangar space by 70%. Second place saw a tie between two FBOs at London Stansted Airport (EGSS): Harrods Aviation’s The Brompton (formerly the Fayair complex, which Harrods acquired last year) and Universal Aviation; both received a score of 4.61. Follow- ing them, with a tally of 4.54, is Harrods’ original location at EGSS—now known as The Knightbridge to distinguish it from its newer sibling—giving the London airport the unusual honor of having three FBOs in the top tier of the Rest of World segment this year. BJT Pentastar Aviation 40 Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com Here are the results of our 2024 Readers’ Choice survey, which attracted over 1,000 respondents. As promised, we have made a contribution for every completed survey to Corporate Angel Network, which arranges flights on business aircraft to treatment centers for cancer patients. How long have you been flying privately?* *Respondents who indicated that they had no plans to fly privately are excluded from these stats and were not asked any of the questions that follow. I haven’t flown privately but am considering it less than 3 years more than 10 years 12% 71% 5% 12% 3 to 10 years FLYING PRIVATELY Readers’ Choice Survey BUSINESS JET TRAVELER’S 14 th ANNUAL Buyers’ Guide 2024-2025 | BJTonline.com 41 Which of the following have you done in the past two years or plan to do within the next two years? (select all that apply) Fly via a corporate-owned aircraft Fly in my own aircraft Fly via charter Fly via a fractional-aircraft share Fly via a jet card or membership club 13% 14% 35% 36% 44% About how much do you fly privately in a typical year? 34% 26% 21% 10% 10% 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 hours 25–50 hours 76–100 hours 51–75 hours Less than 25 hours More than 100 hours The first time you ever flew privately was… 34% 32% 13% 10% 7% 3% 1% On your company’s aircraft On a friend’s aircraft On an aircraft you wholly owned On a charter flight you booked On a colleague’s aircraft On an aircraft you fractionally owned Via a jet card you purchased Wait times in airports Unreliability of flight schedules Lack of privacy Lack of airports near my departure points and/or destinations Inability to conduct business onboard Inadequate onboard amenities/comforts 69% 48% 32% 31% 23% 22% Which of the following do