by Who knew that the darkish clouds gathered by a world pandemic would have such a silver lining? Not that we would need the previous three years on anybody to stay again via, however the resiliency of the turbine-powered enterprise and owner-flown aviation markets has defied the pains of workforce fluctuations and provide chain disruptions.
Case in level: Bombardier. Though the Montreal-based firm has contracted over the previous 5 years via divestment of its Q400 and de Havilland product strains and shifted its focus away from business aviation, it seems to be coming via all proper, having made sound selections. The first supply of the Challenger 3500 occurred in September 2022, going to launch buyer Les Goldberg, chairman and CEO of Entertainment Technology Partners. “As a earlier proprietor of a Challenger 350 enterprise jet, I can say with confidence that Bombardier has hit all the precise notes in making a next-generation plane,” Goldbergsays. “The cabin inside is spectacular, and I recognize the added consolation and productiveness that these new options will convey to our worldwide travels.”
According to the newest projection by Bombardier CEO Éric Martel, the corporate is profiting from the continued attractiveness of enterprise aviation via Q3 2022 to each non-public people and companies trying to keep away from the squeeze of airline journey. In reality, the corporate expects to ship greater than 120 items by the top of the 12 months.
The 3500 is distinguished by its auto throttle system—which obtained approval underneath TransportCanada in April—and the truth that Bombardier has printed an Environmental Product Declaration for the mannequin, making it the primary of the tremendous midsize jets to launch with this clear life-cycle influence state-ment that outlines its projected potential for smog creation, ozone depletion, and water air pollution.
Those key drivers—the pivot to enterprise and private journey by non-public aviation, the concentrate on sustainability, and the focusing on of area of interest segments inside the turbine market—are mirrored within the owner-flown turbine phase as nicely.
Owner-Flown Mounts
Historically low rates of interest lately have seen upward strain, and these rising mortgage charges will certainly gradual the market as entry to capital wanes. At press time, the federal funds fee bumped as much as 3.25 %, with an anticipated rise to as much as 4 or 4.25 % at conferences in November and December, in accordance with kiplinger.com.
But Jim Blessing, president of AirFleet Capital—which writes loans on all fashions of owner-flown plane from pistons to jets—hasn’t seen the needle transfer simply but, although he admits it might change at any level. “It’s been a wild experience,” Blessing says. “Activity ranges are nonetheless a little bit forward of what they have been in 2018,” even contemplating the rate of interest cuts forward of the COVID-19 disaster.
Though Blessing says that AirFleet’s exercise general is transitioning again to “extra regular ranges,” with fewer new transactions and extra refinancing, there’s nonetheless a shiny horizon. New plane make up 30 % of AirFleet’s annual quantity, and Blessing reviews these exercise ranges are “a bit larger this 12 months [in 2022]. Are rates of interest going to upset shopping for habits?” Hard to inform, however Blessing says there’s nonetheless ample money on the market earmarked for plane purchases. “Our largest competitor [as a loan underwriter] is a money purchaser.”
If you need a new turbine mount, typically you’ll want to barter a considerable ready listing. Manufacturers, corresponding to Textron Aviation, Pilatus, and Gulfstream, all register backlogs into 2024 or later—a degree mirrored in Blessing’s evaluation: “We’re not seeing any stock on the OEM facet. Cancellations are a possibility for the OEM,” permitting them to accommodate a brand new purchaser at a greater value than the one beforehand negotiated when materials and workforce prices have been decrease.
What does this imply for the pilot or flight division that wishes a brand new jet for the fleet, or to enter enterprise plane possession for the primary time? You have a variety of thrilling platforms with unimaginable long-range, high-speed efficiency—and a “greener” signature—however you may need to plan fastidiously as a way to safe one in your most well-liked timeline.
Fractional Fleet Updates
Another a part of the jet market that has benefited from the continued growth of area of interest turbine mounts are fractional jet operations. Volato, primarily based in Atlanta, Georgia, lately introduced that it will develop from its present fleet of 11 HondaJet Elites so as to add the Gulfstream G280. The firm positioned an order for 4 items in September.
With these incoming plane, Volato stated it will be capable of develop its enterprise mannequin to serve a wider share of the market. “When we launched Volato, our technique was to initially goal the most important phase of the market that was not being instantly addressed: short-haul flights with only some passengers,” Volato CEO Matt Liotta says.
“From listening to our prospects’ wants and recognizing that our modern enterprise mannequin is not only restricted to mild jets, we’re excited to develop our mannequin to bigger plane,” Liotta provides. “This would additionally be certain that present HondaJet prospects would be capable of fly their edge case missions which can be farther or with extra passengers.” The soar from six seats to the 10-passenger configuration within the G280 permits for that progress, making it the primary firm to function the tremendous midsized jet in a fractional mannequin.
| AIRCRAFT MAKE/MODEL | MFG BASE PRICE | ENGINE | SEATS | MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT | FULL FUEL PAYLOAD | FUEL BURN | MAX SPEED | NBAA IFR RANGE | STALL/VREF SPD | TAKEOFF FIELD LENGTH | LANDING DISTANCE |
| Bombardier Challenger 3500 | $26.7 million | 2 x Honeywell HTF7350 | as much as 10 | 40,600 lb. | 1,800 lb. | NA | 0.83 Mach | 3,400 nm | NA | 4,835 ft. | 2,308 ft. |
| Bombardier Challenger 650 | $32.4 million | 2 x General Electric CF34-3B MTO | as much as 12 | 48,200 lb. | 1,150 lb. | NA | 0.85 Mach | 4,000 nm | NA | 5,640 ft. | 2,402 ft. |
| Bombardier Global 5500 | $46 million | 2 x Rolls-Royce Pearl 15 | as much as 16 | 92,500 lb. | 2,639 lb. | NA | 0.90 Mach | 5,900 nm | NA | 5,340 ft. | 2,207 ft. |
| Bombardier Global 6500 | $56 million | 2 x Rolls-Royce Pearl 15 | as much as 17 | 99,500 lb. | 2,470 lb. | NA | 0.90 Mach | 6,600 nm | NA | 6,145 ft. | 2,236 ft. |
| Bombardier Global 7500 | $75 million | 2 x General Electric Passport | as much as 19 | 114,850 lb. | 1,890 lb. | NA | 0.925 Mach | 7,700 nm | NA | 5,760 ft. | 2,237 ft. |
| Cessna Citation M2 Gen2 | $5.855 million | 2 x Williams FJ44-1AP-21 | 7 | 10,700 lb. | 514 lb. | 830 pph | 404 ktas | 1,550 nm | 83 kias | 3,210 ft. | 2,590 ft. |
| Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen2 | $11.290 million | 2 x Williams FJ44-4A | 10 | 17,110 lb. | 1,122 lb. | 1,299 pph | 451 ktas | 2,165 nm | 86 kias | 3,410 ft. | 2,940 ft. |
| Cessna Citation Latitude | $19.305 million | 2 x Pratt & Whitney PW306D1 | 9 | 30,800 lb. | 1,000 lb. | 1,770 pph | 446 ktas | 2,700 nm | NA | 3,580 ft. | 2,480 ft. |
| Cessna Citation Longitude | $29.965 million | 2 x Honeywell HTF7700L | 12 | 39,500 lb. | 1,600 lb. | 1,810 pph | 483 ktas | 3,500 nm | NA | 4,810 ft. | 3,170 ft. |
| Cirrus Vision Jet G2+ | $2.98 million | 1 x Williams FJ33-5A | 7 | 6,000 lb. | 1,400 lb. mx pyld | 442 pph | 311 ktas | 1,275 nm | 60 kcas | 2,036 ft. | 1,628 ft. floor roll |
| Dassault Falcon 7X | $53.8 million | 3 x Pratt & Whitney PW307A | 12 – 16 | 70,000 lb. | 6,000 lb. mx pyld | 2,210 pph | 0.90 Mach | 5,950 nm | 104 kias (VREF) | 5,710 ft. balanced area | 2,070 ft. |
| Dassault Falcon 8X | $62.5 million | 3 x Pratt & Whitney PW307D | 12 – 16 | 73,000 lb. | 4,900 lb. mx pyld | 2,240 pph | 0.90 Mach | 6,450 nm | 107 kias (VREF) | 5,880 ft. balanced area | 3,705 ft. over 50-ft. obs |
| Embraer Phenom 100EV | $4.495 million | 2 x Pratt & Whitney PW617F1-E | 6 or 8 | 10,703 lb. | 647 lb. mx pyld | 88 gph | 406 ktas | 1,178 nm | 95 ktas | 3,190 ft. | 2,473 ft. |
| Embraer Phenom 300E | $10.295 million | 2 x Pratt & Whitney PW535E1 | 8 or 11 | 18,552 lb. | 1,586 lb. mx pyld | 124 gph | 464 ktas | 2,010 nm | 103 ktas | 3,209 ft. | 2,212 ft. |
| Embraer Praetor 500 | $17.995 million | 2 x Honeywell HTF7500E | 2 + 9 | 37,567 lb. | 1,610 lb. mx pyld | 214 gph | 466 ktas | 3,340 nm | 101 ktas | 4,222 ft. | 2,212 ft. |
| Embraer Praetor 600 | $21.495 million | 2 x Honeywell HTF7500E | 2 + 12 | 42,858 lb. | 2,194 lb. mx pyld | 236 gph | 466 ktas | 4,018 nm | 104 ktas | 4,717 ft. | 2,165 ft. |
| Gulfstream G280 | $24.5 million | 2 x Honeywell HTF7250G | 8 – 10 + 2 | 39,600 lb. | 4,050 lb. mx pyld | NA | 0.85 Mach | 3,600 nm | 115 kias (VREF) | 4,750 ft. | 2,365 ft. std config |
| Gulfstream G500 | $49.5 million | 2 x Pratt & Whitney PW814GA | as much as 19 | 79,600 lb. | 5,250 lb. mx pyld | NA | 0.925 Mach | 5,300 nm | 117 kias (VREF) | 5,300 ft. | 2,645 ft. std config |
| Gulfstream G600 | $59.5 million | 2 x Pratt & Whitney PW815GA | as much as 19 | 94,600 lb. | 6,540 lb. mx pyld | NA | 0.925 Mach | 6,600 nm | 109 kias (VREF) | 5,700 ft. | 2,365 ft. std config |
| HondaJet Elite S | $6.5 million | 2 x GE Honda HF120 | 1 + 5/7 | 10,900 lb. | 883 lb. | 638 pph/392 ktas/FL430 | 422 ktas | 1,437 nm | 108 ktas | 3,639 ft. MTOW | 2,867 ft. 4 pax/NBAA |
| Pilatus PC-24 | $11.05 million | 2 x Williams FJ44-4A | 1 + 11 | 18,300 lb. | 715 lb. | 159 gph | 438 ktas | 2,129 nm | 82 kias | 2,930 ft. over 50-ft. obs | 2,120 ft. over 50-ft. obs |
