Challenger 300; Gulfstream 200

Challenger 300 Gulfstream 200

There's more the the Gulfstream G200 (Galaxy) and the Challenger 300 than meets the eye. They were designed to compete directly with one another in the newy-emerging super-midsized jet category. Which jet won? Take a look at some quick facts:

CHALLENGER 300

Pax: 8
Cabin Volume: 860 cu ft
Baggage: 106 cu ft
Range: 3,100 nm
Runway: 4,720 ft
Engines: Honeywell HTF 7000
Price: $19.21 million

GULFSTREAM G200

Pax: 8
Cabin Volume: 868 cu ft
Baggage: 150 cu ft
Range: 2,900 nm
Runway: 6,340 ft
Engines: P&WC PW306A
Price: $21.65 million

Or, for a more wordy analysis, take a look at this article comparing the Challenger 300 and the Gulfstream 200

Private Jet Financing

Financing a private jet purchase can be a fairly complicated process. There are many lenders to choose from. They are all interested in your business, but may not be interested in the type of aircraft you want to purchase...

Read the rest of this article on private jet financing for more details, as well as answers to questions such as:

-who will finance me?
-should I go through a broker or go directly to a lender?
-what are the contract terms?
-what loans are available?
-how long are the loan terms?
-what penalties should I be aware of?

Meet Our Staff: Kevin O'Leary

some quick facts about the President and Founder of Jet Advisors:

-name: Kevin O'Leary
-areas of expertise: private jet sales, aviation consulting, fractional jet ownership, private jet charter
-notable former positions: Private Jet Trade Analyst, Raytheon Aircraft
Sales Manager, Travel Air Team
Private Jet Salesman, Flight Options
-other: holds MBA from Bentley College, commercial pilot's license with multiengine and insturment ratings. Can't stand dogeared pages, avid B&CA collector. Served 11 years as an Army Officer.

Check our staff page for a more detailed biography of Kevin O'Leary.

Gulfstream G150

One of Gulfstream Aerospace’s newest business aircraft, the G150, was certified in November of 2005. Since its certification, fourteen jets have been delivered and have received positive reviews from customers across the globe. The G150 has just enough range to fly transcontinental missions, competitive fuel consumption, fast cruise speeds, and one of the widest cabins in its class. It is designed to compete with business aircraft such as the Learjet 60XR, Citation Sovereign and the Hawker 900XP.

The G150 is similar to the G100 in most of its structures, major systems, and engines. The main point of divergence is the G150’s cabin, which has been completely redesigned. The cabin measures 17.7 feet long, 5.8 feet high, and 5.8 feet wide and can be configured for six to eight passengers. The cabin is significantly wider than that of its predecessor, and wider than the cabins of most of its competitors . . . .

read the complete G150 article on Jet Advisors' Private Jet Buyers' Guide

for more information on the Gulfstream G150, visit these sites:

Gulfstream Aerospace

Rockwell Collins

General Dynamics

Winglets

Owners, or potential owners, of the Hawker 800A’s and 800XP’s currently have the option of adding blended winglets to their private jet. This upgrade has been available since late 2004, during which more than 65 Hawkers have been modified. Many ultra-long-range and commercial jets now come standard with winglets -- but what exactly are the benefits of adding blended winglets to a private jet?

The main function of blended winglets is to reduce drag. Admittedly, drag reduction is probably not foremost on the minds of private jet owners, but it is an extremely important point. Reducing drag increases speed and decreases fuel consumption, thereby extending range and saving money.

Although the winglets cut operating costs, some owners shy away from the modification because of the initial expense of adding the winglets: the process takes three weeks and costs $438,000. The winglets improve the performance of the private jet and cut down on operating costs, which saves money – but how much money would really be saved by adding the winglets?

To begin with, Hawker 800’s with blended winglets burn on average 7% less fuel than their straight-wing counterparts. The Hawker 800 without winglets burns about 250 gallons per hour. With winglets, the Hawker 800 would consume only 232.5 gallons per hour, saving 17.5 gallons for each hour of flight time. Fuel currently costs $3.80 per gallon, which works out to a savings of $66.50 saved for every hour in the air. At this rate, it would take 6,628 hours of flight time to match the cost of adding the winglets.

....to read the complete article, see our January Private Jet Buyer's Guide at: http://www.jetadvisors.com/articles/2007-1-winglets.htm

Newly Certified Business Jets

The world of business aviation has seen a lot of newcomers in past months. Three business aircraft recently received their certifications, two of which (the Falcon 7X and the Citation Mustang) are using groundbreaking technology never before seen in the business jet sector. Each business jet has its own strengths and weaknesses, and each faces a different set of competing jets on the market.

The newest jet of the group is the Dassault Falcon 7X, which received its full certification from both the FAA and the EASA in May 2007. This jet has been the cause of much hype across the industry due to its complete fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control systems. Although FBW has been used to a small extent in some business jets, never before has a business jet completely taken advantage of the new technology. The FBW system will increase overall flight performance, reduce weight, and improve reliability.

In addition to its landmark use of FBW technology, the Falcon 7X is the first jet to use an all-virtual design and manufacturing process. The use of the virtual design cut development time by almost fifty percent and reduced errors throughout the entire process.

The Falcon 7X is designed to compete with long-range business jets such as the Gulfstream 550 and the Global Express. It has a maximum range of 6,070 nautical miles while carrying four passengers. It burns significantly less fuel than its competitors, cruises at slightly higher speeds, and features three high-performing PW307A engines. More than 160 confirmed orders have been placed for this $40.6 million business jet.

On the other end of the business jet spectrum lies the Citation Mustang, the 8,600 pound VLJ. The Citation Mustang received its full type certification from the FAA in September of 2006, the first VLJ to do so. It lies on the higher end of the VLJ scale with a purchase price of $2.5 million, but also with higher performance standards than the rest of the VLJ market.

The Citation Mustang can fly four passengers 1,000 nautical miles in three hours and twenty minutes. Fuel consumption for such a trip would be 1,715 pounds, making the Mustang remarkably efficient to fly. Like all of the VLJs, it is certified for single-pilot operation. Required runway length at sea level is just 3,110 feet. It can carry a maximum of five passengers in its 9.8 foot long cabin and reach cruise speeds of up to 339 ktas.

The Mustang’s PW615F engines were specifically designed for VLJs and deliver the high levels of performance that Pratt & Whitney are known for. Similarly, the Garmin 1000 avionics system was designed especially for VLJs, but still delivers everything the flight deck of a larger business jet would have. To date, 250 orders have been placed for the Citation Mustang, making it one of the most successful business jets ever to hit the market. The next available delivery date is in late 2009.

Gulfstream’s latest addition to the business jet market, the G150, received its certification in November of 2005. The G150 is a derivative of the G100, with changes to some of its structures, avionics, and cabin.

The most noticeable feature of the G150 is the cabin: Gulfstream went to great lengths to make it one of the widest cabins in its class, resulting in a 95 cubic-foot increase in overall cabin volume from the G100. The interior has been entirely redone, resulting in more comfortable, luxurious flights. Passengers should also appreciate the G150’s flexible wings, which result in much smoother handling in turbulent regions.

The entire flight deck has been upgraded from the Pro Line 4 suite to the Pro Line 21 suite. Two Honeywell TFE 731-40AR-200G engines are used on the G150, the same models used on the G100. Major modifications were made to the nose, resulting in dramatically reduced drag. The range of the G150 benefits from the structural modifications: when loaded with four passengers and required NBAA IFR fuel reserves, the G150 can fly 3,018 nautical miles, slightly under the G100’s range capabilities. Its cruise speeds make up for its reduced range: its maximum speed is 475 ktas and its long-range cruise speed is 430 ktas.

The first G150s were delivered in late 2006. Their current sale price is $13.95 million.