Size matters when its a private jet charter. Luckily there are a lot of jet sizes to choose from when it comes to selecting your charter. They start in the category of very light jet all the way to a Boeing Business Jet that is the size of a commercial airliner. Today we will take a look at the entry level of the 4 categories in the air charter world, the very light jets. Since there are many in this category, we will discuss 3 of the hotter very light jets. It really comes down to what the mission is and how many people will be aboard. It also can have a lot to do with who will be flying. Sometimes the CEO will need his or her own space away from the travel group, and then only certain jets will do. Or the trip is for a large group and the seating capacity will be the main priority. Cargo space may be a deciding factor for a golfing weekend or a fashionista with an entourage of luggage. There are also various cruise speeds and the range flown without a fuel stop to consider. All in all, the process of choosing the right jet for a charter can be simple or at times very complex, especially on a multi-leg tour. Let’s look at the Very Lights this week.
Very Light Jets – Size Matters
The Cirrus Visionjet has a capacity of 7 passengers including crew with a max operating altitude of 31,000 ft. Its max cruising speed is 305 knots true airspeed (ktas) with a max takeoff weight of 6,000 lbs and 1400 lb payload. The plane has a max range of 1,275 nautical miles (NM) with an average flight range of 950NM. The jet has some very interesting features like its “Safe Return” autonomous feature, where the plane could fly itself if for some reason the pilot became incapacitated during the flight. It would be able to fly at the correct altitude, maintain the proper speed, and even land itself all at the touch of a button. The plane has an iconic V-tail design and is powered by a Williams International FJ33-5A turbine engine with Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC). The flight displays are an expansive 14-inches and offer split screen tech for multi feature display. The jet has room for three of these displays allowing the pilot to check the status of all systems easily. The cabins are very modular and they typically can have up to 28 possible seating configurations. The premium leather seating is what you would expect in a more expensive larger jet and the upholstery is first class. I personally like the executive layout, but that will only have 2 passenger seats, room for luggage, and the pilot and co-pilot seats in the flight deck. The “complete” configuration is more common and will give you passenger seating for five but is more comfortable for four as in most very lights. The Cabin width is 5.1 ft and a height of 4.1 ft so you will need to bend over to get in or out of your seat as expected in these smaller jets. Like we said, size matters. You can expect to pay roughly $2,500 USD per hour to charter the Cirrus Vision Jet.
The Eclipse 550 Jet has the capacity of 6 passengers including crew with a max operating altitude of 41,000 ft. Its max cruising speed is 375 ktas with a max takeoff weight of 6,000 lbs and a lower 636 lb payload. This plane has a max range of 1,125 nautical miles with a very efficient twin-engine jet fuel consumption of only 59 gallons per hour. It also comes equipped with FADEC which translates into reduced pilot workload. It is powered by twin Pratt & Whitney PW610F turbofan engines that are specially designed for the point to point travel of the new generation of private flyers. Pilots enjoy an advanced Flight Management Systems with benefits such as enhanced situational awareness, electronic charts and maps, display and control of the aircraft systems, and integrated autopilot control panel. The interior has the feel of a luxury suite with ergonomically designed seats with ample space to store your luggage. The cabin width is 4.6 ft and the height is 4.2 ft so a little narrower than the Cirrus. The 550 will typically have a $2,850 USD per hour rental rate within the range for these very light jets.
The Honda HA-420 Jet has the capacity of 7 passengers including crew and a max operating altitude of 43,000 ft. Its max cruising speed is 420 ktas with a max take off weight of 10,600 lbs and a 547 lb payload. The plane has a max range of 1,206 nautical miles with a sleek design resulting in reduced drag at higher speeds. It has a very prominent over-the-wing engine configuration setting it apart in this class. The jet is powered by twin GE Honda HF120 turbofans developed under the GE-Honda partnership. It is a low wing monoplane that has a composite fuselage and aluminum wing. The typical flight deck features the first touchscreen controlled all-digital glass integration with the Garmin G3000 avionics system. The cabin is 5 ft wide with a height of 4.8 ft. It feels a lot bigger when you are seated inside for sure which comes from its cutting edge combination of co-cured integral structure and honeycomb sandwich structures. The leather seating in the cabin is wide and ample for larger passengers, can be moved inwards for better headroom and shoulder space, and has an executive feel. The HA-420 will typically be a bit less expensive these days at a $2,400 hourly rental rate as the newer more expensive Honda Elite Jet becomes more widely available.
Of course there are many more options to choose from than just the aforementioned trio. Offerings from Cessna like the Mustang, the Citation M2 and the Cessna Citation jets all require a mention here and are very popular choices. They are great planes in this category and are definitely tried and true. The three we featured are a little more bold in style and appeal to the newer gen set becoming jet set. Next week will will look at the workhorses of the light jet entries in our charter world.
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*These are base hourly rates per craft type with no ferry times, FET taxes, taxi time, or fuel surcharges. Typical final hourly rates will be higher based on category and timing.