Super-midsize, super-light, ultra-long-range — business jet manufacturers have refocussed their design and production on numerous new categories of aircraft in recent years. So how is the private aviation market of the mid-2020s shaping up — and how will it continue to evolve? We sat down with experts from Jetcraft and Axis Aviation to find out.
Private jets can range from the tiniest very light jets seating just a few passengers to the governmental or VIP version of a large airliner potentially seating hundreds. Within this wide spectrum, though, they fall into seven primary categories, from the smallest to the largest:
- Super-light or very light jets, also known as microjets, seat up to 6 passengers and include the Cessna Citation Mustang, Embraer Phenom 100, or the HondaJet. Their range is usually approximately 1000nm.
- Light jets are the original size category for business jets and seat up to 8 or so passengers, including the original 1960s Learjet 23, the Cessna Citation II and the Embraer Phenom 300. They range up to around 2000nm.
- Midsize jets seat some 9–12 passengers and include the Learjet 75, Cessna Citation Latitude and Embraer Legacy 450. Their range extends to around 3000nm.
- Super-midsize jets, seat around 12 passengers and up, including the Gulfstream G280, Bombardier Challenger 350 and Dassault Falcon 50 — including the newer super-midsize widebody segment like the newer Falcon 6X. Their range pushes 3500–4000nm.
- Heavy jets accommodate up to 19 or so passengers and include the Dassault Falcon 2000, Cessna Citation Longitude and Bombardier Challenger 600. They range from 400–5000nm.
- Long-range and ultra-long-range jets are a subset of the heavy category, towards the larger end of the heavy market, and include the Bombardier Global 5000/6000/7500, Dassault Falcon 7X/8X, and Gulfstream G550/G600/G650. Their ranges span from 5500–8000nm.
- VIP airliners, business airliners or bizliners are the private version of commercial airliners, all the way from the Embraer Lineage 1000 (based on the E190) through to the Boeing Business Jet and Airbus Corporate Jet versions of those manufacturers’ catalogues.
Within these categories, innovation continues
“The business landscape is increasingly global,” aircraft broker Jetcraft’s chief executive officer Chad Anderson tells us. “OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] have invested in aircraft that can meet new demands in terms of capacity and range. The newer super midsize category, for example, ticks many boxes for these global travellers without limiting them to only using airports specifically catering to large jets.”
In general, Anderson says, “no one aircraft category will ever be preferable to another. Instead, businesses need to seek expert advice and ensure they find the right aircraft for their specific mission. For a lot of businesses, however, their investment in business aviation is driven by a desire to maximise productivity and there are some notable large and ultra-long-range jets that deliver here.”
These aircraft focus on advanced cabin environments with high levels of customisation around productivity and luxury: dedicated work areas, conference rooms, broadband inflight connectivity, and intercontinental travel.
Indeed, Kerstin Mumenthaler, accountable manager and Switzerland director of aircraft operator AXIS Aviation, tells us, manufacturers are adding substantial performance improvements to existing models, “developing them further with higher speed and greater range. For example, Global Express becomes Global Express XRS, becomes Global 6000.”
Mumenthaler cites the Lockheed X-59 Quesst, NASA’s low-boom flight demonstrator, when she notes that “in addition to existing categories, I believe we will witness the emergence of a new category: supersonic business jets [that will] allow shorter flight times, as well as hypersonic business jets. If developments mature to become economically viable, the door will open for high-speed travel and new aircraft categories.”
New size categories will doubtless continue to emerge as the market evolves and manufacturers respond to demand. Comfort, productivity, range and efficiency are perennial drivers, while engineering advances and unique features are always a draw.
“Increasing demand for greener aircraft and environmental and noise regulations are influencing the development of new models, as well as increasing fuel prices, operating costs and landing fees. There is also a growing need for more fuel efficient and eco-friendly propulsion technologies,” Mumenthaler says. “Electronic and hybrid propulsion technologies continue to advance. These new aircraft will offer quieter flight options, while providing an alternative to carbon-fuelled jets and reduce the industry’s impact on the environment. There is also potential for different size and range profiles.”
A changing market is being shaped by growing drivers and new technologies
In the sequential and interlinked contexts of the bizjet boom during COVID-19 lockdowns, the resulting demand-driven manufacturing surge, the supply constraints in both aviation and wider industry, and the global fleeting picture, the shape of the market is likely to change through the rest of this decade.
Jetcraft’s Anderson explains: “our 2023 Pre-Owned Business Jet Market Forecast identified a significant portion of pre-owned light jets will be retired in the next five years. This combined with recent investment from the manufacturers focusing on midsize and large jets, as business travellers look to fly further, will mean an increased share of larger jets entering the pre-owned market between now and 2030.”
Early advances in battery-electric and hybrid technology will likely skew towards the lower end of the range and size equation, especially as the innovations around the e-VTOL, air taxi and advanced air mobility categories begin to take firmer shape.
“More generally, increased range and efficiency with ongoing advancements in aerodynamics, materials and engine technology could blur the lines between traditional aircraft categories and lead to the development of super-sized jets”, Axis’ Mumenthaler says, adding that “the use of advanced materials such as carbon fibre can increase aircraft performance — climb rate, maneuverability, reduced drag — and range, [meaning] reduced fuel consumption and higher payload. As well as this, the integration of autonomous flight systems could increase efficiency and support the pilot’s work.”
Overall, Mumenthaler concludes, “the future of the business jet industry will be shaped by a combination of technological advances, market demands and environmental considerations. Developing more sustainable and efficient aircraft will play a central role, as will improving the passenger experience.”
Author: John Walton
Published 28 November 2023
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