The advances in efficiency, performance and capabilities of the newest generation of business aviation aircraft have expanded the industry significantly, while the next generation look to make another step change. With the battery-electric, eVTOL future on the horizon, we sat down with Chad Anderson, chief executive officer of aircraft sales and acquisition advisors Jetcraft, for more details on how these new aircraft are changing the face of private air travel.
“Industry trends and Jetcraft’s own transactional data continues to show that large and ultra-long-range jets remain popular, reflecting the investment made by the major manufacturers,” Anderson tells us. “Dassault’s Falcon 8X, Bombardier’s Global 7500, and Gulfstream’s G600 or G650 offer cabins that can be fully customised to provide a luxurious and productive flight, including dedicated workspaces, inflight cabin connectivity and conference rooms. With these aircraft, nonstop flights across continents are made possible.”
Each of these aircraft changes the game in at least one crucial element of the private aviation experience, including in comfort, interior functionality, range, and overall capability.
“Innovation in terms of range and performance is a key part of business aviation,” Anderson says. “Bombardier’s Global 7500 remains in demand, as it currently stands as the world’s largest and longest-range business jet. The Falcon 8X is up to 15% more fuel-efficient than any other aircraft in the ultra long-range segment according to Dassault, while Gulfstream’s G600’s increased range connects London to Beijing or Los Angeles to Shanghai without the need for a stopover.”
Further development in airframes, including both newly developed aircraft and evolutions of existing jet families, will continue to widen the market.
Looking towards the future, Anderson says, “Gulfstream’s G700 and G800, Dassault’s Falcon 10X and Bombardier’s Global 8000 business aircraft are set to make an impact when they enter into service. With Gulfstream investing $2.5m into the G700, the aircraft has an increased maximum speed of Mach 0.935, edging the maximum range of Bombardier’s Global 7500 by 50 miles to 7,750nm. The G800 goes one step further, with a range of 8,000nm, enabling flights from London to Buenos Aires and beyond without the need for stopovers.”
These kind of extended range capabilities also mean that aircraft are more efficient per passenger kilometre regardless of range — and more efficiency improvements are on the horizon.
“Fuel efficiency and emissions reduction technologies are also set to change business aviation,” Anderson predicts. “The Global 8000 became the first Transport Category airplane to fly supersonic with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in 2022, while the Falcon 10X boasts 5% more efficiency from its Rolls Royce Pearl 10X engines, promising ‘outstanding’ low noise and emissions performance.
The second half of the 2020s looks set to change the market in fundamental ways, from evolving demand to increasing supply and an entirely new segment of aircraft to meet substantial new demand in the air taxi, eVTOL and advanced air mobility segment.
“Private aviation is on the brink of big change, with rising private wealth, technology innovation and lower transportation costs promising to open the industry to many more clients,” Anderson says. “With range increasing and 12 or even 14 hour flights made possible, the onboard experience is improving with quieter cabins, increased comfort and greater inflight connectivity.”
Assessing the impact and readiness of technology, both developed within the aviation industry and developed outside yet incorporated as core parts of the future business aviation technology stack, will be vital.
“Original equipment manufacturers are also rightly investing in technology to reduce their carbon footprint, while artificial intelligence is making business aviation more transparent and improving the customer experience,” Anderson notes. “In the next decade, we anticipate that the product mix at Jetcraft will be different than it stands today, whether that incorporates eVTOLs, battery-powered or hybrid-aircraft or ultra-long range business aircraft. We’re excited to see what happens next.”
Author: John Walton
Published: 28th June 2024
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