Executive Jets Shrinking, Faster
Posted on | January 1, 2012 | No Comments
The use of a private jet has long been a necessity for successful business leaders. Allowing executives to travel in comfort on any schedule, private jets are a key piece of strategy in a global economy. However, the design of the executive jet has changed significantly over the years, trending toward smaller, lighter aircraft – and they may be getting even smaller in the future, according to engineers in the field.
The move toward smaller aircraft is nothing new. Originally, early private jets had a full four engines, mimicking the design of four-engine prop planes of the time. To save on fuel and increase efficiency, aircraft engineers made it a priority to switch to fewer engines. Advances in the reliability of engines, which meant it was no longer necessary to rely on having “backup” engines in case one failed, allowed them to do just that. Today, the Dassault Falcon has three engines and most other private jet designs have just two.
Engineers are pushing that line further though, according to inside sources. New designs increasingly aim for a single-engine plan. The switch has been made possible by increases in engine power and by shrinking the size of the planes to hold less people. The reason for the switch is an increasing preference for low-cost transport among corporations, say analysts.
What remains to be seen is whether the new, smaller jets will crowd out existing larger models in the air charter market, or whether companies will be slow to adopt them. The new jets are expected to be as little as half the price of a new larger jet, but still have to compete with a substantial secondhand market.
