After the Blog Business Summit Greenpoint Technologies as a huge part of the "Grapes on a Plane" post-conference event.  Greenpoint provided two private jets to help ferry a number of speakers and attendees to Richland, WA for a wine tasting experience.

While on the flight out, Tim Stay interviewed Christine Hadley about the private jet business.  Greenpoint is a company that takes the delivered jets in their "green" form (nothing inside and green on the outside … essentially a flying shell of a plane) and turns them into flying offices and luxury transport vehicles.

I had the pleasure of flying back to Seattle in one of the jets and I have to say that the attention to detail is amazing.  Take places to put your drinks.  Cup holders are cut into various convenient places so your drink doesn’t spill on take off or landing (business jets take off at a steeper angle than commercial ones).  They are so deep that you lose the cup or so shallow that it tips when you think it’s secure.  Tables are easy to pull out and put back.  I won’t get into the seats because my tush is now spoiled and is going to miss that leather next time I have to fly commercial.

From personal experience, I fly sea planes from my Island home to the mainland several times a year.  A 60’s era DeHavilland Beaver is no comparison to a Lear or Westwind, but the feeling of having a personal jet … well it’s kinda close.

John and Christine from Greenpoint were fabulous at explaining some the details of these planes.  I look forward to talking with them more.

Tags: Greenpoint Technologies, private jets, Grapes on a Plane

The BBJ family is based on the 737 aircraft.  But if you really would like to know more about the aircraft, its history and similar planes, Wikipedia has a good entry on it.  Might be a bit out of date, but still interesting reading.

Tags: Boeing Business Jet

Clay Aviation is aAlready the largest charter air operator on the West Coast, Clay Aviation has added the Boeing Business Jet to it’s fleet of aircraft.  Billing it as the long-range jet for the discriminating consumer, Clay Aviation takes it a step farther to provide a charter office in the air:

With nearly three times the cabin space as other ultra long-range business jets, this beautifully appointed and spacious BBJ is a corporate headquarters, executive conference area, private office, and luxury bedroom suite in the air or on the ground. Having all of the comforts and amenities of home and office ensures productive and pleasurable travels even when flying 12 hours nonstop to anywhere in the world. Arrive refreshed after a fine meal, a warm shower and a full night’s sleep in your private stateroom. Experience the ultimate in private jet charter onboard Clay Lacy Aviation’s newest Boeing Business Jet - N888NY.

For ultra-mobile executive and power broker, this could be the ultimate business tool.  An office and living space that you take where you need it, when you need it.

Tags: Boeing, Boeing Business Jet, Clay Aviation

Announced earlier this week (see also: KOMO TV, Boeing, PlaneNation, PlaneNews) Boeing Business Jet announced the BBJ3 with the sale of two undisclosed customers.  The BBJ3 is based on the 737-900ER which gives customers a superior plane with a range of 10,140 km and significant passenger capacity.  The plane is often sold to heads of state, businesses, and charter operations

A decade ago, Boeing and General Electric launched Boeing Business Jets, providing private owners, heads of state, corporate leaders and charter companies with a long-range airplane that offers three times the interior space of traditional business jets with similar range capability

The BBJ 3 joins an airplane family that includes the BBJ, which is a high-performance derivative of the 737-700, and the BBJ 2, which is based on the 737-800. The BBJ was launched July 2, 1996, and was followed by the BBJ 2 on Oct. 11, 1999.

For Boeing Business Jet this gives it an offering that can cater to customers who need larger capacities and range than other business jets typically offer.

Tags: Boeing, Boeing Business Jet, BBJ3

Reporter Beth Kassab of the Orlando Sentinel writes today on the subject in her article Arnold Palmer and other private fliers oppose a plan to pay for the air-traffic control system.

A single conversation has dominated talk among the business jet set here this week for an annual meeting — a proposal by commercial airlines to make private fliers pay user fees for the national air-traffic control system.

The National Business Aviation Association has used its three-day show, which ends today, to rally private aviation users to campaign against the plan that would increase the cost of flying by as much as $100,000 per plane each year.

As many of our readers are already keenly aware, Airlines are lobbying the FAA to impose additional taxes on private flyers in order to reduce their expense in this arena.

NBAA President Ed Bolen has even recruited political pundits James Carville and wife Mary Matalin “to clue members into the political landscape heading into next month’s midterm Congressional elections.”

It has been estimated that if the airlines succeed in their efforts, the cost of flying could increase by as much as $100,000 per plane per year under the new tax structure.

Honda Aircraft Company announced today that they will begin selling their new advanced light jet the HondaJet which will go into production in 2010.  This jet is being descibed as the fastest and most fuel-efficient plane in it’s class.  The plane will list for $3.65 million and be build in the U.S.

From the press release:
Key specifications and performance figures establish HondaJet as the fastest and most fuel efficient aircraft in its class, while setting a new standard for interior space and comfort. HondaJet features a class-topping cruise speed of 420 knots with an IFR range of 1180 nautical miles(1), and a 30-35 percent gain in fuel efficiency at cruise speed versus other jets of comparable performance. HondaJet’s cabin is about 1-foot longer than even larger ‘light jet’ offerings and features a fully-private lavatory along with a spacious 57-cubic foot aft cargo hold.

Note the innovative over wing engines.  Honda describes this as an innovation that gives more room in the cabin that would have previously been taken up but engine needs.

For more information see the Honda News website.

Tags: HondaJet, light jets, Honda Aircraft Company, advanced light jets

Boeing has announced two new orders for their Boeing Business Jets. BBJ President Steven Hill said it’s been, “a remarkable year” for the manufacturer.

I know this isn’t exactly late-breaking, and that the jets won’t exactly be big like the title of this blog suggests, but Honda will start taking orders for a small business jet in just a few days at the NBAA 2006 conference.

According to Bloomberg:

Honda has said its jet will offer more fuel efficiency, a larger cabin and higher cruising speed than rival “micro-jets” being developed for corporate use and air-charter companies.

What really caught my eye was the fuel efficiency part of this equation. In a world of ever-fluctuating fossil fuel prices, it’s just good company policy to purchase a jet that doesn’t use a whole bunch of fuel.

Will smaller, lighter, more affordable jets like this one be a challenge to larger business jet makers like Boeing? Are potential buyers for the two products even in the same market? What do you think?

With the delays hitting the new Airbus A380, Boeing has been selling planes like hotcakes. Last week, the aviation giant sold 57 new airplanes.

Four of the 737 orders were from the BBJ division, which jibes with Mike Weisner’s prediction last week that the A380 delay would mean that BBJ would need to “up allocations of the BBJ family and widebody production slots from Mother Boeing.”

An anticipated announcement from Boeing rival Airbus on A380 production delays came yesterday, leaving the industry bewildered- an average of ANOTHER year on top of two previous multi-month slides. Launch customer Singapore Airlines is now slated to receive the single 2007 A380 delivery in October. Deliveries then trickle out of Toulouse in 2008 and perhaps may never recover, but proceed at a new slower introduction pace. Customers are seeing 18 month or longer slides to introducing the double deck airliner to their routes. ATW Online provides more details: First A380 delivery not until October 2007; troubled Airbus plans major restructuring

So what does this mean to us in the big business jet completion business? Airbus is shaken to its core. Though not announced, this must affect far more of Airbus’ private jet market than a delay to theoretical A380 VIP clients. The miscued launch and underwhelming re-launch of the A350 suffers and is a drain on the company, not a plus. R&D monies must certainly be constrained all around. The recent press releases state that a widespread restructure of the company is coming in early 2007, with a target of 30% cuts.

Would you be comfortable choosing an ACJ or any new Airbus model for your VIP application at this point? I hope our friends at Boeing Business Jets heed this development and up allocations of the BBJ family and widebody production slots from Mother Boeing.