ExecuJet has created a pre-owned aircraft division to capitalize on big lead times for new aircraft. The company plans to have sales reps in Europe, South Africa, the Middle East, and (coming soon) the U.S.

ExecuJet Middle East is experiencing high demand, with one new inquiry a week, mostly for big jets.

The ExecuJet web site says:

“Pre-owned demand is being led primarily by the Middle East which is growing by 20% each year and also in India, and China, where ExecuJet recently opened offices in Mumbai and Beijing.

Last year, the Middle East market accounted for $300 million of pre-owned aircraft sales, comprising over a dozen transactions and representing nearly 50% of ExecuJet’s total transactions during 2007.”

We at BBJ had a chance to run down to Boeing Field yesterday and check out the 2008 Porche Business Aircraft & Jet Preview out in the Seattle summer sun.

There were a number of planes on display, all shapes and sized, but the undisputed monster on the field was definitely the Legacy 600 from Embrear. When I climbed inside to check it out, there were already another six or seven people checking it out, and there was still room for a few more.

Here are some of the shots I snapped:

Off to FiRe in San Diego. More than 30 CEOs in attendance and a slew of Venture Capital types will be there as well, so hope to gain some insights from those that may be arriving in a bizjet. Historically, the event has hosted some aviation luminaries, including Lee Hall, Product Architect, Boeing Commercial Aviation Services, and Peter Diamandis chairman and CEO of the X PRIZE Foundation. If any readers plan on being there, let me know!

Banyan has provided avionics for many mid-sized aircraft, but has recently branched out into larger airplanes, including Gulfstream IV SP, Falcon 900B, and a private Boeing 747SP. Tooled up and with additional factory trained technicians, Banyan says they can install a variety of systems, including entertainment, enhanced vision, and high speed data/wi-fi.

According to Brian Wilson, Banyan’s director of avionics:

“Companies always strive to expand their business capabilities and adding the larger aircraft to our resume is a perfect fit; High Speed Data/ WI-FI is what the business traveler wants and the cost and configuration is conducive to the larger corporate aircraft. The days of traveling on a corporate or commercial aircraft and arriving at your destination only to hurry to the hotel and hook your laptop to the DSL line are over, VIP clientèle desire better and now that technology has arrived. Now passengers enjoy the same Blackberry experience and Internet cruising they enjoy in their home or office.”

Michael, a blogger, has posted a list of large business jets, and a few pointers to keep in mind, including these bits:

“Your jet operator can look after all aspects of the management of the aircraft including certification for around $120k - $250k. They can also charter out the plane when not in use - so you will recoup some of the investment. For year end accounting purposes, depreciation will be a factor - Boeing estimate depreciation of $5-6m for their BBJ. With the price of oil heading higher, fuel charges will be considerable - expect to pay from $1,500 upwards per flying hour on fuel. So expect the total operational costs to be at least $2-3m for the year.”

According to Dominic O’Connell of the Sunday Times (London), one of the world’s largest corporate jet dealers will soon open an office in Monaco. Aero Toy Store can often shorten the wait time for aircraft, especially the larger and longer-range ones.

Chairman Steve McMillan:

“Five years ago our business was 100% in the US. Now it is 75% outside the US…our sales are much more closely related to the number of billionaires in the world…”

As I previously noted, Aero Toy Store is also a “Factory Authorized Representative” for the supersonic business jet from Aerion.

Honeywell has introduced a new Integrated Primary Flight Display (IPFD), and Gulfstream business jets are the first platform offered (plans for other business jet platforms are in the works).

From the web site -

“Innovative features that IPFD will bring to the cockpit:

• Flight Path Marker based PFD―HUD symbology that helps with the aircraft energy management and eases navigation

• Conformal terrain ―Displays exactly where you are going by looking at the Flight Path Marker
• Color coded terrain ―Similar to how it is conventionally displayed on a map
• Water texturing and color saturation ―Clearly distinguishes the water from the sky
• EGPWS warnings and cautions overlaid on the terrain
• Range rings ―Show distance
• Obstacles
• Runways markings ―Centerline, runway numbering and distance remaining markers
• Unusual attitude declutter with fade-in ―When the aircraft is in an usual attitude the terrain is gradually faded away to allow the pilot to concentrate on the task of returning to steady and level flight”

Dominic O’Connell, of the Sunday Times, says you’ll soon have another place to park your jet in London. Air Partner is set to build a new terminal and hangar at Biggin Hill airport which will rival the private jet facilities available at Farnborough. Farnborough is currently only allowed 28,000 flights per year, with stricter limits on weekends. Biggin Hill is located 14 miles south of London.

According to the article:

“Biggin Hill is licensed for 125,000 flights a year, with no weekend limits. ‘With other private-jet airports straining at the seams and turning away existing business, we have decided to consolidate our plans at Biggin Hill,’ said David Savile, Air Partner’s chief executive. The new facilities are expected to open next year.”

If you have plans to travel to Russian, and you need medical assistance while there, be sure to ask about the new hospital in Moscow. The hospital can handle up to 50 VIP patients, and it hopes to attract both wealthy Russians and Westerners, since most hospitals in Russia use outdated equipment from the 1970s.

Roman Abramovich’s company, Millhouse LLC, acted as the project investor. Roman has his own private Boeing 767-33A/ER, which replaced a smaller Boeing 737-7CG BBJ.

Flight Options, based in Ohio, has been in business for 10 years, and offers a variety of services, including fractional ownership, leasing, and private aircraft management.

The list of the top destinations was pulled together using company flight data, and the company says it provides “a compelling snapshot of current business travel trends”:

“1. New York City, NY: The perennial leader easily eclipses its next nearest rival, with more than double the number of “legs” flown.

2. Los Angeles, CA: Private jet travel is a valuable asset for those looking to “close the deal” in Los Angeles. The film industry gets the ink, but the City of Angels is actually the largest manufacturing center in the West, one of the world’s busiest ports, a major financial and banking center, and the largest retail market in the United States.

3. Chicago, IL: The Windy City doesn’t always offer ideal airport weather conditions, but it does offer an ideal business climate, and takes the third spot in the rankings.

4. Houston, TX: Oil is still king, and is driving private air traffic to this Texas city in record numbers.

5. Washington, DC: Law firms, lobbyists and corporate events provide a steady stream of air traffic to the nation’s capital.

6. Dallas, TX: The “Big D” might just stand for “delays” if business travelers depended solely on commercial air travel here. Private jet owners bypass these headaches in Dallas.

7. Atlanta, GA: Still the “Real Thing,” this southern powerhouse continues to draw business travelers who make Atlanta their home-base, in addition to those flying in for corporate meetings. Bio-tech and pharmaceuticals represent a growing share of the market here.

8. San Francisco, CA: The City by the Bay is a magnet for the high-tech, bio-tech, banking and financial sectors, ensuring its place in the top ten.

9. Minneapolis, MN: The Twin Cities may seem a surprising entry in the top ten, but shouldn’t be they are home to 16 of the Fortune 500 largest U.S. corporations and the area’s diverse economic base includes electronics and medical products manufacturing, in addition to centers for high technology, music, and graphic arts.

10. Philadelphia, PA: From pharmaceuticals to the financial sector, the City of Brotherly Love remains a key mid-Atlantic destination for business travelers.”