Private Jets

[Butts]

Just watching BBC Breakfast showing an item on the above.

My word they are a little different from your average Embraer or 777.

One intriguing aspect- they had a space "for your cigars"

Can you still smoke on a private jet ? - I suppose it is a bit like your own car?

 

[starrymarkb]

Just watching BBC Breakfast showing an item on the above.

My word they are a little different from your average Embraer or 777.

One intriguing aspect- they had a space "for your cigars"

Can you still smoke on a private jet ? - I suppose it is a bit like your own car?

I guess so.

And larger private jets are based on airliners. For example the Embraer Legacies are based on the E135 and E190. It's not really a big enough market for the usual BizJet manufacturers to justify a whole new design. Plus some are conversions of retired RJs (the 50 seat Regional Jet is taking a real hammering with fuel prices being high - their economics were terrible even when fuel was cheap!)

Interestingly the early CRJ's were based on the Challenger biz jet

 

[Schnellzug]

There's the Boeing Business jet, basically an executive 737, and then there's Mr. Abramovich's ...

 

[HST Power]

...and then there's Mr. Abramovich's ...

On loan from me of course.

 

[WestCoast]

There's the Boeing Business jet, basically an executive 737, and then there's Mr. Abramovich's ...

There's a Saudi prince who has ordered an Airbus A380 as a private jet....

From everyone's favourite paper...
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

My word they are a little different from your average Embraer or 777.

Well, as starrymarkb says, some of them are not too different from your average Embraer or Bombardier CRJ......

 

[atillathehunn]

I think it's the same Saudi Sheikh who ordered parking spaces for his fleet of Bentleys to be built inside his Jumbo/A380, so he can transport them wherever he may go.

 

[ainsworth74]

Can you still smoke on a private jet ? - I suppose it is a bit like your own car?

Is that all you ever think about, smoking!?

 

[starrymarkb]

There's the Boeing Business jet, basically an executive 737, and then there's Mr. Abramovich's ...

It's alleged he's got a A380 on order.

Donald Trump has just replaced his 727 with a 757
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Trump/Boeing-757-2J4/1984998/&sid=1265229e4ca7ffd1c564151537c208af

He's also added huge Rolls Royce logos to the engines..:roll:

 

[Butts]

Is that all you ever think about, smoking!?

Whatever gave you that idea - only since the bans came in.

I do also think about Debbie Dingle - see other thread

 

[Heinz57]

For me, this is the ultimate of private jets...

http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=7237539&nseq=16

 

[Schnellzug]

No, this one: John Travolta's 707.

 

[SwindonPkwy]

Whilst many heads of state etc. choose an airliner based private jet, the Gulfstream G650 is as good as it gets. Not far behind are our friends at Bombardier with the Global Express XRS. Insiders tell me they are cramped, noisy and the toilets stink!!

 

[Tomonthetrain]

Whilst many heads of state etc. choose an airliner based private jet, the Gulfstream G650 is as good as it gets. Not far behind are our friends at Bombardier with the Global Express XRS. Insiders tell me they are cramped, noisy and the toilets stink!!

So voyagers basically...

 

[WestCoast]

No, this one: John Travolta's 707.

Wouldn't mind a trip on that! You have to go to Iran to ride a 707 on a commercial flight, which isn't the easiest thing at the moment...
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Whilst many heads of state etc. choose an airliner based private jet, the Gulfstream G650 is as good as it gets. Not far behind are our friends at Bombardier with the Global Express XRS. Insiders tell me they are cramped, noisy and the toilets stink!!

There was much talk of Blair Force One, but the UK Government doesn't have any dedicated aircraft. Apparently the Government now puts out the flying contract to tender on a trip by trip basis. British Airways usually does it, but Virgin Atlantic have also been used for high-profile trips, and occasionally Titan Airways. Jet2 may have even been used for a short trip....

British Airways always carry the Queen and entourage.

 

[Nym]

And one thinks with the amount of security clearance required for each flight, it might be worth either fitting out one of the RAF A330MRTTs for carrying said VIPs, or ordering an additional either A330MRTT-LR, same cockpit as the existing ones, or an A330 and having the RAF run it, would proberbly cost less than putting it out to tender every time.

An Airbus A330-LR would have a rather nice non-stop range if required, and is possible to be fitted with countermeasures, active and passive.

Said aircraft would be based at either RAF Northolt, Brize Norton or Heathrow, and used by HRH et al. and goverment engagements.

 

[WestCoast]

And one thinks with the amount of security clearance required for each flight, it might be worth either fitting out one of the RAF A330MRTTs for carrying said VIPs, or ordering an additional either A330MRTT-LR, same cockpit as the existing ones, or an A330 and having the RAF run it, would proberbly cost less than putting it out to tender every time.

An Airbus A330-LR would have a rather nice non-stop range if required, and is possible to be fitted with countermeasures, active and passive.

Said aircraft would be based at either RAF Northolt, Brize Norton or Heathrow, and used by HRH et al. and goverment engagements.

I forgot to mention the RAF No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron does have 6 BAe 125s and 2 BAe 146s for VIP transport/general transport, but obviously the range is limited.

 

[Nym]

Nothing to stop them putting some comfy seats in one or more of their A330MRTTs though, since they will never be able to load up 380 pax and their kit for an actual flight, the L1011s had a similar load and only seated about 200odd...

 

[WestCoast]

Nothing to stop them putting some comfy seats in one or more of their A330MRTTs though, since they will never be able to load up 380 pax and their kit for an actual flight, the L1011s had a similar load and only seated about 200odd...

They could do that indeed, and it would make sense. It's what most other Governments would do.

The MoD seem to enjoy contracting civilian aircraft though! The RAF's Brize Norton - Ascension Island - Mount Pleasant (Falklands) service is currently operated by Titan Airways 767s.

Before that it was operated (bizarrely) by Air Tahiti Nui A340s (from French Polynesia) and Air Seychelles 767s.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I was once ( about 1982 or 1983 ) shown round inside a private 727 belonging to, I think, Sheikh Yamanni ( off the top of my head I think it was VR-CBG if any airliner bods can check it out for me who it was, though I think it was registered on their behalf by an asset company ).

Plush carpets, wooden panelling, even the ashtrays were gold plated, as were the taps in the on board bathroom. And I do mean bathroom...!!

 

[SwindonPkwy]

I was once ( about 1982 or 1983 ) shown round inside a private 727 belonging to, I think, Sheikh Yamanni ( off the top of my head I think it was VR-CBG if any airliner bods can check it out for me who it was, though I think it was registered on their behalf by an asset company ).

Plush carpets, wooden panelling, even the ashtrays were gold plated, as were the taps in the on board bathroom. And I do mean bathroom...!!

My 1982 edition of Brian Gates' Biz Jet publication would confer. For some reason Cayman Island aircraft are now registered VP-C__ Also, not sure if Brian Gates is still publishing his annual Biz Jet book, in paperback form at least. The last edition I bought was about 2002. I lost interest when the BAe(HS)125 became a Beechjet!!!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Thanks; is it listed to the Sheikh by name or to a management company?

 

[starrymarkb]

They could do that indeed, and it would make sense. It's what most other Governments would do.

The MoD seem to enjoy contracting civilian aircraft though! The RAF's Brize Norton - Ascension Island - Mount Pleasant (Falklands) service is currently operated by Titan Airways 767s.

Before that it was operated (bizarrely) by Air Tahiti Nui A340s (from French Polynesia) and Air Seychelles 767s.

Both of which are/were desperate for somewhere to place their Widebodies..

A recent troop flight from here involved an HiFly A343, and XL France A332 and a North American Airlines 767

 

[WestCoast]

Both of which are/were desperate for somewhere to place their Widebodies..

A recent troop flight from here involved an HiFly A343, and XL France A332 and a North American Airlines 767

Flyglobespan had a big contract with the MoD, which caused problems when they went bust.

Troop charters can be anything! The Falklands service ('the Airbridge') is semi-scheduled really (members of the public can book tickets on it through a tour) and that's currently with Titan Airways.

 

[Nym]

I have semi-regularly (and the only time I've seen the 4xx desks in service) at Manchester seen Monarch flights to RAF Brize Norton... On the departure screens and everything, although in the station it also showed cargo departures...

 

[WestCoast]

I have semi-regularly (and the only time I've seen the 4xx desks in service) at Manchester seen Monarch flights to RAF Brize Norton... On the departure screens and everything, although in the station it also showed cargo departures...

I think both Monarch A300s/A330s/B757s and Jet2 B757s have done troop charters at some stage. Most carriers have.....

 

[Nym]

And they can never fill up the seats with pax, generally a soldier's luggage and kit (that is carried from home base where issued) is about 70 - 80kg, a tad more than the usual pax

 

[SwindonPkwy]

Thanks; is it listed to the Sheikh by name or to a management company?

It was registered to ARAVCO which presumably is just a holding company. Back in the eighties it was a regular visitor to LHR. I lived in Hounslow at the time.

 

[TheJRB]

A couple of years ago I went to my local airport, Lydd (sorry "Lydd London Ashford Airport" to be precise :roll and saw CS-DXE, a Portuguese Cessna 560XL Citation XLS. It's a lovely looking thing and we saw it depart too. That day we were also lucky and shown around the hangar and in a few planes too by an official.

 

[Nym]

Nice aircraft, although how is Lydd in London? Is this a case of London Oxford Airport syndrome?

 

[Flamingo]

Does anybody know what's the price for one of these things, transatlantic, say? I've googled it, but they all seem a bit coy about saying how much it is.