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Learjet 24: The Most Important Learjet Ever?

27Nov

By Christopher HarrowNo Comments

Executive

Learjet 24: The Most Important Learjet Ever?

Background In the early 1950's, the Swiss government initiated a program to develop their own fighter jets, in an apparent attempt to rival the fighter jet programs of neighboring countries. With generous terms and lengthy contracts, Swiss aircraft manufacturers tripped over one another to develop a fighter jet the Swiss Air Force could use. Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein, or FFA for short, was no different. Indeed, they spent thousands of man hours on their P-16 design in the hopes of getting that contract. But despite the Swiss Air Force's interest and a working prototype undergoing flight testing, the P-16 was cancelled due to budget cuts. Though devastating for FFA, the project caught the attention of an American engineer called Bill Lear. Even though e...

Cessna 310: Cessna’s “King of The Skies”

24Nov

By Alya KulikovaNo Comments

Aircraft Digest

Cessna 310: Cessna’s “King of The Skies”

The first Cessna aircraft of the post-WWII era, the Cessna 310 was designed so Cessna could capitalize on the postwar general aviation boom. Whilst Cessna wanted it to be successful, in many ways they failed to account for how popular it would turn out to be. Produced between 1953 and 1980, 5,449 Cessna 310s and 577 Cessna 320s (a turbocharged variant of the 310) were built, and used by literally hundreds of different operators, including corporations, pilots, film studios, airlines and even the USAF! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Background Originally a producer of air racing and light training aircraft, Cessna began to play around with the idea of producing a twin-engine advanced trainer in the leadup to WWII. Known as the AT-17 B...

Gulfstream G500: Gulfstream’s Most Promising Jet Yet?

20Nov

By Charles YongzhengNo Comments

Executive

Gulfstream G500: Gulfstream’s Most Promising Jet Yet?

Unveiled in 2014 alongside the G600 it was developed in tandem with, the Gulfstream G500 entered service in September 2018 and has since been on the minds of seemingly everyone in the aviation community! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Background In 1967, the company that would eventually become Gulfstream Aerospace (then just a division of Grumman) released their first business jet, the Grumman Gulfstream II, as a successor to their turboprop-powered Grumman Gulfstream I. Against all expectations, the long-range G-II was a massive hit with large corporations as it could easily fly transatlantic routes and Gulfstream was inundated with orders. It was even the private jet of choice for a US Vice President (Nelson Rockefeller)! Having prove...

Cessna 340: One of General Aviation’s Greats

17Nov

By Christopher HarrowNo Comments

Aircraft Digest

Cessna 340: One of General Aviation’s Greats

Ostensibly designed for corporate use, the Cessna 340 has become a staple of the general aviation market, arguably becoming one of, if not the, most recognized general aviation aircraft on the planet! Introduced in 1972, Cessna continued production of the 340 until 1984 after 1,351 units had been built for a variety of roles and operators. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Background Like many aircraft manufacturers during WWII, Cessna devoted their entire production capacity to the war effort, specializing in producing twin engine Cessna T-50 advanced trainers for the US Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force. Unlike most other aircraft manufacturers, when the war ended in late 1945, Cessna didn't struggle to survive because most of the...

13Nov

By Charles YongzhengNo Comments

Executive

Bombardier Global Express

Background In the mid-1970's, Learjet founder Bill Lear began designing a private unlike any previous Learjet aircraft. Rather than being a short-range business jet appealing to the lower-end of the market, this aircraft, that Lear called the LearStar 600, would be a long-range aircraft tailored to the richest of the richest 0.1% Development Operational History Private Jet Corporate Jet Fractional Ownership Charter Military Variants Global 5000 Global Express XRS Global 5500/6000 Military Specifications SpecificationsBombardier Global ExpressLength99 ft 4 in 30.28 m)Wingspan94 ft 0 in (28.65 m)Height25 ft 5 in (7.75 m)Crew2Passengers8 - 19Cruise SpeedMach 0.85 (902 km/h; 560 mph; 487 kn) Range11,200 km (6,970 mi; 6,055 nm)Service Ceiling...

How to Start an Airline in 7 Easy Steps!

10Nov

By Salomón Marco2 Comments

Airlines

How to Start an Airline in 7 Easy Steps!

It's often said that you're either a genius or completely mad if you want to start an airline. So for those geniuses or whack jobs out there, how exactly do you start your own airline? But it's not just about starting your own airline, it's about running it well and making sure to always stay one step ahead of the competition. One wrong step and you can easily join the long list of airlines that have failed for one reason or another. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 7. Have an Interest in Aviation Though obvious and often overlooked, any prospective airline entrepreneur should have an interest in aviation, just as a prospective tech entrepreneur should have for the tech industry, or a media entrepreneur for the media industry. Most prospec...

How Charles Rolls Helped Found a British Icon!

6Nov

By Salomón Marco1 Comment

History

How Charles Rolls Helped Found a British Icon!

Famous for being one half of Rolls-Royce, an icon of British industry that survives to this day, Charles Rolls wasn't just a co-founder of a motor giant that eventually dabbled in aviation, he was a pioneer of aviation who paid the ultimate price. The twelfth person to die in the pursuit of furthering aviation, and the first Briton. A car salesman who amassed a large fortune, Charles provided Henry Royce with the money needed to found Rolls-Royce, initially as a luxury car manufacturer. Since then, the company that bears his name has gone to become not only an icon, but has also gotten into the aircraft engine manufacturing business, whilst Charles Rolls has gone down in the history books as a pioneer of British aviation. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).p...

3Nov

By Christopher HarrowNo Comments

Executive

How to Buy a Private Jet 9 Simple Steps!

At one point or another, we've all daydreamed about owning our own private jet. Yet for most people, it is just that: a dream. For a few wealthy people or corporations, however, the notion of being able to buy a private jet is very real. In many cases, a private jet is an essential tool for business executives or world leaders, (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 1. Fit The "Requirements" Though there isn't any criteria you have to meet to be able to buy a private jet, a private jet is a tool at the end of the day - and you don't want that very expensive tool to just sit around and do nothing for most of the year or just be a vanity project. As such, whilst recommendations do vary from jet brokerage to jet brokerage and executive charter com...

30Oct

By Christopher HarrowNo Comments

Airlines

Why Did Virgin America Fail?

A partial sister company to both Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia, Virgin America should've been destined for greatness. Yet, less than a decade and a half after it was founded, Virgin America was no more, swallowed up by the giant Alaska Air Group. Acquired in 2016, the company was slowly merged into Alaska Airlines (the main airline in the Alaska Air Group along with regional airline Horizon Air) and was completed in 2018, with the Virgin brand being fully retired by June 2 2019. By 2020, seemingly all remnants of the company had disappeared due to Alaska Airlines' retiring of all former Virgin aircraft and the furloughing of almost all its old staff. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Background Foundation Early Years Great Recess...

27Oct

By Charles YongzhengNo Comments

History

How Sir Freddie Laker Shook up The Airline Industry

Before Michael O'Leary and Richard Branson were shaking up the airline industry, there was Sir Freddie Laker, whose Laker Airways was the first real challenger to the monopoly British Airways had enjoyed on British air travel since the 1940's. Despite (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Early Life Frederick Albert Laker was born on August 6 1922 in Canterbury in Southern England. His father Early Ventures Aviation Traders Air Charter Channel Air Bridge Laker Airways Skytrain Death Legacy