16 May 2013

Nextant versus JetEdge – Re-engineered Private Jets

With the recession continuing to impact new aircraft sales, there is a growing trend for re-engineered private jets.

PrivateFly profiles two contenders in revamped private jet sector: the Nextant 400XT and JetEdge’s range of remodelled Citation Jets.

Both the Nextant and JetEdge business formula is simple.

Take a proven aircraft frame – Hawker 400 & Citations. Strip the airframe back to the raw metal. Rebuild, modernizing it with the latest avionics and engine technology.

The result is a short-cut approach to aircraft manufacturing. The final aircraft product however is high quality and very cost-effective.

The Nextant private jet also has a number of other aerodynamic and airframe enhancements. These include a streamlined, conically lofted engine cowling along with a newly designed engine beam and mounting system.

The Nextant 400XT: A revamped Hawker 400

PrivateFly’s customers already enjoy flying on the Nextant 400XT, the world’s first completely remanufactured aircraft, which was launched in late 2011.

Rather than incurring hundreds of millions of dollars in developing a new aircraft, Nextant Aerospace saw the opportunity to take Beechcraft’s robust Hawker 400 airframe, stripping it right back, and applying the latest advancements in avionics, powerplants and aerodynamics.

The 400XT is equipped with 3,050-pound-thrust Williams FJ44-3AP Full Authority Digital Engine Controls (FADEC) turbofan engines and a Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 integrated avionics suite.

It also has a number of other aerodynamic and airframe enhancements. These include a streamlined, conically lofted engine cowling along with a newly designed engine beam and mounting system.

Modification options are also available such as alternative seating configurations; entertainment and lighting; and internet and phone access.

All of this results in an aircraft that is significantly stronger than the original, with a 50% increased range and 32% improved fuel efficiency.

The Nextant 400XT is 88% new – and like a new aircraft, it comes with an all-encompassing, two-year warranty and full support services.

But priced at under $4M, it costs only around half the price of it competitors, such as Embraer’s Phenom 300.

	Nextant 400XT	Phenom 300	Premier II	CJ3	CJ4	Encore+	40XR
Acquisition Price	$4m	$7.6 m	$7.12 m	$8.12 m	$8.8 m	$9.23 m	$9.25 m
Output Thrust per engine (lb.)	3500	3200	3000	2820	3400	3400	3500
Long Range Cruise Speed	437	382	390	351	372	375	435
High Speed Cruise Speed	460	432	465	415	435	426	451
Takeoff Length @ MTOGW (SL/ISA st. day)	3906	3700	3720	3180	3300	3520	4680
Landing Distance (4 Pax NBAA IFR Res.)	2960	UNKWN	3050	2414	2333	2436	2355
Single Engine Climb Rate	745	UNKWN	UNKWN	808	UNKWN	908	394
Range (4 PAX NBAA IFR Res.)	2005	1830	1370	1727	1831	1675	1590
Acquisition Cost per mile of IFR range	–	$4,153	$5,194	$4,701	$4,806	$5,515	$5,823
Maximum Range	2160	1934	1403	1913	1883	1730	1684
Operating Cost per mile††	–	$1.98	$2.30	$2.50	$2.92	$2.81	$2.74
Time to Climb All Engines	14/FL370	14/FL370	14/FL370	15/FL370	17/FL370	13/FL370	15/FL370
All comparative data based on BCA Purchase and Planning Handbook and BCA Operations Planning Guide unless otherwise noted.
†† Based on BCA Operations and Planning Guide NBAA IFR 1,000 nm mission with 4 passengers @ $6.57 per gallon.

JetEdge: Turning an old Citation Jet into a CJ4

Many owners of older Citation Jets will be very interested in contacting Clifford Developments in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Incorporated in 2006, Clifford have obtained FAA approval to re-engine and install advanced avionics upgrades to the legacy fleet of Citation Jets.

The $3.2 aircraft purchase & modification process will be marketed under the JetEdge brand name and boasts remarkable improved performance and increased aircraft valuations.

The engineering process removes the original Pratt and Whitney engines and replaces them with a new Williams FJ44-4A turbofan.

Like Nextant, Clifford have chosen the Rockwell Collins ProLine avionics range to kit out the cockpits.

The finished flight decks will be pleasing to pilots, who love ProLine’s excellent usability and functionality.

And the finished product: Here are the savings of the new JetEdge aircraft compared to the original 550 & 560 models and their competitors the CJ3 & CJ4 respectively.

Key Statistics	JetEdge S550	Cessna S550	Cessna CJ3	JetEdge 560	Cessna S560	Cessna CJ4
Price	$3,400,000 [1]	$2,000,000 [2]	$8,200,000	$3,700,000 [1]	$2,400,000 [2]	$9,000,000
Passenger Seats	8	8	8	10	10	10
Baggage Capacity (lbs)	1,250	1,150	1,100	1,150	1,000	1,100
Fuel Cost/ Seat Mile	$0.34	$0.47	$0.36	$0.29	$0.47	$0.31
Long range Cruise Speed (kts)	383	336	351	390	350	379
Take Off Field Length (ft)	2,916	3,240	3,180	2,458	3,160	2,500
Climb to Cruise Altitude (mins)	25	100	27	28	110	30
NBAA IFR Range (miles)	2,300	1,647	1,875	2,370	1,600	2,100
Max Cruise Speed (kts)	416	385	426	438	395	435
[1] JetEdge S550 and 560 price reflects the cost of aquiring the airframe and the cost to have engine and avionics upgrade.
[2] Cessna S550 and 560 price reflects the cost of aquiring the airframe and the cost to overhaul the original equipment P&W engines.

Aircraft available for upgrades include: Citation II, SII and Bravos built between 1980 – 2000 and the Citation V, V Ultra, XL and Encores built from 1985 to 2003.

I’m sure the new JetEdge aircraft will offer charter customers significant flight cost savings compared to hiring a CJ3 or CJ4 jet.

PrivateFly can see a bright future for both the Nextant and JetEdge aircraft. At a time of deepening global recession, private jet customers are looking for a high quality product at significantly reduced cost.

The Nextant and the JetEdge aircraft will offer private jet charter for a lower cost than other private jet models.

PrivateFly Blog

Nextant versus JetEdge – Re-engineered Private Jets

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