07 October 2015

The highs and lows of private jets

Private jets are often seen as the height of luxury and privacy, but the lows can be just as exciting. Here are some of the most interesting aviation extremities.

HOW HIGH DO PRIVATE JETS FLY?

Private jets can fly at heights up to 45,000 ft, although most cruise at around 41,000 ft. By flying higher than airlines (36,000 ft) this increases speed and reduces congestion. But some jets fly higher than others. An aircraft’s maximum altitude is called its service ceiling, and the Global 6000, the Falcon 5X and the Gulfstream G650 all currently fly the highest with a service ceiling of 51,000 feet.

But this will go out the window, if the supersonic private jets in development become a reality. The latest Airbus patent for Mach-4 promises to fly at heights of 20 km (65,616 ft)

HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?

Private jets have to fly low to take off and land of course, but how low can they fly during the cruise phase of the flight? Even for the shortest journey, private jets almost always fly above 10,000 ft, as the airspace below is more crowded with smaller leisure aircraft, microlights and even paragliders. Exceptions to the ‘10,000 ft rule’ would be on short flights when the airspace between departure and arrival is in controlled airspace under Air Traffic control. An example would be positioning legs (or empty legs) to different airports across London.

WHICH JETS HAVE THE HIGHEST CABINS?

The cabin height of a private jet varies significantly according to the type of jet you charter, from a VLJ to a VIP airliner. Cabin height is an important consideration for many of our customers, especially as we fly some of the world’s leading sports stars (including professional basketball players).

The Dassault Falcon 5X is currently the highest jet in the sky when it comes to the cabin, measuring 78 inches (6.5 ft tall). But the 5X cabin is also designed to feel even higher due to its unique skylight ceiling window, which floods natural light into the cabin from above.

WHICH PRIVATE JET FLIES AT THE HIGHEST SPEED?

The race to fly the fastest is neck and neck in the private jet world. Currently the highest-speed accolade is held by the Citation X+, with a maximum speed of Mach 0.935. Before that the Gulfstream G650 was both the fastest and the furthest, flying at Mach 0.925, with a range of 7,000 nautical miles (it is still the furthest, for now).

WHEN IS LOW SPEED AN ADVANTAGE?

Sometimes flying at low speeds is a good thing – the ideal private jet cruises fast but approaches slow. The slower the speed of approach, the shorter the runway it can land at, as well as reducing the take-off distance required.

Aircraft such as the Global 6000 have a lower stall speed thanks to its leading edge slats on the wings. With the stopping distance of a light jet, the Global 6000 is the only aircraft in its class that can fly in and out of London City Airport. The approach speed of the Falcon 7X is also one of the lowest at only 104 knots (193 km/h). This means it can land and stop in just 2,070 ft (630 m), allowing it to land at smaller airports.

WHICH PRIVATE JET HAS THE LOWEST FUEL EMISSIONS?

Although not technically a jet, the Diamond twin star aircraft is a popular choice for private flights. The 3-seater DA-42 has one of the lowest carbon footprints, with its two turbo diesel engines burning just 45 litres an hour at a cruise of 33km/h, burning far less fuel than any other private commercial aircraft. It’s also very low on noise due to its three bladed props.

But this is eclipsed by a solar rival, which could pave the way for the sustainable future of aviation. The Solar Impulse 2 recently had to pause its attempt to circumnavigate the globe, but it can stay in flight for five days at a time due to its solar skin and a storage battery to keep it flying at night.

THE HIGHEST – AND LOWEST – AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD

The highest airport in the world is Daocheng Yading Airport, in China’s Sichuan province (China has breathtakingly high airports overall, with 8 of the top 10 highest airports in the world). At 14,470 feet, Daocheng Yading Airport is almost as high as the tallest mountain in the US, Mount Whitney. Dassault staked a claim to have the first private jet land there, the Falcon 7X, in September 2014. (Read more: Falcon 7x gets ok to fly from world’s highest airport.)

In Europe, Samedan St Moritz airport is the highest commercial airport at 5,600 ft (1,707 metres). Courchevel airport is higher at 6,588 ft but commercial aircraft cannot land there, only privatefly owned ones, where the rules on landing distance are less stringent. Why can’t a private jet land at Courchevel?

At the other end of the spectrum, Bar Yehuda Airport is the lowest airport in the world at 1,240 ft (378 metres ) below mean sea level. Located in the southern Judean desert, due west of the Dead Sea, the airport is based deeper than US Navy submarines are allowed to travel. Amsterdam airport is also notably low, with the whole of Amsterdam Schipol airport being located below sea level, the lowest point at 1.4 metres below.

LOW PRESSURE AT HIGH ALTITUDE

As you fly higher, you want the air inside the cabin to feel as low as possible. The Gulfstream G650 offers the lowest pressurised cabin altitude of any business aircraft at a cruise altitude of 41,000 ft. The G650 is pressurised to 3,000 ft/ 914 metres, twice as low as commercial airlines. Offering low pressure in the cabin reduces fatigue, allows for better sleep, and means passengers can arrive more refreshed (which is obviously a big advantage on a long range jet).

HIGHS & LOWS OF PRIVATE JET PRICING

The most expensive private jet to charter is a supersize jet. VIP converted airliners such as the Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) or the Airbus ACJ319 are customised to seat anything between 16-36 passengers and can include state rooms, marble bathrooms and cinemas. The charter price per hour for a BBJ is around £16,000 GBP. The price tag to buy a BBJ or an ACJ319 (widebody version) varies up to $428 million USD.

Entry point private jets are the very light jets (VLJs). The Citation Mustang is the most widely available to charter, at around £1300 GBP per hour, with a list price of $2.7 million.

We also love highs and lows at PrivateFly. Our pricing is always low, while we take pride in the highest service standards. Contact us 24 hrs for a charter quote on any aircraft or call our flight team on +44 (0) 1747 642 777

PrivateFly Blog