Business Jets

How companies use business jets

Business jets provide a range of advantages for companies, making them valuable tools in today's fast-paced and globalized business environment. Here are some ways companies use business jets:

1. Time-Saving Travel: Business jets often provide a faster way to reach destinations, especially when commercial flights are not conveniently timed or do not directly serve the required routes. They reduce travel time, increase productivity, and allow for more flexible schedules.
2. Meeting and Negotiation Spaces: Business jets often have luxurious interiors equipped with communication and entertainment systems that can effectively serve as meeting rooms or negotiation spaces in the sky, offering privacy and comfort.
3. Employee Transportation: Companies use business jets to transport employees to various locations, particularly for projects or meetings that need in-person attendance. This is especially beneficial for companies with distributed offices or operations across multiple locations.
4. Client Relationship Management: Business jets can be used to transport high-value clients or potential clients, offering them a high level of service and comfort. They can also be used to take clients or potential clients to company events or locations.
5. Emergencies and Unexpected Needs: In situations where rapid response is required, such as emergencies or urgent business matters, business jets provide a fast and flexible solution, ensuring personnel can quickly reach where they are needed.
6. Confidentiality and Security: For top executives or high-profile individuals, business jets provide increased security and privacy, reducing exposure to potential security risks and allowing for confidential discussions during flights.
7. Product Demonstrations: For companies in the aviation industry or related sectors, business jets may be used for product demonstrations to potential customers, investors, or regulators.
8. Employee Incentives: Some companies use business jet travel as an incentive or reward for top-performing employees, as a way of recognizing their contributions and boosting morale.
9. Reliability: Business jets can be more reliable than commercial flights, reducing the risk of delays or cancellations that could impact important business meetings or events.
10. Flexibility and Control: Owning a business jet gives a company the ability to plan its own flight schedules and routes, offering a high degree of flexibility and control over travel plans.

While the use of business jets requires significant investment, many companies find that the benefits, in terms of time saving, flexibility, and business efficiency, make it a worthwhile expense.

NetJets purchase of Hawker aircraft from Raytheon

In 2006, Raytheon Aircraft Company signed contracts with NetJets Aviation and NetJets Europe for the purchase of 48 additional Hawker aircraft, 30 Hawker 750s and 18 Hawker 900XPs, for NetJets' global fleets. The order was valued in excess of one half billion dollars. Deliveries commenced in 2007 and continued through 2009. "The Hawker 750 and Hawker 900XP will set new standards for quality, performance and value in the light-mid and mid-size classes of aircraft," said Jim Schuster, chairman and CEO of Raytheon Aircraft Company. "The NetJets name is synonymous with safety, quality and service, and I know that each and every Raytheon Aircraft Company employee is totally committed to ensuring that we meet the high standards of performance NetJets has come to expect from us. We are honored and delighted that they have chosen the Hawker 750 and 900XP."

The new Hawker 750 had been a 2,100 nm NBAA IFR range airplane with four passengers, strategically positioned with the largest cabin in the light-mid size aircraft segment. It had the same cabin as the Hawker 800-series, but the ventral fuel tank had been replaced with a heated external baggage compartment with 32 cubic feet of additional baggage capacity. The Hawker 750 cabin measuring 5'9" in height and 6'0" in width was far superior in both comfort and size to anything in the light-mid size category. The airplane continued to use the highly successful Honeywell TFE731-5BR engine and state-of-the-art Collins Pro Line 21 avionics package. The aircraft featured a new Hawker interior designed specifically for the 750 and for this market segment. Priced at $11.2 million standard and $11.9 million typically equipped in 2007 dollars, certification had been planned for Q3 2007 and deliveries began in the Fourth Quarter.

The Hawker 900XP launched Honeywell's new TFE731-50R engine providing improved hot and high altitude performance with over 2,800 nm NBAA IFR range with six passengers allowing it to make a one-stop flight from New York to Honolulu 99.9 percent of the time. It also had the same cabin size as the Hawker 800-series, the largest and most successful cabin in its class. Featuring a factory-customized interior by the Little Rock Completion Center, and Raytheon Aircraft Company designed winglets, the 900XP had been well positioned to continue to be the most preferred airplane in the mid-size segment. Standard priced at $13.9 million, certification was expected mid-year 2007 with deliveries beginning in the Third Quarter.