aero550

It makes more sense in the fractional business model than anywhere else.

NorthTxFlyBoy

That's the reason fractionals exist. NetJets isn't buying it - the owners are. And they're only having to fork over a fraction of the cost of buying the whole plane by themselves.

-NTFB

overspeed

Here's a picture I found. Straight wing, as stated in the article.
"The Aerion's straight, unswept wing design will give it good performance during supersonic cruise at Mach 1.5-1.6, and when the aircraft is operating over land, at speeds low enough (Mach .95-1.1) to avoid generating a sonic boom"
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1852770/posts

Bill Lumberg

So, if someone starts at NJA today, what's the likelihood of bidding the FO seat in the Aerion? Just kidding. No doubt that Netjets would buy these things and then offer the cheaper fractions to owners - not many people could justify an entire aircraft. The fractional concept is perfect for this type of airplane...

Navajo31

I don't think the market exists, even in the fractional world. Did you ever notice that Flexjet doesn't sell the Global Express in its program. The reason I heard was that "marketing can't demonstrate enough of a market to make it succesful".

NJI guys - how are the BBJ and G-V selling for you?

dunlaf05

Completly justifiable. Time is money. The time the jet would save corporate america big wigs would be huge.

I have a buddy who flies G-V's for a charter company. He once told me of a businessman who would charter TWO G-Vs. One to ride in and one to follow behind "incase the other one broke". The money he would loose if he were to be late to his meeting would be well worth the insurance of paying for another G-V.


Food for thought.

jtf560

The BBJ program keeps shrinking- didn't work out so well. The G-V is still being bought and coming onto property, but not in huge numbers. I am positive NetJets will try supersonic if it gets built. It will be crazy expensive, but there are a lot of people out there who would at least do a Marquis card to try it out and maybe enough would buy and make it a successful program. Time will tell, but it would be crazy to bill NetJets as the ultimate in luxury and then not offer the ultimate in speed. It may not succeed, but I'm sure NetJets will try.

GeeWizDriver

The BBJ isn't operated by NJI. It is operated by NJLA (Netjets Large Aircraft) by NJA 1108 seniority list pilots.

NJI is operating G-IVSP's and G-V's and currently operating and selling G-450's and G-550's. NJI added 6 airframes this year (4 450's, 2 550's) and is scheduled to receive up to 6 more next year with virtually no attrition of older aircraft. Sales are steady, if a bit slower than years past.

The BBJ fleet currently stands at two aircraft and is a completely stagnant program.

As to the SSBJ, I think there is a market for at least 20-30 aircraft just to the ego owner types (think Mark Cuban, Steve Wynn, et al) and another 20-30 airframes in the fractional business model. Throw in another 20-30 airframes to foreign governments, U.S. military and the like and I think you have a large enough market to justify the development cost.

Personally, I think the Aerion project stands the best chance of reaching the market. Their plan does NOT depend on a change in the law prohibiting supersonic overland flight in the U.S. The other programs are planning to get the law changed. Given the current environmental hysteria sweeping this country, do you really think Congress will change a law that might benefit a few hundred rich folks while every environmental wackjob out there is marching on D.C.?

Cubdriver

If it does not have a swingwing or a deltawing it won't go anywhere except an airport with a 10,000 ft. runway due to the poor lowspeed characteristics of the wing. It will not be able to go supersonic over land unless it has a "shark nose", a pelican shaped nose that reduces shock wave pressure by spreading it out. There's no getting around these problems for supersonic jets. What makes a bizjet appealing in the first place is how it accesses small, local airports. I do not see the appeal in a jet limited to major airports, and in the US at least it will be required to remain subsonic. I doubt there is a market to justify production. History shows you need to make more than 100 planes to break even. Previous designs like Avanti and Starship have been unable to make this goal.

NorthTxFlyBoy

Hmmm...Looks very similar to the shape of the F-22 wing, which is neither swept nor delta, and needs far less than 10,000 feet of runway. For that matter, neither does the F-16, F-18, F-15, etc., etc.

-NTFB