The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) reported global sales of 730 new private business jets in 2023. An increase from the 712 new jets sold in 2022. Sales of piston and turboprop airplanes also increased by an even larger percentage, as did sales of new helicopters. Overall new aircraft deliveries were valued at $27.8 billion, an increase of 3.6%.
Across the other sectors, new piston airplane deliveries increased by 11.8%, to 1,682 units; turboprop airplane deliveries increased by 9.6%, to 638 units and total helicopter deliveries increased by 9.8% to 962 units. “For the first time in more than a decade, the general aviation manufacturing industry has eclipsed 4,000 aircraft delivered. In addition to this strong showing, there are robust and growing order backlogs for all segments of aircraft.” said Pete Bunce, GAMA President and CEO, and added, “While the deliveries from 2023 are very encouraging, our industry faces headwinds from ongoing supply chain issues, workforce shortages, uncertainty and unpredictability from global regulators, and short-sighted efforts aimed at curbing business and general aviation, particularly in Europe.”.
Textron Aviation (Cessna) led the market in terms of the number of new jets sold in 2023, and the best-selling turboprop was again the Pilatus PC-12.
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PJ
Bombardier’s Proven Global 7500 Makes Debut at Singapore Airshow, Smoothest-flying Ultra-Long-Range Business Jet
- With more than 150 aircraft delivered to date, the Global 7500 aircraft is business aviation’s most reliable, luxurious, and productive home office in the sky
- The Global 7500 jet boasts an unrivaled cabin, and signature smooth ride and is the largest and longest-range business aircraft certified and in service
- In the past six months, the Global 7500 aircraft has built upon its long list of awards and has flown multiple record-breaking missions, showcasing its unmatched performance attributes
Bombardier today announced it is bringing its industry-defining Global 7500 aircraft to the Singapore Airshow Feb. 20-25, making its debut at this important industry event. Truly in a class of its own, the Global 7500 aircraft has transformed business aviation with its refined design, unsurpassed performance, and outstanding technological advancements.
The ultra-long-range Global 7500 aircraft has proven to be the highest-performing purpose-built business jet in the world. Holding the title of the longest-range flight in business aviation of over 8,225 nautical miles, Bombardier has delivered more than 150 aircraft, highlighting its high reliability and in-demand attributes. With a fleet dispatch reliability of more than 99.8% through well over 100,000 flight hours, unsurpassed performance, outstanding technological advancements, cutting-edge sustainability attributes, and luxurious, exceptional cabins for maximum productivity and comfort, the Global 7500 is in a class of its own.
“Bombardier leads the way in the development of cutting-edge, industry-defining aircraft and our Global 7500 aircraft embodies all of our outstanding craftsmanship, innovation, and performance attributes that set it apart from the competition,” said Jean-Christophe Gallagher, Executive Vice President, Aircraft Sales, and Bombardier Defense. “The Global 7500 aircraft is the perfect choice for our Asia-Pacific customers seeking the finest business jet for long-distance travel. It is also a capable option for specialized and defense clients who need a reliable workhorse for a variety of missions.”
The Global 7500 jet packs a punch when it comes to performance. It boasts a top speed of Mach 0.925 and a range of 7,700 nautical miles (14,260 km), enabling it to have the capacity to set numerous speed and distance records. Recently, the Global 7500 aircraft set multiple speed records, showcasing its impressive performance attributes.* These accomplishments build on earlier speed and distance records, including the fastest flight from Los Angeles to New York and New York to London, as well as the longest-ever flight out of London City Airport.
The Global 7500 aircraft also enables several key long-distance pairs from Singapore, including Singapore to San Francisco, and Singapore to London, along with other key long-distance routes in the Asia-Pacific region such as Hong Kong to New York, Tokyo to New York, and Melbourne to Los Angeles.
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Bombardier shipments continue to grow
Bombardier reported that revenues climbed by 16 percent year-over-year in 2023, topping $8 billion, as it scaled deliveries to 138 Challenger and Global business jets. The aircraft manufacturer expects deliveries to take another step up to between 150 and 155 in 2024, returning to levels not seen since 2016.
This year, most of that growth is expected to come from its super-midsize Challenger 3500s, with Global deliveries remaining stable.
Bombardier president and CEO Éric Martel:
“While we have everything in place to achieve our objective, I want to highlight that our delivery profile for the year is largely set by the pace at which we receive parts from our supplier. We are in an environment where we continue to play the cards we are dealt versus planning an ideal production schedule.”
Martel is optimistic about solid sales continuing this year, despite headwinds involving conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. “We do foresee quite a bit of activity right now on all of our platforms. Looking at our prospect list and people we’ve talked to, [activity] has remained strong.” Customers are not disappearing, he said, but added that they may be taking more time.
In 2023, deliveries were up by 15 units on the year, with Challenger shipments increasing by 13, to 63, and Globals by five, to 75. However, 2022 totals also included three shipments from the now-discontinued Learjet line. Bombardier handed over 32 Globals in the last quarter, compared with 29 a year earlier, and 24 Challengers, compared with 20 a year earlier.
The rise in Global deliveries in 2025 coincides with planned market entry to the Global 7500 and Global 8000. Martel said the development has remained on track for certification and initial deliveries next year. “We are flying the airplane a lot,” he said. While the aircraft has generated substantial interest from customers, Bombardier is offering a retrofit option for the 7500, which he said is keeping activity solid on that aircraft even as the new version is in the wings.
Meanwhile, thanks to the significant investments in the service center space, the company continued to expand its aftermarket revenues and market share. Aftermarket brought in $1.75 billion, up 16 percent from a year earlier and 75 percent since 2020. Bombardier anticipates this to continue to grow as it works toward its goal of $2 billion in aftermarket in 2025.
NetJets will be the launch fleet customer for the Bombardier Global 8000, and the company has placed an order for an additional four aircraft, bringing the total orders for the fractional ownership pioneer to 24 aircraft. Those 24 orders include eight Global 7500s that will be upgraded to the Global 8000 in addition to the 12 previously on order. The new aircraft is expected to enter service in early 2025, and has a list price of $78 million per aircraft. Bombardier has planned a Supplemental Type Certificate program to upgrade existing Global 7500 models to the Global 8000 specifications shortly after entry into service.
PJE
Luxembourg / Paris – Luxaviation Group, one of the largest business aircraft and helicopter operators worldwide headquartered in Luxembourg, is pleased to announce that ExecuJet France, part of Luxaviation Group, has received fully electric ground handling equipment (GHE) at their FBO in Paris Le Bourget Airport, making it the first ExecuJet FBO with fully electric owned GHE in Europe.
The milestone comes as a move in Luxaviation Group’s target to achieve 100% of GHE electrification in their FBOs by 2030. At their Paris FBO, the list of GHE that are fully electric includes ground power units, mototok, air stairs, luggage truck, toilet service, pushback tug, and a portable water truck. It follows their FBOs in Auckland, Melbourne, and Sydney, and sets a precedent for the rest of ExecuJet FBOs, whose combined efforts have achieved almost 60% of the target.
Patrick Hansen, CEO of Luxaviation Group, states: “We are very happy to have achieved this milestone, which contributes to our mission to provide outstanding and more sustainable business air travel experiences by fully electrifying our FBOs by 2030.”
Caroline Demsar, Deputy CEO of Luxaviation France, states: “I’d like to extend a personal thank you to the team in ExecuJet Paris for achieving this milestone and becoming our first fully electric European FBO.”
ExecuJet is committed to delivering excellent, state-of-the-art service to its customers while continuously innovating and striving to mitigate the environmental impact of air travel. Luxaviation Group’s 2030 electrification objective aims to align the Group with the sector’s climate change goals to ensure environmental responsibility in business aviation.
Private Jets Europe is a leading provider of private jet charter services, offering access to exclusive aircraft and personalized travel solutions. The company has established itself as a trusted partner for clients seeking luxury and convenience in air travel. In this interview, we speak with Cristian Octavian Frăsin, CEO and Founder of Private Jets Europe, about his journey in the industry, and the company’s commitment to providing exceptional service to its clients.
Luxury Lifestyle Awards: What inspired you to start Private Jets Europe, and how has the company evolved since then?
Cristian Octavian Frăsin: When we started our business in 2008, we noticed a significant gap in the market for these types of services. Recognizing it as a promising business opportunity, we embarked on a journey to set new standards and surpass expectations in the realm of luxury and corporate private jet charter services. We take great pride in providing a diverse range of professional services, with the utmost emphasis on the health, safety, and comfort of our esteemed clients.
LLA: How do you ensure the safety and security of your clients when they fly with Private Jets Europe?
CF: As I always like to say, safety is our number one priority. We exclusively work with accredited operators, who are the best in the business, and we have access to the latest aircraft types.Especially during the Covid period and in its aftermath, we have implemented strict health and safety guidelines. Chartered flight providers are even more stringent than commercial flights, partly due to the lower number of passengers, which makes it easier to keep track of everyone. Furthermore, private passengers rightfully expect top-quality service, as they have paid for a safe and secure travel experience. It’s important to note that those travelling on commercial flights typically come into contact with around 700 objects and people, on average. In contrast, private flying exposes you to only about 30 contact points.
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