Bombardier to Highlight its Business Jet Lineup at ABACE 2015, Pilatus PC-24 Guide, Hondajet, $1 Million a Week Super Yacht

Bombardier to Highlight its Business Jet Lineup at ABACE 2015

Bombardier Business Aircraft announced today that it will showcase its class-defining business aircraft at this year’s Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE) show at Shanghai’s Hongqiao Airport in China from April 14 to 16, 2015. Bombardier will be showcasing its Challenger 350 and Challenger 605 aircraft. Other Bombardier aircraft on display include a Challenger 300, Challenger 850 and Global 6000 aircraft

“ABACE is a wonderful opportunity for Bombardier to present its products”, said Michael Han, Regional Vice President, Sales, China. “With a very strong fleet of over 120 Learjet, Challenger and Global business jets based in Greater China, Bombardier is well-positioned to build on its current presence in the region as a world-class provider of efficiency-enhancing business aircraft. This year will be another very exciting year for Bombardier in the country and region.”

Over the next 10 years, Bombardier’s latest market forecast predicts a total of 950 business jet deliveries for the overall business aviation industry in Greater China. The demand, driven by economic growth, globalization and the increase in the number of billionaires in those markets, is expected to rise even further. With the industry’s most comprehensive product portfolio and a commitment to customer satisfaction, Bombardier continues to grow its leadership position in the business aviation industry. From light jets to large, ultra long-range aircraft, Bombardier offers a solution to all customers, whatever their requirements may be.

Challenger 350 aircraft

Built upon the legendary segment-defining Challenger 300 jet, the dependable Challenger 350 jet not only features the very latest in avionics, but offers the segment’s most advanced cabin that maximizes natural light and redefines the man-machine interface, all the while maintaining the performance attributes that have become synonymous with the Challenger family. This jet boasts class-defining performance, a true seats full, tanks full, 3,200 nm (5,926 km) range that connects Shanghai with Jakarta non-stop.

Challenger 605 aircraft

The revered Challenger 605 jet builds upon the legacy of productivity, quality and reliability of its predecessor, the peerless Challenger 604 jet, leading its market share segment throughout the world. Featuring one of the widest stand-up cabins of any large category business jet available today, it can soar six passengers 4,000 nm (7,408 km) from Shanghai to Dubai.

Challenger 850 aircraft

The Challenger 850 aircraft combines the outstanding dependability of a CRJ200 airliner with an executive cabin and the superior level of support business aircraft customer’s demand. With the cabin volume of an ultra long-range jet and a transcontinental range of up to 2,811 nm nautical miles (5,206 km), the Challenger 850 jet can fly eight passengers from Shanghai to Kuala Lumpur non-stop.

Global 6000 aircraft

The Global 6000 business jet offers more cabin volume and more floor space than any other aircraft in its class. No other business jet in the ultra long-range segment today matches the high-speed range capability delivered by this aircraft. Offering the ultimate in cabin comfort, this impressive jet can link Shanghai with San Francisco non-stop with eight passengers and four crew. It can travel 6,000 nm (11,112 km) at Mach 0.85 with up to eight passengers.

Pilatus PC-24: Buyer’s and Investor’s Guide

The Pilatus PC-24 is the first private jet from Switzerland’s Pilatus, bringing ‘super versatility’ to the competitive light jet market for $8.9 million.

Verdict

For: The ability to land of virtually any kind of surface opens up the Pilatus PC-24 to new markets that were previously closed off to private jets. As a unique selling point, this gives the PC-24 a serious edge in a very competitive marketplace.

Its versatility is also very impressive, affording owners the luxury of being able to quickly change the cabin from executive to cargo configuration between legs.

Against: The light jet market is very competitive. Cessna decided to slow down production of its Citation jets instead of heavily discount values, while Embraer led the market for two years straight, with the popular Phenom 300 emerging as the most-delivered new business jet model in both 2013 and 2014.

HondaJet is happening

A lot of important things have happened since Honda first started its business jet programme in 1997. But last week’s award of a provisional type certificate to the HondaJet means that the first deliveries are finally in sight.

Honda – and the 14 business jet programmes that have failed since HondaJet launched – shows just how difficult it is to enter the business jet market. (And it makes Embraer’s achievements even more impressive given that it only moved into business aviation in 2000).

Honda has hired some brilliant talents from across the aviation industry, but there are no quick fixes with certification (although they could have sped up if they had taken someone else’s engine).

Sailing on Solandge, the $1 million-a-week superyacht

Costing from $1 million per week to charter, the 280ft Solandge superyacht is a billionaries’ favourite, with interiors that Liberace would have loved, a garage of speedboats and even anti-rattle chandeliers

Now this is fun. It’s yet another sunny day in the Caribbean – blue sky, 27C, gorgeous beaches, divebombing pelicans – and I’m discovering the thrills of wakesurfing with a Centurion Enzo SV244 speedboat. Purpose-built for this exhilarating sport, where you surf behind the boat on a driver-controlled ridge of surf, its most striking feature is an overhead arch with four large speakers out of which are blasting the not-mellow tunes of Daft Punk, Cut Copy and Disclosure. As our party takes turns to slalom over the waves, flip wakeboards and come a glorious cropper (all caught on GoPro, sorry guys), it all seems a deliciously 21st-century version of the age-old pleasure of messing about in boats.

Except that this is just the beginning. The Centurion is merely one in an arsenal of watersports “toys” that can emerge from the twin flip-up doors of the tender garage of the 280ft superyacht Solandge. Launched in October 2013, and based in St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, this gleaming navy-blue and white six-deck ship of dreams costs a cool $1million (£650,000) to charter for a week. At least.