Nike designs private jet for NBA teams, US flight activity grows for ninth month running + MORE

US business jet flight activity has risen for the ninth consecutive month, according to the latest data from Argus.

The latest Argus TRAQPak data, which includes serial-number specific arrival and departure details on all IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) flights in the US and Canada, is showing that flight activity for business jets in August has risen for the ninth consecutive month.

Month-on-month increases were seen across all cabin sizes and operational categories, with large cabin fractional operations seeing the largest gains.

Large cabin fractional flights increased by 9.5 per cent, with small cabin jets registering a 7.3 per cent rise. Smaller gains were made in the mid-size category, which saw a 2.6 per cent rise.

Charter operations, known in the industry as Part 135 flights, took the saw the smallest gains, with small cabin operations seeing the biggest rise with 1.2 per cent. Close behind were large cabin jets, where saw a 1.1 per cent increase, where as mid-size cabin aircraft only just manage to increase with 0.5 per cent.

Nike and a Seattle design firm have joined forces for a private jet interior that has been tailored for NBA basketball teams.

The beds on board Nike’s NBA private jet can comfortably sleep 7 ft tall basketball players.

Nike has teamed up with Teague, a design house in Seattle, to design a private jet for flying professional basketball teams to away games.

The concept – named Home-Team Advantage at 40,000 ft – has been conceived to improve the travelling conditions for NBA teams, in order to combat the statistic from a 2008 study, which showed that travelling professional baseball teams that cross three time zones are 60 per cent more likely to lose their game.

Hangar8 Aviation has opened a new repaint facility for private jet at its headquarters in London Oxford Airport. The launch follows analysis, which reveals that 16.5 per cent of the UK’s 381 private jets are currently up for sale.

The UK has the largest number of owned private jets for sale of any European country, making it a buyer’s market. However, Hangar8 advises owners looking to sell their aircraft that having it re-sprayed could increase the chances of finding a buyer while also increasing its sale price.