Top Business Aircraft Manufacturers and Their Production Models
Posted on September 1st, 2020
Did you know that the business jets market is projected to grow from USD 30.1 billion in 2022 to USD 41.8 billion by 2030, at an estimated increase of 4.2% during the forecast period? Recent reports state that North America is estimated to account for the largest share of this sector.
With that, welcome to the extensive world of aircraft manufacturers and the business jet models they produce. These are the major makers, with a brief description of each company and examples of the different models. These aircraft often carry 4-30 passengers, have diverse flight ranges, may include cabin crew, and many have full galleys and staterooms. Some models discussed here are still under development or pre-flight certifications.
So, who are the top business aircraft manufacturers worldwide who can contribute to this stunning growth? Let’s find out today!
Top Aircraft Manufacturers: North America
- The Boeing Company
- Beechcraft
- Bombardier Business Aircraft
- Cessna
- Eclipse
- Gulfstream Aerospace
- Hawker
- Honda Aircraft
Top Business Jet Manufacturers: Europe
- Airbus Corporate Jets
- Daher
- Dassault Falcon
- Piaggio Aero
- Pilatus
Top Airplane Manufacturers: South America
- Embraer Executive Jets
Top Airplane Manufacturers: APAC
- Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation
Airbus Corporate Jets
“It’s the comfort you want in the size you need.”
The motto of Airbus, quite aptly put.
Airbus was founded in Blagnac, France, and entered the business airliner market in 1997 with the Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ), an executive version of its A319 airliner. Since then, this European multinational aerospace corporation has sold over 213 corporate jets worldwide, with 220 on order as of 2020.
Did you know that Airbus A380-800 is the world’s largest passenger aircraft, with a maximum capacity of 853?
Prominent Business Aircraft in Production
- ACJ220, ACJ318, ACJ319, ACJ320, ACJ321, ACJ330, ACJ340, ACJ350, and ACJ380
- For governments and other purchasers requiring the ultimate in space and long-distance capability, Airbus also produces executive versions of its ACJ220, ACJ330, ACJ340, ACJ350, and ACJ380 widebody jetliners.
Prices
- A320 jet family has prices ranging from $77.4- $129.5 Million for the A321neo.
Beechcraft/Textron
Beechcraft Corporation traces its roots back to 1937 when Walter Beech introduced the Model 18, arguably the first cabin-class, twin-engine business airplane. That effort morphed in 1964 into the twin-turboprop King Air model, which has since undergone multiple upgrades and remains in production to this day.
Raytheon bought Beech in 1980, adding the Hawker business jet brand, and the company became Hawker Beechcraft. It emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 2013 as the Beechcraft Corporation, which no longer produces a business jet and instead focuses exclusively on its turboprop line.
In March 2014, Textron acquired Beechcraft, merging it with Cessna to create Textron Aviation. To date, there are many popular King Air and Hawker models available for charter across the US.
Prominent Business Aircraft in Production
- King Air C90GTx, 360, 360ER, King Air 250, Baron, Bonanza
Prices
- A brand new King Air 350i can be around $8 Million. Older models built between 2009 & 2011 and have prices around $4- $4.5 Million.
Boeing Business Jets
Boeing is also a maker of VIP-class Airliners. These aircraft offer the most space and ultra-long-range capabilities. According to some reports, since its launch in 1996, Boeing Business Jets has delivered 234 jets worldwide. Boeing is also a maker of VIP-class Airliners; these aircraft offer the most space and ultra-long-range capabilities.
A Boeing Business Jet, or BBJ, has a whopping maximum speed of 540 mph, and a Boeing 737-700 ER is estimated to have a flying capability of more than 12 hours without refueling.
The BBJ combines components of two 737 models: the 737-700 series airframe and the larger 737-800 series wing, landing gear, and center fuselage section. A larger, stretched version, the BBJ2 boasts 25 percent more cabin capacity, and the even larger BBJ3 is based on the 737-900ER.
Starting in 2018, the BBJ1, BBJ2, and BBJ3 have transitioned into the Max platform, with 12 percent improved fuel burn offered by the upgrade to the CFM International Leap-1B engine. All Boeing jets, from the 737 to its largest and newest 747-8 and the 787, are available in VIP versions.
Prominent Business Aircraft in Production
- BBJ1, BBJ2, BBJ3, BBJ Max, BBJ 77x, 787 Dreamliner, and VIP widebodies.
Prices
- A 737 Boeing Business Jet can have prices around $70 – $ 85 Million
- A BBJ MAX 7 is estimated at $98.3M
Bombardier Business Aircraft
Bombardier has become one of the world’s largest business jets and regional airliner producers. It was founded in 1942 in Canada and offers many sized business jets with its extensive line, including Learjet, Challenger, and Global brands.
The company has introduced several business jet modelsin the last two decades, including the Learjet 40/45 and 70/75, Challenger 300 and 605, and the Global 5000, 6000, 7000, and 8000 series. The forthcoming Learjet 85 was their first all-composite business jet, but the program was halted in January 2015. The ultra-long-range Global 7000 and 8000 models will join the fleet in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
Aircraft charter models include:
- Learjet 40XR, 45XR, 55, 60XR, Learjet 75;
- Challenger 350, 605, 850, 870, 890.
- Long-range and ultra-long-range: Global Express XRS, Global 5000, and Global 6000
Prominent Business Aircraft in Production
- Learjet 75 Liberty, Challenger 350, Challenger 650, Global 5000, Global 5500, Global 6000, Global 6500, Global 7500, and Global 8000
Prices
- According to Aircraft BlueBook’s Summer 2022 data, a brand new Bombardier Global business jet costs between $50.4 Million & $75 Million.
Cessna/Textron
Cessna built its first airplane in 1927 and has since produced more than 190,000 aircraft. Founded in 1927 in Kansas, USA, Cessna has produced a third of the 16,000 business jets operating worldwide.
Cessna has nine business jet models that range from the very light jet to the super midjet charter aircraft. Aircraft models: Citation Mustang, CJ1+, CJ2+, CJ3, CJ4, Encore+, XLS+, Sovereign, and Citation X.
The company’s 11 business jet models span the CJ series , a very light jet , and continue up the spectrum to the new version of Citation X, the world’s fastest civil airplane with a top speed of Mach 0.935. Other offerings include the new M2, Latitude, Longitude, X, and an upgraded Sovereign.
To serve the growing Asian market, Cessna will produce models in China—the XLS+, Sovereign, and Latitude—and develop an entirely new jet with China’s Avic.
Prominent Business Aircraft in Production
- Caravan; Denali, Skycourier, Citation M2, CJ3+, CJ4, XLS+, Sovereign+, Encore, Latitude, and Longitude.
Prices
- According to Aircraft BlueBook’s Summer 2022, a brand new Cessna Citation business jet costs between $5.85 – $29.9 Million. In 2021, the base price for a Cessna jet was around $432,000.
Daher
Daher was founded in 1966 in Tarbes, France, and operates across diverse sectors, including aerospace, defense, nuclear, and automotive. Founded as a shipping company in 1863, it was taken over by the Daher family a decade later.
Daher’s speedy single-engine turboprop TBM 910 cruises at 330 knots as high as 31,000 feet while carrying up to six occupants. The range at top speed is more than 1,400 nautical miles with reserves or nearly 1,730 nautical miles at the 252-knot long-range cruise speed, yet the TBM 910 can land on runways as short as 2,430 feet.
Industrial conglomerate Daher, which celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2013, purchased Socata in 2009. In March, the company introduced its TBM900 series, an upgrade of the 850.
Prominent Business Aircraft in Production
- TBM 910, TBM 940, Kodiak 100
Prices
- According to Aircraft Bluebook’s Summer 2022 data, a pre-owned Daher TBM 940 ranges between $4.66 – $3.85 Million, based on the year of manufacture.
Dassault Falcon
Dassault Aviation S.A. is a French manufacturer of business jets, founded in 1929 by Marcel Bloch. It builds airframes at its factory in southwest France. Since its inception, Dassault has sold over 2650 business jets worldwide.
Dassault offers the Falcon 900 and 2000 family of business jets and the Falcon 7X trijet, featuring the latest in fly-by-wire control technology and fighter-jet-style sidesticks in the cockpit. The next Falcon—the fly-by-wire 6X—is a twin-engine widebody jet, with service entry scheduled for 2021. In 2014, the 2000LXS entered service, updating the 2000LX models. In May, Dassault introduced the Falcon 8X, a stretched 7X with an increased range of 6,450 nautical miles.
The French aircraft manufacturer offers the Falcon 900 and 2000 family of business jets and the Falcon 7X with their signature trijet configuration. Charter aircraft models: Falcon 2000LX, 900LX, 900EX, 7X, 8X, and 50.
Prominent Business Aircraft in Production
- Falcon 2000LXS, 2000S, 900LX, 8X, 7X, 6X
Prices
- According to AircraftBluebook, the price of a brand new Dassault Falcon 7X will be US$53.80 million in 2022.
Eclipse / OneAviation
Eclipse Aviation was founded in 1998, in New Mexico, United States, and was pivotal in bringing a new category of small jets to the aircraft market. According to reports, since inception, 293 Eclipse 500/550 aircraft have been delivered worldwide.
In 2015, Eclipse and Kestral merged under a new umbrella, One Aviation manufacturing the Eclipse 550 and Kestral aircraft.
Eclipse Aerospace resumed production of its iconic very light jet, now dubbed the Eclipse 550, in 2013. The new jet is aerodynamically identical to its predecessor, the 500, with the same Pratt & Whitney Canada PW610F turbofan engines. Still, it sports a more sophisticated flight deck, the Avio IFMS system based on avionics made by Innovative Solutions & Support.
Prominent Business Aircraft in Production
- Eclipse 550, Kestral
Prices
- Prices range between $1,400,000 and $1,550,000
Embraer Executive Jets
Embraer is a Brazilian company that manufactures commercial, military, executive, and agricultural aircraft. It was founded in 1969 in São Paulo and is the third-largest manufacturer of commercial and private aircraft after Boeing and Airbus.
The Brazilian aircraft manufacturer has grown significantly in the last decade, offering light and mid-range Phenoms, heavy Legacy and Praetor, and long-range Lineage models.
Prominent aircraft models are:
- Phenom 100, 300
- Legacy 500, Legacy 600, Legacy 650
- Lineage 1000
Embraer’s ERJ 135/145 airframe was the foundation for the company’s first business jet, the Legacy 600, introduced in 1999. In the past decade, Embraer has made a strong push into the business jet market by developing the Phenom 100 and 300 small-cabin jets, the midsize Legacy 450 and 500, the Lineage 1000 bizliner, and the longer-range Legacy 650.
The groundbreaking Legacy 500 and 450 midsize jets feature fly-by-wire flight controls and sidesticks. In 2018, Embraer announced the updated Legacies, the Praetor 500, and Praetor 600.
Prominent Business Aircraft in Production
- Phenom 100EV, 300E; Praetor 500 & Praetor 600, Legacy 650E; Lineage 1000E
Prices
- According to Aircraft Bluebook’s Summer 2022 data, an Embraer private jet costs between $4.49- $39 Million based on the model and year of manufacture.
Gulfstream Aerospace
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation is an American aircraft manufacturer headquartered in Georgia, United States. Founded in 1958, Gulfstream has produced more than 2,000 aircraft and sold them worldwide.
Gulfstream has covered the mid, super mid, heavy, and long-range categories with their aircraft. Charter models; G150, G280, G350, G450, G500, G550, G650, and G650ER.
In late 2012, two new Gulfstream jets received certification from the FAA: the super-midsize G280, built in Israel by partner IAI, and the ultra-long-range, large-cabin G650. The G280 is a replacement for the G200.
- The G650 has a larger and wider cabin and larger windows than the G550, the manufacturer’s previous top model, and can fly 7,000 nautical miles unrefueled.
- The G650’s maximum operating speed is Mach 0.925, which gave it the title of the world’s fastest civil airplane for a while until the upgraded Citation X received certification.
The recently announced flagship G700 heavy jet, like the G650ER, can fly 7,500 nautical miles non-stop.
Prominent Business Aircraft in Production
- G280, G450, G500, G550, G600, G650, G650ER, and G700
Prices
- According to Aircraft Bluebook’s Summer 2022 data, a brand new Gulfstream private jet costs between $22- $60 Million based on the model and year of manufacture.
Hawker
Hawker Aircraft was a British airplane manufacturer founded in 1920 and headquartered in the United Kingdom. Although Hawker shut down in February 2013, hundreds of its aircraft remain in the market.
Their models covered the light, mid, and super mid categories—aircraft models: Premier 1A, Hawker 900XP, and Hawker 4000.
Price
- According to Aircraft Bluebook’s Summer 2022 data, a Hawker business jet costs between $2.25 and $6.25 million, depending on the model and year of manufacture.
Honda Aircraft
Honda Aircraft produces the popular HondaJet and HondaJet Elite entry-level business jet models. The aircraft concepts were completed in 1999, and the maiden flight took place in 2003.
The light jets carry up to six passengers and feature over-the-wing engine mounting, which frees up space in the fuselage and allows for a fully enclosed lavatory, unique in this aircraft size. In 2015, Honda Aircraft received its FAA-type certificate.
Prominent Business Aircraft in Production
- HondaJet HA420, and HondaJet Elite
Price
- According to Sherpa Report, the base price for a brand new HondaJet Elite S is $5.4 Million. A preowned HondaJet can have prices ranging between $2.5-3 Million depending on the model and year of manufacture.
Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation
Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation, or MITAC, is a Japanese company founded in 2008 that develops, produces, sells, and supports the Mitsubishi SpaceJet passenger airliners. MITAC is headquartered in Komaki, Japan, and its Mitsubishi SpaceJet took its maiden flight in 2015.
The aircraft has a seating capacity of 70 to 90 passengers. Mitsubishi is developing six variants of the MRJ- MRJ90STD, MRJ90ER, and MRJ90LR in the MRJ 90 class and MRJ70STD, MRJ70ER, and MRJ70LR in the MRJ 70 class.
Mitsubishi SpaceJet is Japan’s first airliner developed and manufactured since the NAMC YS-11 in the 1960s.
Price
- The Mitsubishi SpaceJet is estimated to have a price of US$47.3 Million.
Piaggio Aero
Piaggio Aerospace is an Italian multinational aerospace manufacturer founded in 1884. The sleek, pusher-turboprop Piaggio Avanti was developed in response to the energy crisis of the 1970s. Piaggio delivered the first Avanti in 1990.
In 2005, the aircraft was updated with the Rockwell Collins Pro Line21 avionics system, given slightly more powerful Pratt & Whitney Canada engines, and branded the Avanti II. Tata, Mubadala Development, and the Ferrari and di Mase families jointly own Piaggio Aero. In May, Piaggio announced an upgraded model version called the Avanti EVO.
Prominent Business Aircraft in Production
- P.180 Avanti II, Avanti EVO
Price
- According to B&CA data, a 2020-model Piaggio Avanti EVO costs $7.695 Million.
Pilatus
Pilatus is the world’s largest manufacturer of single-engine turboprops. The company’s PC-12 was certified in 1994 and became an instant hit with buyers who appreciated its ruggedness, spacious cabin, and performance.
Today, more than 1,000 PC-12 aircraft are in service. The newest version, the PC-12NG, features a more powerful engine and Honeywell Primus Apex avionics. Pilatus is developing the PC-24, a twin-engine light jet with a midsize cabin, due for entry into service in 2017.
Prominent Business Aircraft in Production
- PC-12NG, PC-24
Price
- According to Aircraft Bluebook’s Summer 2022 data, a 2022-model Pilatus PC-12 NGX single-engine turboprop costs $5.71 Million.
With that, we wrap up the 15 Top Business Aircraft Manufacturers list. With JetOptions, you can fly many craft categories. We have airliners, heavy jets, large jets, heavy cabin jets, light jets, small cabin jets, mid jets, midsize cabin jets, super mid jets, super-midsize cabin jets, turboprops, very light jets, and VIP airliners. Do you wish to find out how you can rent private jets to fly at your comfort & convenience? Here’s our detailed charter aircraft flight calculator!
Contact us for a private jet charter price quote, and we’ll help you book your charter today!
Tags: private jet companies, Cessna, private jet brands, private jets, private aircraft brands, bombardier, business aircraft brands, embraer, business aircraft companies, dassault, Airbus, Boeing, hawker, private jet manufacturers, gulfstream
