The business aviation sector saw unprecedented demand in 2021 for pre-owned aircraft. According to business jet, regional aircraft and helicopter specialist ALTEA’s Jean Sémiramoth and Robin Dunlop, the current sales landscape is still a seller’s market and there has also been an uptick in prices.
In addition, the vibrant market features new long-range models and greater comfort. By 2025, in just a seven-year period, Gulfstream will have certified and put into service no less than five new models: the G500, G600, G700, G800 and G400.
Regarding Dassault Aviation’s launch of the 7,500 nm range Falcon 10X, Sémiramoth said: “The Falcon 10X simply aims at redefining standards in the ultra-long-range business jet arena with the widest cabin in the segment and a myriad of innovative features such as an auto-recovery mode, a smart throttle as the primary power control, dual head-up displays certified as primary flight displays and pilot seats with full-recline capability to enable single-pilot operation in cruise. Meanwhile, the Beechcraft Denali, the Falcon 6X and the ACJ TwoTwenty all made their first flights in 2021, paving the way for their entry into service between 2022 and 2023.”
As for which light to super mid-size jets are the next aircraft types to watch, ALTEA observes that Bombardier unveiled the Challenger 3500, a revamp of the Challenger 350, whilst Textron introduced upgrades to the Citation M2, XLS+ and CJ4, dubbed the M2 Gen2, XLS Gen2 and CJ4 Gen2.
When it comes to the launch of an original design in these categories, surprisingly, the first move may come from HondaJet, which unveiled its concept for a transcontinental light jet, the HondaJet 2600. Textron may also surprise the industry with something entirely new in the near future.
Completions and design
ALTEA’s Design Partner Robin Dunlop says the completions and design front saw an active market in 2021, despite supply chain issues. “To some extent the pandemic has led to increased MRO activities with the storage of aircraft and owners taking advantage of the downturn in flying to bring bigger maintenance checks forward,” he said.
The ALTEA design team unveiled a custom Global 7500 interior in the autumn and jumped in with Bombardier on their Global 7500 tour, meeting up with the aircraft and potential customers in Stockholm.
Dunlop said: “As aircraft interiors seek to become more ‘things’ to their owners, ALTEA believes the simplicity and good practice of the industrial design process will be key to future interior schemes, especially as the private jet ownership becomes more accessible to younger aircraft owners who bring a natural awareness towards more design-savvy requirements.”
He noted that ALTEA is also investigating the eVTOL market and what implications urban mobility will have on business aviation, design trends and aircraft ownership.
“This niche area of innovation seems awash with investors keen to take a punt on what ‘vehicle’ or technology will become the mainstay for the future,’ he said. “The truth is that it will be slower than people want and no doubt a hybrid of several innovations and alternative power sources. In the immediate future, sustainable aircraft fuel will play a bigger part in the aviation industry than perhaps many first thought.”
The outlook for design and completion in 2022 in ALTEA’s view will undoubtedly continue to grow so long as the aircraft are there to convert. However, one area which may be of particular interest to watch is the increase in luxury hotel and ‘air-cruising’ market.
Such markets can utilise an array of aircraft platforms from older widebodies such as Boeing 767s to reposition and reconfigure aircraft previously thought of as regional jets – the Embraer E2, for example – to create a niche between a first-class airline experience and private jet charter.
