If you’re looking for a single pilot certified jet that can whisk you away on a variety of short flights – the CJ1 could be for you.

It’s built around five seats, furnished in leather and ivory, and includes an RH and LH executive table.

The CJ1 can hit 704 km/h and fly around for 2,750km. If you do fancy skipping those airport queues, Business Aviation Services are selling them for $2,490,000.

A firm in Oxford, United Kingdom has recently released plans for a hypersonic passenger airplane able to travel at speeds up to Mach 5 with a range of 20,000 km. Reaction Engines of Oxfordshire says the A2 plane could be in service within 25 years, carrying 300 passengers at a top speed of almost 4,000 mph, which is twice the speed of the Concorde. It would be able to reach Australia from Brussels Airport, Belgium non-stop in just five hours.

It is 143 meters (469 feet) long, which is approximately twice the length of the Airbus A380 and would be the first man-made object to cruise for extended periods at such speeds within the Earth’s atmosphere. Man-made aircraft have travelled this fast before; they, however, were inefficient rocket powered aircraft, that were only capable of short range.

The cost of a trip on the A2 is expected to be comparable with current first class tickets on standard flights, of around US$6,900 (£3,500), although it is possible prices will drop in the future.

“The A2 is designed to leave Brussels international airport, fly quietly and subsonically out into the north Atlantic at Mach 0.9 before reaching Mach 5 across the North Pole and heading over the Pacific to Australia,” said Alan Bond, the head of Reaction Engines.

Due to the heat generated in high-speed flight, the plane would have no windows. Instead, television screens connected to video cameras on the outside of the plane will be placed in front of passenger seats.

The jet may be more environmentally friendly than other plans because it uses liquid hydrogen for power rather than fossil fuel, and thus would not necessarily produce any pollution during the flight. The energy to produce the liquid hydrogen could come from anenvironmentally friendly source.

“Our work shows that it is possible technically; now it’s up to the world to decide if it wants it,” Bond said.

For a beautiful gift there is always a beautiful price. For $250,000 you and a special partner can enjoy a one of a kind training session in the blue sky’s above.  But the training session isn’t going to be the only thing that’s one of a kind, the aircraft you’ll be training in will be nothing of the ordinary.  The Icon A5, designed by the same team who created the X-Prize winning SpaceShipOne, is made of lightweight carbon fiber and features several James Bond-like touches including “spy-movie wings” that fold up, as well as the ability to touch down on land or water.  *Stanford Business Graduate Kirk Hawkins, founder of Icon is an accomplished engineer and former Air Force F-16 pilot oversaw the creation of the A5 Sport Aircraft.

This luxury aircraft is also features an incredible state-of-the-art GPS system and the best part about all of this is…(drumroll) you and that special partner get to enjoy receiving your FAA-certified Sport Pilot License during this experience.

Via www.ThePoshReview.com

Called the “Gulfstream G250,” the mid-range aircraft can travel 3,400 nautical miles at maximum operating speed of 0.85 Mach. The G250 is capable of climbing to a maximum altitude of 45,000 feet.

Featuring the largest cabin in its class, a larger lavatory, an improved galley and increased storage to ensure comfort to the passengers, the G250 also touts 19 panoramic windows and enhanced sound levels, together with a vacuum toilet system and in-flight access to 120 cubic feet of usable volume in the baggage compartment.

Scheduled to be launched in 2011, the aircraft combines state-of-the-art engineering with cutting-edge design for $24 million to $28 million, depending on the internal accessories. Check out the image gallery after the jump.

Not content with just owning Manchester City Football Club, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan has reportedly agreed to invest USD280 million in Sir Richard Branson’s space travel project, Virgin Galactic.

The Sheikh’s investment vehicle, Aabar Invesments, is set to spearhead the partnership where Aabar will be granted the rights to host Virgin Galactic tourism.

Already, plans are in motion to develop Abu Dhabi into a hub for science technology and space travel with USD100 million pumped towards launching satellites into space.

The Sheikh’s investment is a huge vote of confidence for Sir Richard, whose project has garnered attention from illustrious personalities such as Stephen Hawking. So far, an estimated 300 people have reserved seats on the pioneer tourist flight out into space to the tune of USD40 million in deposits.

The Swedes were reportedly the first to come up with the idea of a hotel in a plane with their Jumbo Hotel at the entrance to the Stockholm Arlanda Airport, which opened for “boarding” earlier this year.

Now, a Dutch entrepreneur has come up with his own version, which he named Honecker Hotel – a five-star hotel converted from a Russian aircraft.

According to the Daily Mail, Ben Thijssen chanced upon the Ilyushin 18 in the village of Harbke, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Equipped with four turboprop engines, the aircraft was one of former Soviet Union’s best known and widely popular airliner.

The aircraft that Thijssen snapped up for a bargain 25,000 euros, had served as a government aircraft for East German officials during the Cold War era, and was most recently a restaurant. He named his hotel after the East German leader Erich Honecker, who used the aircraft in the early 1960s.

After spending about $640,000 on renovations, the converted plane now sits on the airfield of Teuge Airport near Apeldoorn (east of Amsterdam) and boasts a whirlpool, sauna, bar, kitchen, flat-screen televisions, wireless Internet, and conference room for 15. The 40m long suite goes for 350 euros a night for two. Honecker Hotel will officially usher its first “passengers” on board come August 1.

The A700 AdamJet is revolutionizing the value proposition in the Very Light Jet (VLJ) business jet class by delivering exceptional performance and comfort at a fraction of the ownership cost.

The M400 Skycar is a personal vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (VTOL) that has been on the drawing board since the early 1960s. It seats four, gets 20 miles per gallon, has a maximum range of 750 miles, cruises comfortably at 275 mph, has a top speed of 375 mph, and elevates up to 30,000 feet. However, on land, at this time, it only travels around 30 to 35 mph. Although the M400 is a work in progress today, it is definitely part of tomorrow’s transportation picture.

Despite an FAA-certified model being more than four years away, Moller has received at least 100 purchase reservations to date. The M400’s revolutionary rotary engine, which runs on various types of fuel, is now being produced and marketed by Moller’s sister company, Freedom Motors.

When the M400 Skycar is ready for everyday usage, the small aircraft will be automated without a pilot. All occupants will be passengers only. So, no special FAA-issued license should be required to operate it. The FAA and NASA are currently working jointly to devise a safe methodology of managing heavy air traffic for smaller aircrafts. The few Skycars available now are being used for demonstrations and military applications. In limited production runs, the vehicle is expected to cost around $500,000. However, when the manufacturing volume increases, the price of the M400s is expected to be less than $100,000.

China’s Ministry of Public Security has arranged for an upcoming meeting with Moller International to learn more about the M400 Skycar’s overall capabilities. Did you know that China is the current world leader in the use of train-magnetic levitation? Trains in Shanghai today operating with this technology travel up to 268 mph.

Together with renowned partners Bulgari and Maybach, the highly anticipated third edition of Jet Rendez Vous will take place in Macau.
With just three days to go before the 2008 Macau Business Jet Rendez Vous, the eyes and expectations of the attending guests and partners from the jet industry are focused ever more intently on Macau.

Together with renowned partners Bulgari and Maybach, the highly anticipated third edition of Jet Rendez Vous will take place in Macau from 24 to 26 October in association with Asia’s leading private jet magazine, Jet Asia-Pacific, with epic casino resort MGM Grand Macau as the official host sponsor.

Highlighting the event’s pedigree, organizer Walter Wang from Jet Asia-Pacific Magazine attributes its continued success to its exclusivity. “An essential ingredient in the recipe for the success of the annual business Jet Rendez Vous is its exclusive dimension, representing sophistication in lifestyle and a unique focus on business aircrafts for high net worth individuals.”

The number of attending VIPs, industry leaders, trendsetting enthusiasts, as well as sponsors, is expected to exceed the last event, following the success of the previous edition.

Flown in exclusively via private jets to Macau, the VIPs will attend a glitzy opening cocktail and dinner. An impressive collection of business aircraft will be unveiled on the second day, complemented by a private jet workshop and helicopter demo flights.

The event will culminate in a gala dinner held in the Grande Praça of the MGM Grand Macau, offering a lavish setting and entertainment matched only by the luminescence of celebrities and socialites in attendance.

www.jetrendezvous.com

luxury lifestyle.com

The Hawker 4000 is capable of covering the distance between New York and London without needing to stopover for refueling. This wide range, amidst other features, has hitherto been lacking in other comparable-size business jets, and promises to set the 4000 apart from its peers.

Powered by two Pratt and Whitney Canada engines, which propels the jet to a top speed of 893 km/h (or 55 mph), the 4000 boasts advanced avionics in the form of Honeywall’s Primus EPIC integrated avionics system.

The jet’s fuselage is composed of three large pieces, versus more than 10,000 on other traditional business jets. Its carbon composite construction, the first composite jet to receive FAA certification, makes the aircraft lighter, corrosion-free and explains the impressive flight range, not to mention there’s now more room onboard.

The elegantly furnished 4000 can accommodate eight to twelve passengers comfortably. But if you’re thinking of adding one of these to complement your Gulfstream or Bombardier, you would have to brace yourself for a two-and-a-half-year waiting list.

http://www.hawkerbeechcraft.com

Darpa hopes it’s “Personal Air Vehicle Technology” project, announced yesterday, will ultimately lead to a working prototype of a military-suitable flying car — a two- or four-passenger vehicle that can “drive on roads” one minute and take off like a helicopter the next. The hybrid machine would be perfect for “urban scouting,” casualty evacuation and commando-delivery missions, the agency believes.

Flying cars have been a just-around-the-corner promise for decades, of course. Today, several companies swear that they are just on the verge of manufacturing such machines.  Terrafugia claims its folding wing mini plane will be ready to deliver by 2009. Pal-V has a three-wheeled gyrocopter thingy y. Urban Aeronautics promises to do the whole thing without any wings or rotors at all.  And let’s not even get into the personal flying saucers.

Darpa says its Cessna-sized combo vehicle should be able to cruise at 60 mph on land, and 150 mph in the air. It should be able to stay aloft for two hours on a tank of fuel. “The challenge,” the agency says, “is to define the major components of such a vehicle that would be suitable for military scouting and personnel transport missions, yet are small enough, inexpensive enough, and easy enough to operate that it can be widely used.”

To make the flying car work, Darpa believes, makers will have to use “morphing wings” to ease the transition from road to sky; “optimized disk loading” propulsion, “for the combined fly/drive mission”; and strong flight control software. Darpa isn’t making an enormous commitment to the flying car, just yet. This is a project aimed at small business; contracts of this type are typically under a million dollars per year. But maybe, with a small Pentagon push, the flying car dream could finally clear the ground.

[Image: via Xconomy]

Honda’s decision to expand sales of its advanced light jet to the rapidly growing European market is in response to strong demand for the aircraft from customers throughout the region. Offering class-leading performance, fuel efficiency, interior cabin space and cargo capacity, HondaJet is well suited to meet the needs of European business and personal light jet owners and operators.

“We are excited to initiate sales in Europe, where we have received a steady stream of inquiries from interested customers who will now have the opportunity to reserve delivery of a HondaJet,” said Michimasa Fujino, Honda Aircraft Company president and CEO. “We are committed to providing our customers with both a class-leading product and a sales and service support system that exceed their expectations for private jet ownership and travel.”

Honda recently expanded HondaJet sales throughout North America, announcing the establishment of a sales and service strategy for Mexico and Canada. “The expansion of HondaJet sales to Europe is an important step in the continued evolution of our business strategy, which seeks to address the extensive worldwide demand for HondaJet,” said Fujino.

Further details regarding the HondaJet European sales and service support strategy and delivery timing will be released by Honda on May 20, 2008, at EBACE.

With the selection of Albany, N.Y., as the location for its HondaJet East sales and service facility, Honda has completed the establishment of a nationwide U.S. sales and service infrastructure for HondaJet. Tallahassee, Fla. (HondaJet Southeast), Aurora, Ill. (HondaJet Midwest), Phoenix, Ariz. (HondaJet Southwest), and Salt Lake City, Utah (HondaJet Northwest) previously have been announced as HondaJet sales and service locations. Honda has established its U.S. sales and service network to provide unparalleled quality and convenience to HondaJet customers, with flight times for all customers to their nearest facility limited to 90 minutes or less.

Construction on all of the U.S. HondaJet sales and service facilities will begin in the near future, and completion is scheduled to coincide with the anticipated certification and first deliveries of HondaJet in 2010.

About HondaJet
Honda Aircraft Company began U.S. sales of the HondaJet in October 2006 and quickly amassed orders for well over 100 units. HondaJet is Honda’s first-ever commercial aircraft and lives up to the company’s reputation for dynamic performance together with superior efficiency, delivering class-topping cruise speed and fuel efficiency, greater luggage capacity and a more spacious cabin with seating for up to eight people, compared to other similarly sized jet aircraft. All major assembly and testing of the prototype HondaJet has been conducted at the company’s existing Greensboro, N.C., facility, which opened in 2001 as an extension of Honda’s global R&D operations.

Working closely with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Honda Aircraft Company anticipates its first test flight of a conforming model in early 2009, with the overall timetable calling for the achievement of type certification in 2010. The company is scheduled to begin deliveries of HondaJet to U.S. customers in 2010. European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification is being pursued concurrently with FAA certification.

All HondaJet customer deliveries will take place at Honda Aircraft Company’s new world delivery center, currently under construction along with its new world headquarters, R&D facility, and production plant at the Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina. The world headquarters and R&facility are scheduled for completion in summer 2008, with the production plant and delivery center scheduled for completion in late 2009.

Worldwide HondaJet pilot training will be conducted in partnership with Flight Safety International, which will include the development of a Level-D full-motion flight simulator for HondaJet. The first simulator will be installed at Honda Aircraft Company’s new headquarters facility. Additional training facilities will be established in the future as HondaJet sales continue to grow.

Thank You, Honda News Honda.com

You only realize that this is your executive jet when the captain asks you where you would like to be taken. You pinch yourself and then reply that the Maldives are quit spectacular this time of year……

Travel in the most luxurious aircraft money can buy. The Boeing Business Jet not only offers go-anywhere, go-anytime reliability, but three times the space of any other executive jet. A private office presents exceptional comfort when your entire team needs to be completely productive on the journey to global business destinations. For the frequent traveler the BBJ also offers a private suite with a queen size bed, a full size shower and dining area which matches any extravagant hotel suite.

The design’s functionality is based on the bi-level configuration of its seating modules, which enables the utilization of the otherwise empty overhead space in an aircraft cabin. . This kind of modular system will offer luxurious freedom without throwing its weight on the aircraft because the modules’ honeycomb structure enables the use of lighter materials Not exactly a luxury concept but then who said that comfort isn’t luxury?. With such well designed seating options, air-travelers can chuck their “crammed space woes” outside the aircraft’s cabin. Here’s for passengers to get a more comfortable flight, without their airfares skyrocketing.

Customized interior can be transformed into office space or comfortable lounge and even conference areas. The Global express has space for 8-16 passengers and offers a versatile and innovative experience whether your destination may be for business or leisure.

Details of the Russian production facility are still under study. The two parties are now working on finding a production site and figuring out how best to implement such a large effort. Helicopters produced off that line would be sold globally, not just in Russia and neighboring countries.

But the first step in the cooperation is a more straightforward helicopter purchase. AgustaWestland, Oboronprom and Loyd’s Investment have signed an agreement to sell several helicopters for use in Russian and Commonwealth of Independent States countries. The deal could reach a value of up to 450 million euros through 2012.

The helicopter package should see AgustaWestland sell two AW119s, two A109 Power, four Grand and two A319s medium helos this year. That initial increment is valued at 65 million euros.

Oboronprom also will market AgustaWestland production in Russia and most CIS states for a variety of roles. The region has a burgeoning oil and gas sector, where helicopters see heavy use, but also an increasing appetite for so-called VIP (very important person) transport.

The second step in the cooperation would see Oboronprom and AgustaWestland will set up maintenance centers to support the newly placed rotorcraft.

The agreement was inked at the first Moscow International Exhibition HeliRussia-2008 and builds on a letter of intent signed last year.

Photo: AgustaWestland

“Certainly there is no competition for the G650 now or in the immediate future,” said Joe Lombardo, Gulfstream Aerospace president, speaking to news media March 13 at the unveiling of a G650 model and cabin mockup at the company’s Savannah, Ga., facility.

“We see it as the first of the ‘ultra-ultra’ class—this stands for ultra large cabin and ultra long range.”

The G650 is slated to fly 7,000 nautical miles at 0.85 Mach, or 5,000 nm at 0.90 Mach—a significant improvement over the current Gulfstream flagship, the G550. The new design will have a maximum operating speed of 0.925—a hair faster than civil aviation’s current speed champion, the Cessna Citation X.

Lombardo said the G650 would be initially priced at $58.5 million, with service entry planned for 2012. While no launch customer was named, Lombardo sees immediate demand for 35 to 40 aircraft, and a new production facility in Savannah will accommodate a build rate of 90 aircraft per year.

Gulfstream is opting for conventional aluminum construction for most of the G650’s structure but with extensive use of metal bonding instead of riveting. Composite materials are planned for the winglets, tail section and other key components, however, with construction slated for Stork Fokker in The Netherlands.

Spirit Aerospace of Wichita, Kan., will build the G650 engine nacelle and wing, edging out longtime Gulfstream wing supplier Vought after an internal supplier competition. Wing sweep was increased six degrees over the G450/550 to produce the higher Mach range; wing area was also expanded to preserve the G550’s 120-knot approach speed.

G650 will also be the first Gulfstream to offer a fly-by-wire flight control system with envelope protection (alpha limiting)—features already in wide use aboard Dassault Falcon business jets, Airbus airliners, and numerous military aircraft.

Not only will the G650 retain Gulfstream’s signature elliptical fuselage windows; they will be 16 percent larger and more numerous (two more) on the new aircraft. “Our customers said, ‘whatever you do, don’t get rid of those windows,’” said Pres Henne, Gulfstream’s senior vice president of programs, engineering, and test.

G650 power will come from a pair of Rolls-Royce BR725 turbofans; a family of new engines in the 16,000-pound thrust class. First test runs of the BR725 are expected within a month, Gulfstream said, and plans are to produce the engine at the Rolls-Royce Germany plant near Berlin.

Honeywell will debut its PlainView II cockpit on the G650; enhancements include four 14-inch, adaptive, liquid crystal displays, three PlaneBook computer tablets, a smaller pedestal, and automatic three-dimensional radar. G650 will also have enhanced vision (EVS II), synthetic vision and a pilot’s side head-up display.

By Paul J. Richfield
www.aopa.org

Working closely with the FAA, Honda Aircraft Company anticipates its first test flight of a conforming model in early 2009, with the overall timetable calling for the achievement of type certification in 2010. The company will begin deliveries of HondaJet to customers in 2010.

All HondaJet customer deliveries will take place at Honda Aircraft Company’s new world delivery center, currently under construction along with its new world headquarters, R&D facility and production plant at the Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina. The world headquarters and R&D facility are scheduled for completion in summer 2008, with the production plant and delivery center to be completed in late 2009.

Worldwide HondaJet pilot training will be conducted in partnership with Flight Safety International, which will include the development of a Level-D full-motion flight simulator for HondaJet. The first simulator will be installed at Honda Aircraft Company’s new headquarters facility. Additional training facilities will be established in the future as HondaJet sales continue to grow.

world.honda.com

This suggested price on something like this is 7,000,000.00 US.