As the name suggests, light jets are the smallest type of private jets that you can opt for. The best choice for regional destinations, light jets combine the luxury that comes with private jets with a more budget-conscious approach. For people who want to tear through the fabric of the clouds with minimal staff and cost while still retaining the level of privacy that comes with owning an aircraft, light jets are simply the way to go. These small business jets can hold 4-8 people and are approved for single-pilot operation. The weight range for these jets goes up to 20,000 pounds maximum takeoff weight. This category was pioneered in the 50s by trailblazers like the Morane-Saulnier MS.760 Paris and has slowly formed a solid market share in the larger private jet market. In fact, the number of Very Light Jets sold in 2021 eclipsed the number sold in 2019. If a pandemic could not curb the rising popularity of light jets, then nothing will.
Economy-Sized Luxury.
While light jets are much lighter on the wallet with an estimated cost range of $2000 to $3500 per hour, they certainly don’t compromise on the luxury that people have come to expect with private jets. The custom leather seat that you will comfortably lounge in will make sure that the experience is without a single tingling vibration that will ever reach your body. The premium seats’ swivel and ‘reclinability’ will blow you away with their inch-perfect movements. All in all, the goal of providing comfort and luxury remains uncompromised even with a fraction of the cost.
A Jet and a Pilot. That’s All You Need.
The ability to be operated with minimal staff gives light jets a big one up on their heavier cousins. If you yourself know how to commandeer a jet, the only person who needs to be in the cabin is yourself only. Imagine flying close to the speed of sound without another soul on board. The whole idea reeks of sheer ‘Steve Mcqueen-ness’. As an added benefit, that helps to keep the cost extremely low compared with jets that require more people to run them. If you’re the kind of person for whom privacy is of the utmost importance, light jets are the answer for you.
Ideal for greater access.
For people who like to visit island paradises or mountainous regions, light jets become a necessity. In places where a smaller airport is available, larger aircraft can’t land because of their requirement for a longer runway. This allows light jets to have greater access to tropical destinations as they can land on a runway that is only 3100-3400 feet long. While their lesser range might prove to limit the places where you can fly to, their shorter runway length requirement allows them to ‘unlock’ airport runways that would not have been accessible for larger jets. Light jets are perfect for you if you like to take the airways less traveled.
Flying on the cutting edge
A gradual shift towards lighter aircrafts in the recent past has led to technological breakthroughs that have redefined what a light jet can do. The Embraer Phenom 300, the torchbearer of the light business jet revolution is the single fastest single-pilot aircraft in production. A top speed of 0.80 Mach is probably the fastest any man can fly alone without going into fighter jet territory. Everything from the carbon fiber interior to sophisticated stitching design means that light jets are no slouches when it comes to the attention to detail that people have come to expect with private jets.
Great range
People don’t want the limiting factor of low ranges that have plagued light jets for so long. It is perhaps one of the only true dealbreakers that exist with light jets. However, some aircraft have proven that high range and a low price are not mutually exclusive. On the top of this list would be the Bombardier Learjet 36A. A staggering range of over 2800 nautical miles puts it far ahead of the competition in its weight class. In general, there are several light jets that offer higher ranges which become a great deal for the price.
Low price, high altitude.
Perhaps the biggest advantage of opting for a light jet is simply the price. Costing an average of $2 million to $9 million, these prices are a far cry from the heavier jets which will cost exponentially more all the while still essentially doing the same job. A new Embraer Phenom 300E will cost a little less than $9 million, but it possesses features that are absent even in some medium-sized aircraft. When taking along larger groups of 6-8 people, light jets actually start to compare more favorably to first-class travel in terms of price. A first-class ticket from Miami to New York will cost in excess of $1300 while a light jet trip with 8 people will cost somewhere around $16,000 in total. That’s only $2000 per passenger. For paying a few hundred dollars in excess, you get to leave whenever you want to and enjoy a truly unique experience with your closest friends and family 41,000 feet in the air!
Bespoke experience
Just because your jet might be smaller does not mean that you don’t get the luxury treatment. Light jets are pet friendly as well. So, say goodbye to the number of times you had to lock away your dog in the cargo hold knowing that the sheer trauma of being in the dark for many hours will not only weigh on your beloved pet but yourself as well. Private jets have the customer at the center of the experience. Custom seating arrangements make sure that your journey is tailored to the requirements of the passengers on board.
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