Very light jets and the future of affordable air travel

¶ … Light Jets (VLJ). Specifically, it will discuss what this new class of planes is, and what impact they could have on air travel in the United States. The VLJ is targeted primarily to smaller companies needing air travel, air taxi service operators, and higher income individuals tired of airline travel. Some experts feel the VLJ may revolutionize the way many people travel by making commercial air travel obsolete. It seems VLJs are the wave of the future, and the next generation of air travelers may have completely different experiences where and when they fly.

Very Light Jets are a new class of smaller, more affordable private jets that are just now beginning to hit the market. These low cost private jet aircraft typically seat six passengers and require only one pilot to operate them, compared to larger, more expensive jets on the market. Many experts believe this new jet class will eventually make private air travel more affordable to both companies and private individuals. Many predict a boom in aircraft sales and travel as the jets become better known.

Background of Very Light Jets

Very Light Jets (sometimes called "microjets") have been in development by several companies for many years. In the 1990s, NASA began discussing utilizing smaller, general aviation and rural airports to add to the network of large airports that serve the nation. They advocated using small passenger planes as "air taxis" between these smaller airports to help streamline travel and bypass the bottlenecks at most major airports in the country. The VLJs are one response to this NASA idea.

Very Light Jets could become a revolution in air travel if they really catch on. One writer defines the jets this way, "By definition, a VLJ is generally considered an aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight below 10,000 lb. And certified for single-pilot operations" (Croft, 2006, p. 33). In addition, they are configured so they can be flown by only one pilot, and they can take off from runways as short as 3,000 feet, which means they can service many more small airports than current business-class jets. They are expected to bring affordable and high-speed air travel to the industry, and to open up the business of air taxi fleets that NASA has been promoting since the 1990s.

The Difference Between VLJs, Propeller Aircraft, and Business Jets

There are several key differences between the VLJs. First are foremost is cost. Their price range runs from under $1 million to around $3 million, while business-class jets can cost upwards of $45 million for long-range jets such as the Gulfstream 550 (Croft, 2006, pg. 33). Even low-end business jets cost about twice as much as the VLJs. Second, they are lighter in weight than business jets, with a take-off weight of under 10,000 pounds, while business jets are all over 10,000 pounds take off weight. They also are much more cost-efficient than larger jets, so they give the promise of more profits for their owners. They can cruise higher and faster than propeller-driven aircraft, and while they do cost more than prop planes, such as the Cessna 175, they offer many more features, and so, could be extremely attractive to the owner-operator in addition to small jet taxi and other commercial services.

Disadvantages of VLJs

While some aviation experts tout the Very Light Jets as an aviation revolution waiting to happen, others are not so sure. One of the major disadvantages of at least some of the VLJs is the lack of a lavatory. The Eclipse 500 has no lavatory on board, and the Cessna's emergency lavatory is located between the cockpit and the cabin. The Adam A700 has a lavatory, and uses that as a selling feature for its planes. In addition, while costs are far lower than business-class planes, it is expected that costs to passengers will be the same or more as first-class tickets on commercial airlines, thus putting VLJ travel out of the reach of many American travelers.

The Players

Several companies are in the process of developing different versions of the VLJ. Only one has successfully received full certification from the FAA and delivered a fully certified jet, and that is Cessna, based in Wichita Kansas. The FAA certified their Citation Mustang in late 2006 by the FAA and certified it for "known icing conditions" as well. The first Mustang was delivered in late November 2006 to a management group in Fresno California. Two other aircraft companies are close behind Cessna in development and certification. In the $3 million price range, the Mustang has a range of 1,500 miles, seats six, and can cruise at 41,000 feet at 340 knots (Croft, 2006, pg. 36). The first operator to take delivery is an air taxi firm hoping to establish service in California.

The Eclipse 500, built by Eclipse Aviation in Albuquerque, New Mexico was scheduled for delivery before the first Cessna Mustang, but delays in production pushed the first delivery back to January 2007. The FAA certified the plane about three weeks after Cessna received certification, but has not certified it for "known icing conditions," which means each plane will have to be individually certified until the company receives this certification. The plane has a range of 1,125 miles and can cruise at 370 knots.

The Adam Aircraft A700 is being produced in Denver, Colorado, and has not delivered a plane yet. The company expects the $2.25 million dollar craft should be certified by the FAA sometime this year, and delivery of their backordered jets could begin soon afterward. The A700 seats seven and has a real lavatory with a privacy curtain. The A700 has a 1,200-mile range and cruises at 340 knots.

In addition to these three major companies producing VLJs, there are numerous other models underdevelopment and in the planning stages. Some of the jets closest to full development are the HondaJet and the PiperJet. Some industry experts predict 20,000 or more of these jets will come online in the next ten years, while others believe far fewer numbers are more reasonable.

Magnum Jet is one of the major companies starting up jet service with a fleet of VLJs. Their model of choice is the Adam Aircraft A700. Magnum chose the A700 because it has more cabin space and a lavatory. Magnum is a partnership between Million Air, an operator of terminals and facilities at numerous general aviation airports. Magnum's business plan is to make routes available between select, underserved markets. They are calling their service an "air limousine" service, where a corporate team or group needs to make a trip quickly and reliably. The Magnum jets will serve select city-pairs that have poor commercial flight options (Sharkey, 2006).

DayJet, on the other hand, plans to sell single seats to frustrated air travelers who no longer fly on trips of 250 to 500 miles - they choose to drive instead. DayJet believes they can identify and market effectively to these travelers, serving "regional route sectors -- starting in Texas and the Southwest, eventually expanding to the New York area south to Florida, and then to the Pacific coast" (Sharkey, 2006). This air taxi service plans to use Eclipse 500 planes, and are awaiting delivery of the planes to begin service.

Neither of these operators has begun regular service because the planes seem to be coming off the assembly lines more slowly than anticipated. DayJet's delivery of Eclipse 500's has been slowed due to delays in production and certification. Therefore, no one knows how these air taxi services will ultimately affect airport traffic and air travel. The public may embrace this new mode of travel with open arms, or it may not welcome it at all.

The Impact of VLJs

While it is impossible to predict the ultimate impact of VLJs on the aviation world, there are many speculations about how they will revolutionize air travel for business and pleasure.

While many experts believe VLJs could transform air travel, others are not so sure. One aviation writer quotes aviation expert Richard Aboulafia, "He predicts deliveries of 1,265 VLJs over the next 10 years, 17% of the 7,417 new aircraft delivered. Aboulafia says VLJs will account for less than 2% of the $106.7 billion in total value of aircraft delivered over the period" (Croft, 2006, pg. 33). Since the air taxi services and other models for utilizing these jets have not yet been implemented, it is difficult to gauge how the public will react to these jets. However, many experts believe they could be the answer to America's growing problem with overcrowding at the nation's busiest airports.

One aviation author notes that the Joint Planning & Development Office (JPDO) predicts increases in travel demands by 2025. He notes, "JPDO projects a range of outcomes by year 2025 that can include increases in demand to a level of up to 3X times the number of operations in today's current National Airspace System (NAS)" (Robinson, 2006). This means the system would be drastically overloaded, and the probability of accidents and other emergencies would certainly rise. This also means that some kind of alternative must be developed to help alleviate overcrowding at major airports. VLJs, if they utilize smaller, rural airports near metropolitan centers, could help alleviate the overcrowding at major airports. However, there are worries that utilizing even these rural airports could have lasting affects on the overall NAS.

One area of concern is air traffic control (ATC). Author Robinson continues, "FAA and other air traffic management experts are also concerned about the possible impact of VLJs on the ATC system" (Robinson, 2006). Robinson and others concede that with the current system, the addition of several thousand VLJs in service at any given time could throw the current ATC system into "gridlock." However, he maintains that the FAA has known about this eventual overcrowding of the ATC system for years, and needs to revamp the system into something more modern that can grow as air transportation grows. He believes this will occur in the mid-21st century, and that the system will be able to handle additional VLJs in the meantime, as long as the numbers do not rise dramatically.

However, many argue that the worry over congestion at major airports simply does not hold water. Author Robinson believes that the very service VLJs will provide preclude it from utilizing large metropolitan airports. He notes, "The VLJ business model is based on providing convenient, personal point-to-point services through non-congested airports. VLJ passengers will be time sensitive and convenience-minded, and they will use VLJs precisely to avoid the hassles associated with large hubs" (Robinson, 2006). In addition, the planes' design allows them to utilize very short runways (as short at 3,000 feet), which also allows them access to many more small airports. They are designed to stay away from large airports, and increase the usage of underused airports away from the big metropolitan areas, and so, it seems worries about addition congestion are simply unfounded.

Robinson maintains that even if the aircraft do eventually immigrate to hub airports, they will be able to keep up with the "big guys" because of their advanced avionics and pilot training. Some worry they will clog the system because they are slower than other planes and the pilots are less experienced. However, rather than inhibiting traffic flow and mobility, they will be able to blend seamlessly into the traffic flow without disruption or delays.

In conclusion, the introduction of VLJs into the nation's transportation system is certainly going to change the way many people travel. They may appeal to business travelers at first, who often must make last-minute travel decisions and need speedy and efficient options for their travel. However, once the point-to-point system becomes known, it seems that it would appeal to just about any traveler who is tired of the congestion and time delays associated with commercial airline travel. More travelers may see the expense of an air taxi as a necessity rather than a luxury, because of the time and stress saved by this method of travel. It remains to be seen how the VLJ market will affect travel and transportation, but it seems poised to truly change the face of the way the world gets around in the skies.