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FEATURE BUSINESS AS USUAL
The Falcon 8X offers ultra-long
range, with the ability to fly 6,450
nm (11,945 km) non-stop at M.80. It
has a cabin 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) high,
2.34 m (7 ft 8 in) wide and 13 m (42
ft 8 in). The tri-jet is powered by
three PW307D engines delivering
6,722 lbs of thrust each
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the new global marketplace. With eight up in Europe, and the turboprop market in
passengers and three crew, the Falcon 8X China is doing well,” he notes. “Still, the U.S.
will be capable of flying 6,450 nm (11,945 km) continues to dominate growth in the market.”
non-stop at M.80 and will be able to connect Textron Aviation Cessna’s first Citation
Beijing with New York; Hong Kong with Longitude prototype is nearing completion
London and Shanghai with Los Angeles. and is scheduled to fly this summer. The new
The aircraft will feature a cabin 1.88 m super-midsize jet is expected to receive
(6 ft 2 in) high, 2.34 m (7 ft 8 in) wide and 13 FAA certification and enter service in the
m (42 ft 8 in) long and offer customers the second half of next year. The aircraft is one
most diverse selection of cabin layouts on of a trilogy of larger aircraft for the company
the market -- more than 30 configurations and follows the midsize Citation Latitude.
in all. It will be available in three galley sizes, The company will follow with a large-cabin
two with a crew-rest option. Operators will jet, the Citation Hemisphere, announced at
have an extensive selection of passenger the National Business Aviation Association
seating areas of varying lengths capable convention in November.
of supporting different lavatory layouts,
including a lavatory with shower. More Players
The Falcon 8X will be equipped with Other companies are also putting their best
three PW307D engines delivering 6,722 foot forward in 2016.
lbs of thrust each – a 5 per cent increase Boeing is developing a business class of
compared to the PW307A that powers the its commercial aircraft, the Boeing Max 8 and
Falcon 7X. Combined with improvements to Boeing Max 9. The first BBJ Max was ordered
wing design, the new power plant will make in 2014.
the 8X up to 35 per cent more fuel efficient “We would be very happy if we could sell
than any other aircraft in the ultra-long range two or three aircraft every year into China,”
segment and offer a significant decrease in hopes Boeing Business Jets President David
community noise and NOx emissions. Longridge.
“As the flight testing and certification Boeing notes that it has not suffered
campaign nears completion, production from the slowdown in the Chinese market
and support activities are moving into high experienced by other manufacturers of
gear. Falcon 8X s/n 21 recently entered final business aircraft since 2013. “It is a steady
assembly in Bordeaux-Merignac and six market,” Longridge says.
airplanes are now in completion in Little Three BBJs, based on the 737-700 airliner,
Rock,” the spokesman adds. were delivered last year to customers in
Dassault is also expected to fly its large- Greater China.
cabin Falcon 5X in 2016. Boeing Business Jets counts 24 of its
aircraft in service in Greater China. That does
Textron Aviation (Cessna) not include 12 government aircraft, according
Textron Aviation saw slightly higher jet and to the company.
turboprop deliveries in the first quarter, Similarly, Airbus also has announced
shipping 34 Citations and 26 Kings Airs, up that it has landed its first Asian customer
one each from the same period a year ago. for the ACJ319neo aircraft. Airbus’ ACJ319
The U.S. accounted for approximately 80 per is one of the most popular members of its
cent of jet and about half of the turboprop corporate jet family, combining the widest
shipments, Textron chairman and CEO Scott and tallest cabin of any business jet with
Donnelly told investors, though he expects intercontinental range.
the international component for jets to “China is a strategic market for Airbus
increase somewhat throughout the year. Corporate Jets, and will remain a strategic
According to Donnelly, the business market for years to come,” says an Airbus
aircraft market is “pretty good” so far this spokesman.
year, noting that the momentum seen in the Needless to say, the year ahead
segment last year “took a pause” between will be exciting nonetheless full of new
January and March but is back on track from developments.
April. “We’re starting to see momentum pick
MAY / JUNE 2016 ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE 21