Buyers' Guide

Give your cabin a facelift
August 1, 2009
“Eighteen months ago, there was some overpricing. Now, it’s a buyer’s market
Many individuals and corporations are deciding to keep the jets they have rather than upgrade. Others are taking advantage of a weak market to buy used models at bargain prices. For those in either camp, interior refurbishment offers an economical way to extend the life of an aging cabin.
Completion and Refurbishment Centers
August 1, 2009
Despite the recent public flogging of owners of private jets for allegedly engaging in wretched excess, we suspect that cabin completion and refurbishment centers have yet to meet an owner who wants a cabin with Naugahyde seats, paper plates and plastic champagne glasses.
Getting Connected
August 1, 2009
If you crave having worldwide access to e-mail after takeoff, there's really only one choice: Inmarsat's mobile satellite communications services. Well, actually, there are two choices, both from Inmarsat: Swift64 and SwiftBroadband. Swift64 provides download data transmission speeds of 64 kilobits per second (kbps) per channel maximum.
The major airplane manufacturers at a glance
August 1, 2009
Fewer than a dozen airplane manufacturers account for the vast majority of business jets and turboprops being built today. Here are the key facts about each of those manufacturers, including data on their parent companies, their 2008 business aircraft sales and the models they offer.
Business Jet Market Update
August 1, 2009
Cessna has suspended development of the Citation Columbus, but its other new
While the recession has certainly affected business jet manufacturers, only one aircraft program has been suspended so far: Cessna's large-cabin Citation Columbus.
Cabin Electronics Manufacturers
August 1, 2009
For years, the goal of cabin electronics manufacturers has been to offer passengers the same level of communication, connectivity and entertainment that they'd enjoy at home or in the office. That goal has never been closer to reality.
Registering your aircraft
August 1, 2008
A country’s aviation authority issues an aircraft’s registration “number,” al
Registering your aircraft in the U.S. is a seemingly minor paperwork item that you may not think about during the heady hunt for a business jet. But unless the registration is properly handled, that aircraft you buy might not be legal to fly.
Putting a roof over your wings
July 1, 2008
Managing construction of a hangar or leasing an existing one isn't as easy as you might think. You may face obstacles ranging from local zoning laws to FAA regulations to insurer mandates. Here's what you need to consider.
Factory fresh or preowned
July 1, 2008
The higher price of preowned aircraft may drive some buyers to consider model
After carefully analyzing your travel patterns, budget and a host of other factors, you've concluded that you need an aircraft. Now comes a decision that can be at least as tough: Should you buy new or used?
Editor's Desk: Peeling the onion
July 1, 2008
"Peeling the onion" is such an overused metaphor that I hesitate to repeat it here. But it suits private air travel so well that I simply can't resist.

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Quote/Unquote

“You want to make sure with a race in which you'll be flying home with other drivers that you don't crash into them. It's happened before, and it can make for a little bit of a tense situation.”

-Racecar driver Helio Castroneves