Click for Hawker Click for Cessna Click for Gulfstream Click for Bombardier Click for Embraer

New member looking for advice on private jet.

Discussion in 'Jet Aviation Discussion' started by Bespoke, Mar 20, 2014.

  1. Bespoke

    Bespoke New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2014
    Messages:
    3
    Ladies and Gentlemen,

    I am glad to be on this forum.

    Aviation is a new lair for me.

    I love doing things on my own I have been fortunate enough to have opportunity drove across 3 continents and climbed some.

    I am from North India and regular visitor to Europe and North America and not have decided to get my PPL in coming months and Looking to buy a jet my budget is $2 Million I am not looking for something big but something I can fly from India to Europe and further.

    Looking forward for comments and suggestion:)

    Please excuse if my question is naive.

    Thank you!
  2. JetForums

    JetForums Publisher/Admin

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2012
    Messages:
    1,497
    Hi Bespoke and welcome to JF...

    Take a look at the VLJ (Very Light Jets) category, such as Cessna's Mustang, Embraer’s Phenom 100 or the Eclipse 500. VLJs are small, economical jets approved for single-pilot operations and generally carry between four and six passengers. The VLJs have a fairly limited range - usually around 1,200 miles - so a trip from India to Europe would require 3 to 4 stops for fuel, depending on your departure point. If the United States is a destination, you would need to make another 4 stops reach New York based on a departure from Northern Europe.

    There are many options in the pre-owned market for longer range jets, such as Cessna's Citation, which can cover 1600 to 2000 miles depending on the model, i.e. CJ1, CJ2, CJ3, etc.

    Good luck in your search and let us know what you decide upon.
  3. Jet News

    Jet News JF News Editor Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2012
    Messages:
    17,699
    Yes VLJ's would be a good place to start. The D-Jet from Diamond might have been in the contention there coming in under your price point. Only thing is that Diamond suspended works on that VLJ.
  4. Bespoke

    Bespoke New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2014
    Messages:
    3
    Thank you for your replies and warm welcome.

    What do you think of used Hawker 400? Do they have good reputation?

    Best,
    Bespoke
  5. JetForums

    JetForums Publisher/Admin

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2012
    Messages:
    1,497
    Sorry for the delay. Away at a show today. The 400XP wouldn't be my first choice. They need to stretch their legs for takeoff or landing. Maintenance in Europe may be questionable and if FBO fuel prices weren't high enough, try refueling a 400XP. It has three refueling points and the aft tank requires a ladder!
  6. travler

    travler New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2012
    Messages:
    139
    the hawker/beech jet is very good it requires 2 pilots if you get a nextant conversion or a beech conversion they can go about 2300 nm if you take it up in to the 40000 plus range but it will cost a little more but the non converted hawker/beech is only good for about 1200 nm miles, a cj2plus on economy crusie will get you close two 1800nm at the cj 3 can get you about 2000 nm both the Cessna's are single pilot planes hope this helps

    travler
  7. VLJHSV

    VLJHSV New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2014
    Messages:
    1
    I was wondering the input on this. New Eclipse are going for $3M..Not sure how everyone feels about buying pre-own eclipse since they go from $800K to $1.5M for a mint one?
  8. gogglezon

    gogglezon Member

    Joined:
    May 6, 2013
    Messages:
    59
    Bespoke,

    If I were you, with a budget of only $2 million, I'd start crunching the fuel and operating cost numbers in a spreadsheet for some time before I did anything else. What many don't realize before they buy is that fuel plus operating and maintenance costs, over the period covering your engine's first overhaul, say the first 5,000 hours or about ten years of regular GA use, is very likely to dwarf even the initial purchase costs of a new small jet.

    For example, if you bought a $3.3 million Cessna Mustang the operating cost over 5000 hours will be more than 5 million on top, and as much as 8 million on top. Smaller and low-end performance jets are much more expensive to operate and own than to buy.

    If your budget is 2 million, you should have another two to three million available so you can actually fly it for the first five years or so.

    If you proceed with a secondhand jet, the Eclipse 500, upgraded to 550 standard, would be an excellent choice for both impressive performance but at far lower than normal operating costs. You won't find a cheaper twin-engine near-new very small jet.

    If you do buy secondhand, make sure the engines have a couple of thousand hours of life left before due for overhaul. The more life they have the more expensive the jet will be though, as it can cost half a million to bring them back to as-new overhauled condition.

    If you later try to sell the jet with engines that are almost due for an overhaul, buyers won't want it, no one wants to fork-out money to rebuild engines after a major purchase.

    I don't want to discourage your aspiration but personally, if I had only $2 million to buy a top-shelf aviation-mobility product, I'd forget about buying a jet (for now) and buy an IFR-ready FL250 capable Cessna Corvalis TTx 240 for ~$800k and invest the other million and start adding to it.
  9. Bespoke

    Bespoke New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2014
    Messages:
    3
    Thank you for your replies.

    It's been a year since I posted this question and my budget is more now I can spend upto $ 5 mil.

    A jet consultancy firm suggested a Gulfstream g100 to me for its range and speed I wonder what are the operational and maintance cost.

    What will be the other choices in this budget?

    Best,
    Bespoke