Highlights of Business Aviation in 2015

Business Aviation 2015: the main events

First flight tests of Pilatus Business Jet

May 11, 2015 Swiss company Pilatus Aircraft has begun to perform flight tests of its first business jet – PC-24. Business Jet Pilatus Aircraft PC-24 can fly to the distance of 3,600 km and can be used at short, including groundwater, bands. Certification and the first deliveries of the aircraft are scheduled for 2017.

 

First flight of Falcon 8X

February 6, 2015 French heavy business jet Dassault Falcon 8X has made its first flight. Dassault Falcon 8X is an elongated version of the popular Falcon 7X business jet. Unlike its predecessor, which flies to 925 km, the new business jet has a maximum range of 11,945 km. Its certification is scheduled for the summer of 2016.

 

 

Certification of Cessna Citation Latitude

At the beginning of June 2015, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued the type certificate for the middle class business jet Cessna Citation Latitude. In August 2015, the manufacturer began the first deliveries of the aircrafts. The flight distance of Cessna Citation Latitude is 5278 km.

 

New Cessna Citation

In mid-November 2015, Cessna Aircraft has announced the development of a new, very roomy family aircraft Citation – Hemisphere. It is assumed that the business jet, calculated to carry up to 12 passengers, will be able to cover the distance up to 8334 km. Flight tests of the Cessna Citation Hemisphere due to begin in 2019.

 

First presentation of  Falcon 5X

June 2, 2015 a prototype of the super fundamentally new twin-engine Dassault Falcon 5X business jet was demonstrated to the general public for the first time. The flight range of the aircraft should reach 9630 km. It was assumed that the flight tests Falcon 5X will begin this summer, but they had to be postponed due to difficulties with the engines.

 

Embraer Legacy 450 Certification

August 12, 2015 a medium class business jet Embraer Legacy 450 received the type certificate of the Brazilian aviation authorities. The first aircraft was handed over to customers during the second half of December. Capacity of  Embraer Legacy 450 is nine passengers. It may fly a distance of 4630 km.

 

HondaJet Certification

 December 9, 2015 the US-based company Honda Aircraft has received the American Type Certificate for a light business jet HondaJet HA-420. The deliveries of HondaJet began in late December 2015. Honda Business Jet is capable to fly at a distance of 2185 km. A distinctive feature of the aircraft is the location of the jet engines on pylons above the wing.

The first order for a supersonic business jet

In the second half of November 2015 the American company Flexjet is the first customer, make an order for advanced supersonic Aerion AS2 business jets, developed in the United States. In total the company has ordered 20 aircrafts of catalog value of $ 2.4 billion. Their delivery is expected to begin in 2023. The cuising speed of Aerion AS2 will be approximately 1.5M (1836 km/h), and the flight range is about 8800 km.