You’re reading the 6th issue of Biz Jet Buzz 🛩️🐝 written since the dawn of time.

This is the business aviation newsletter that educates and entertains in equal doses.

Get smarter about the business jet market and enjoy the process. What’s not to like?

Whatta we got this month:

• 🌎 What’s a Midsize Jet and why are some ‘SUPER’?

• 🤑 The new kid on the block eyes up the lunch money.

• 🧭 Biz Jet Buzz Market Index - Balance is being restored.

• 📊 Jet Market Monday: Gulfstream G550 | G200 | Challenger 605 | 650

• 🗞️ Biz Av News - Gulfstream Starts G400 Testing

• 🌵AI Jet of the Month - Brotherly love, they’re back baby!

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Only a 1% Increase in Light inventory?! Medium stays the same and Heavy drops 1%!

Have we reached equilibrium? A market balance? 🤯

Have Supply & Demand met in the middle of the floor for a slow dance? 💃🏻🕺🏻

What’s a Midsize Jet?

The term ‘Midsize’ is used to categorize certain jet types. But there’s also ‘Super-Midsize’! What’s so super about those?

The ‘Medium’ category I report on every month encapsulates both. It’s broad with a wide variety of capability and comfort.

So, asking me for a Midsize Jet is like asking me to grab you some chocolate Ben & Jerry’s. There are 33 chocolate Ben & Jerry’s flavours. I checked.

And that’s the topic here… no, not ice cream…Midsize & Super Midsize Jets, or simply Medium Jets to cover both.

Jets are categorised based on their size, range, passenger capacity and comfort level.

But it’s not an exact science, which can drive someone who likes to put things in defined boxes insane! 🤪

It can be difficult to categorize certain models. Take Embraer’s Legacy 600/650.

It’s a large jet seating 13 passengers over 3 cabin zones - Heavy Jet territory. Most Super-Mids have 2 zones.

It was developed as an airliner first, the ERJ-135. Then Embraer decided to stick a VIP interior in it. You’ve probably flown on an ERJ. Many airlines use them as regional jets.

And there’s your clue… it’s a regional jet. It can only do around 3,800 nm and therefore is classed as ‘Super-Midsize’.

Stepping down a notch into Midsize, you’re looking at lighter jets with less range and less cabin volume, aka comfort.

Cessna’s Citation Sovereign is a good example. This can seat 8/9 passengers over 2 zones and can do 2,700 nm - Midsize.

The upgraded model, the Sovereign+ can do just over 3000 nm. So, does that make it a Super-Mid?

Some might argue yes. But even with the dropped aisle, you can’t stand up unless you’re shorter that 5’6”. Therefore, I say no. It’s a Midsize.

What about the Citation X? Btw, that’s a roman numeral ten, not an ‘X’.

The cabin is almost identical to the Sovereign, but it goes 500 nm further, at record breaking speed! Starting to sound super… right?

What do you think ? Should we put the X in the Super-Mid bucket? Again, some might argue yes. I say no, but it’s close.

What about Bombardier’s Challenger 650? Now… this is definitely a Super-Mid.

For starters it does 4,000 nm. Plus, the cabin is super wide, super tall and the floor is flat. Even if you’re 6’2” you’re standing tall.

But it’s a short cabin with only 2 zones keeping it firmly in the Super-Mid category.

To conclude: When you see the word ‘Super’ preceding ‘Midsize’, you should expect a jet that can do around 4,000 nm and has stand-up cabin.

You’re welcome to call the Sovereign a Super-Mid, as long as you appreciate that when it comes to range and comfort, it’s not quite as super as the jets to the right of it below.

There’s has a new kid on the block! A jet I’m personally very excited about.

He’s currently in kindergarten, but next year he’s in the big boy schoolyard where I suspect he’ll be stealing lunch money and giving wedgies.

Yes, it’s the all-new Gulfstream G400. 🛩🤩

Gulfstream is touting it as a “Large Cabin” aircraft, and it is. It’s almost in a class of it’s own with a 2.5 zone wide cabin, the same cross section as the G500/G600.

Large cabin, yes, however, it competes hard in the Super-Mid space. In particular against the Challenger 650, Praetor 600 and Falcon 2000LXS.

Flight testing began last month. Demos should begin next year with the first delivery in 2026-ish.

That not a unicorn horn btw. It’s a probe taking readings from the ‘freestream’ air, the air unaffected by the jet. It’s measuring temperature, pressure, angles of attack, acceleration and more.

All the data you need to dynamically test and certify an aircraft, which Gulfstream is pedal to the metal on right now.

Gulfstream, good luck with testing. ☘️ We can’t wait!

If you’ve taken anything away from this newsletter, it should be that there are a hell of a lot of jet models now, with their variants, and variants of variants and more in development.

Each jet designed for a particular mission. Whether it’s 16 passengers crossing the Atlantic or 4 passengers over the Irish Sea, there’s a jet to do it as efficiently as possible.

Figuring out which jet is best suited to your mission and budget requires effort. Scanning the market to find the best one takes considerably more. I know because I do it everyday.

Speaking to a jet broker/dealer who knows his/her stuff and has access to a large inventory of jets is the smartest and easiest way to go about it.

That leaves you free to make the moolah to pay for it. 💸

And of course… to live the buzz! 🐝

Colin

I'm Colin, I help jet owners and corporates upgrade, sell or find the perfect jet as part of a global team of aviation experts.

If you’re enjoying this, pay me back by forwarding to a friend or colleague.

Biz Jet Buzz Market Index

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