The 5 Best Very Light Jets for First-Time Buyers

Flying privately grants travelers the ultimate flexibility and luxury. The private aviation industry has shown increasing growth over the years. Private jet operators, either using their own aircraft or flying through a charter company, have seen flight hours increase over the years.

Specifically, the industry saw a large jump in private jet operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many business executives and wealthy travelers wanted to continue traveling without worrying about social distancing. As the COVID-19 pandemic ended, many of these wealthy travelers went back to commercial airlines. However, numerous travelers who began flying privately in recent years have continued to fly privately.

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In general, private jet flight operations have either increased or remained similar to pre-COVID-19 levels around the world. Overall, private jet flight operations have remained above operations recorded in 2019, which was prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are many reasons that travelers have continued to fly privately in recent years. Flying privately grants travelers the ultimate flexibility. For example, private travelers can depart whenever they please. This means that they do not have to confine themselves to scheduled commercial flights, and instead, they can pick their departure and arrival times when they are most convenient.

Private fliers can also pick the exact route they want to fly, as long as their aircraft has sufficient range. This means that these travelers do not have to fly through larger connecting airports where many commercial airlines have hubs. Instead, private fliers can fly directly from their departure airport to their destination.

Additionally, private jets are much more versatile than commercial airliners. Typically, business jets are much smaller than most commercial airliners. This means that they can typically take off and land on shorter runways than airliners. Many smaller airports have shorter runways, which means that travelers who fly privately can fly from a wider variety of airports around the world.

There are many different types of business jets that private travelers can take advantage of. Most business jets fall under the following classes:

• Very light jets
• Light jets
• Midsize jets
• Super-midsize jets
• Heavy jets
• Ultra-long-range jets

However, many operators and owners that begin flying privately will typically start with a smaller business jet. These aircraft typically include the cheapest private jets in the industry, usually around $5 million. Additionally, most aircraft in the very light business jet class can accommodate six to seven passengers and have a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of less than 12,500 pounds. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular, very light business jets on the market.

5

HondaJet Elite

Year introduced: August 2018

The HondaJet Elite is the latest variant of the HondaJet series produced by Honda Aircraft Company. However, early research for this interesting business jet series can be traced back as far as the late 1980s. Honda began researching small business jets utilizing other manufacturers’ engines, but the company did not officially launch the program until 2006. The first aircraft in the series was the HondaJet HA-420, which was certified in December 2015 and was introduced the following year.

The HondaJet Elite was first introduced as an upgraded variant in August 2018 after it achieved certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in May 2018. This aircraft retained many of the same features as earlier HondaJets, including a mostly composite airframe and the unique engine placement on the wing instead of attached to the tailcone. However, Honda Aircraft Company also introduced changes to the flight controls, such as increasing the aircraft’s elevator authority to reduce its take-off roll. It also added an auxiliary fuel tank to increase its range to rival other business jets in the very light business jet class. Finally, Honda introduced significant interior improvements and the Garmin G3000 integrated flight deck to modernize the vehicle.

4

Cessna Citation M2

Year introduced: 1991

The Cessna Citation M2 is the smallest business jet currently offered by Cessna. It is also the most recent variant in the popular business jet family known as the CitationJet series. This family of aircraft can be traced back to the late 1980s when Cessna began developing the original CitationJet. Since then, the company has released several variants, including the Citation CJ2, Citation CJ3, and the Citation CJ4. The Citation M2 is a direct upgrade to the original CJ1 line of aircraft.

The Citation M2 program was first launched in September 2011. CJ1 deliveries had slowly tapered off over the years, and Cessna ended production of the aircraft in the late 2000s. However, the Citation M2 represented a jump back into the very light business jet industry, and it would eventually replace the even smaller Citation Mustang.

The new Citation M2 utilizes the Garmin G3000 avionics suite and upgraded Williams FJ44 turbofan engines. These upgrades helped the aircraft become the fastest in the industry until it was later surpassed by the HondaJet Elite.

3

Embraer Phenom 100

Year introduced: December 2008

The Phenom 100 is Embraer’s answer to the very light business jet market. The Brazilian manufacturer had yet to officially enter the business jet industry, so the Phenom 100 was the company’s first step into a new market. It was first publicly announced in November 2005, and it flew for the first time in July 2007. Embraer achieved type certification for the aircraft in December 2008 and deliveries of the light jet began that same month.

The Embraer Phenom 100 has a conventional design with a low wing and T-tail. It is also powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW617 turbofan engines, which provide the aircraft with just under 2,000 pounds of thrust. Several upgrades have been released since its introduction, including the Phenom 100E with a Garmin G1000 avionics suite and the Phenom 100EX with significant cabin improvements.

2

Cirrus Vision Jet

Year introduced: December 2016

The Cirrus Vision Jet is the smallest business jet currently in production. Cirrus began designing the aircraft in the early 2000s. The Klapmeier brothers, the founders of Cirrus, designed a unique aircraft that a single engine would power. It was officially announced to the public in 2006, and it garnered major interest from owner-operators. The development process slowed during the late 2000s and early 2010s as Cirrus struggled financially from the Great Recession. However, it finally achieved certification from the FAA in October 2016 and was introduced later that year.

Credit: Photo: Cirrus

As previously mentioned, the Vision Jet is only powered by a single engine, which greatly reduces the aircraft’s top speed and range. However, it still finds itself to be a dominant force in the very light business jet market, as nearly 600 have been produced since its introduction. The airframe is made from mostly carbon fiber and is powered by a Williams FJ33 turbofan engine. It also utilizes the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), a popular safety feature developed by Cirrus.

1

Eclipse 500

Year introduced: December 2006

The Eclipse 500 was one of the first aircraft in the very light business jet market. It was developed by Eclipse Aviation, an aircraft manufacturer based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, although it was inspired by the Williams V-Jet II, which was designed by Burt Rutan’s Scaled Composites. The program was initially launched in the late 1990s. The company initially chose the Williams EJ22 turbofan engine to power the aircraft but switched to the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW610F turbofan engine prior to certification. The company was awarded its type certificate by the FAA in July 2006, and the company began deliveries of the aircraft later that year.

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The Rise And The Fall Of The Eclipse 500 Light Business Jet

Over 250 business jets were produced from 2006 to 2008.

The Eclipse 500 is a conventional business jet design with a low wing and T-tail. Its airframe is mostly made from aluminum. It also featured a glass cockpit, which was later designated the Avio integrated flight deck. Eclipse Aviation has introduced several upgrades to the aircraft, including wheel covers, extended flight controls, wingtip fuel tanks, and several avionics upgrades. However, Eclipse Aviation eventually went bankrupt in November 2008. The company was unable to recover financially and was eventually bought out. Even so, over 250 Eclipse 500s have been built.