The Piper Meridian - Still the same, yet better than ever

For AOPA Pilot Magazine by Andrew Gallagher

Piper has fine-tuned its flagship product over the past decade, and while it is still the same aircraft at heart, all the little changes have made a difference—in a very good way.

When considering the relatively small market segment of single-engine, pressurized turboprops, the Piper Meridian is still the youngest in terms of time in production. Despite its short tenure, the Meridian has managed to become one of the most popular airframes among owner-flown turbine aircraft. It really is no surprise why: The Meridian remains unmatched in initial acquisition and direct operating costs for the performance and utility it offers. Read the full article at AOPA.org

Showdown - Phenom 100 and Citation Mustang head to head

For AOPA Pilot Magazine by Cyrus Sigari

Until the HondaJet, Cessna's new Citation M2, the Cirrus Vision SF50, the Diamond D-JET, or the new Eclipse 550 enter the light-jet arena, there will be just two serious competitors in the market for new light jets under $4 million: Cessna's Citation Mustang and Embraer's Phenom 100.

Cessna launched the Mustang in 2002, putting the Eclipse 500 squarely in its crosshairs and beating it to the FAA-certification milestone. Embraer saw an opportunity to expand its executive jet division, and followed shortly with the announcement of its Phenom 100 and 300 jets in 2005. Mustang deliveries commenced in spring 2007, and about 400 airframes have been delivered since then. Just fewer than 300 Phenom 100s have been produced since December 2008.

Seen from the ramp, the Mustang doesn’t make any excuses. It looks exactly like what it is: a small and modern jet with its heritage confirmed by a classic, low-slung Citation look. The Mustang’s wingspan is 43 feet, 2 inches; tip-to-tail length is 40 feet, 7 inches; and the height from the ground to the top of the tail is 13 feet, 5 inches. Read the full article at AOPA.org

Light Jet Report Finds Jets Still Selling

NBAA Convention News » October 11, 2011

by Cyrus Sigari

Nearly exactly three years ago, in October 2008, I was sitting in the back of a Citation CJ1+ headed to the NBAA convention in Orlando, Fla. Lehman Brothers had collapsed two weeks earlier and there was a sentiment of caution and confusion surrounding the financial markets. NBAA 2008 ran from October 4 to 10. On October 3, the Dow Jones Industrial Average opened at 10,325 points. On October 10, it closed at 8,451 points. The largest stock market crash in U.S. history happened during the NBAA show.

Fast forward to today, even after three years of excruciating effort, the general aviation industry has struggled to regain its footing. Despite contributing more than $150 billion to the U.S. economy every year and 1.2 million high-wage, stable jobs, general aviation continues to be one of the popular targets of our current administration. A direct indicator of the industry’s recovery (or lack thereof) is pre-owned aircraft pricing, which ultimately has a direct correlation to demand for factory new aircraft. This market report gives a snap shot of how the pre-owned light jet market has fared since the last report published by AIN at last year’s NBAA convention.

Eclipse 500
The history of the Eclipse 500 very light jet remains one of the most fascinating to reflect on. In July 2009, Eclipse Aerospace resurrected the Eclipse 500 from bankruptcy. The new company is now supporting the 260 Eclipses in service, and customers feel that Eclipse Aerospace is here to stay. While factory-new Eclipse 500 production has yet to start up, Eclipse Aerospace has certified and retrofitted many new improvements to the original design. As there are somewhere on the order of half-a-dozen different configurations for the Eclipse 500, pricing is varied across the board. For the earliest serial numbers without the heavy extended tip-tank modification or Avio NG avionics, pricing ranges from $600,000 to $800,000. Eclipse Aerospace’s Total Eclipse, which includes all of the upgrades and modifications to the Eclipse, including the Avio Integrated Flight Management System, is being sold by the factory at $2.15 million. Pre-owned aircraft with the majority of the upgrades are trading in the low- to mid-$1 million range.

Hawker Beechcraft Premier I/IA/Hawker 200
With just under 300 Premiers in operation today, the Premier and the Premier IA continue to provide owners with the largest cabin and fastest speed in its class. Thirteen percent of the in-service Premier Is and 17 percent of the IAs are currently for sale. Prices vary from below $2 million for an older Premier I to the mid-$3 million range for a lower-time, younger pre-owned Premier IA. Hawker/Beechcraft’s newest Premier, renamed the Hawker 200, will be available starting in the fourth quarter of 2012. The numerous improvements to the Hawker 200 over the Premier IA should significantly increase Hawker Beechcraft’s competitive strength in this category. With the addition of the Williams FJ44-3AP engines, the Hawker 200 will have an increased maximum altitude of FL450 compared to FL410 on the Premier IA, a range increase of about 200 nm and an increase in maximum cruise speed to 470 knots. Combined with a much-improved “Hawker style” interior, the Hawker 200 stands to be a big win for Hawker Beechcraft.

Cessna Citation Mustang
Cessna’s smallest jet has proven to be one of the most successful models in the company’s history. With what has turned out to be an almost cult-like following by owner/operators, the Mustang provides relatively few barriers to entry for owners considering their first jet. With nearly 400 aircraft produced in just five years, the Mustang continues to provide excellent efficiency and operational simplicity, combined with Cessna’s strong service and support. High pedigree, appropriately priced Mustangs do not sit on the market for long. Current pricing for pre-owned Mustangs ranges from about $2 million for a higher time, low-serial-numbered unit, to the mid $2 million range for a younger machine. Over the past 12 months Cessna has been aggressive with factory incentives to move new aircraft off the production line, which has ultimately put a dent in the pre-owned market velocity and strength. The fact remains that the Cessna name and service creates a great deal of owner loyalty, and the Mustang provides a solid platform for both novice and experienced jet owner/pilots. Embraer Phenom 100 The light jet market has suffered for many quarters, but the Phenom 100 market may be an indication of what is to come. With prices remaining fairly consistent through most of 2011, the recent momentum in the Phenom 100 market is good news for owners. The Phenom 100 market is experiencing high demand and historically low available pre-owned inventory. Since June the average days on market for the 100 have fallen to fewer than 90 days, seemingly insignificant until compared with the combined average of 270-plus days on market average of six months ago. Embraer has cautiously adjusted its production rates and refrained from discounting new Phenoms, bolstering pre-owned markets. Early model Phenom 100s are trading in the high $2 millions to the low- to mid-$3 millions for a low-time, high-serial-number Phenom 100. Buyers are still looking for bargains, but will pay a premium for a well-maintained, low-time Phenom 100. With the pre-owned Phenom 100 inventory rapidly shrinking over the past quarter, low-time airframes with a clean history and enrolled in programs are highly sought after. This equates to market opportunity for owners of the Phenom 100 that may be looking to upgrade while retaining the most value for their current aircraft. A strong market exists outside the U.S., with the distribution of the fleet showing significant operations in Europe and South America (about 20 and 30 percent of the fleet, respectively).

Embraer Phenom 300
With massive fleet orders from both NetJets and Flight Options, Embraer has positioned the future of the Phenom 300 well. The largest of the single pilot jets in production today, the Phenom 300 has been very warmly received by early adopters.

With roughly 40 Phenom 300s delivered to date and no pre-owned transactions to report, pricing of available Phenom 300s for sale ranges from the high $7 millions to the low $8 millions and new Phenom 300s price out close to $9 million. By this time next year, there should be more data to report with respect to the market price for pre-owned Phenom 300s.

Cessna CitationJet/CJ1/CJ1+
The legacy CE 525 market (1993 to 2000 year models) has yet to truly recover from the perils of 2008, with 60 CitationJets currently for sale, representing 17 percent of the CitationJet fleet. Average pricing for the original CE 525 has steadily inched down to a market-wide average of approximately $1.5 million, providing buyers with the opportunity to own a single-pilot, eight-seat light jet for a significant discount when compared to previous years. The CJ1 market (2000 to 2005), with 29 units currently for sale representing 11 percent of the available fleet, boasts stronger liquidity for owners as compared to the legacy 525. Prices for CJ1s range from the high $1 millions to mid $2 millions. Pricing for the most recent model of the CE 525–the CJ1+ (2005 to 2010)–ranges from the high $2 millions to mid $3 millions. With CJ1+ production halted at the beginning of this year and a possibly new 525 variant in the works, buyers are likely to see continued softening of the CJ1+ market over the coming years, independent of outside economic factors.

Cessna CJ2/CJ2+
Pricing for the CE 525A market (2000 to 2005 models) ranges from the high $2 millions to the mid $3 millions. With just fewer than 40 units for sale representing 15 percent of the available fleet, great buys still remain for those interested in purchasing a 1,500-mile, nine-passenger jet. Liquidity for the CJ2 market is relatively tempered, with only three retail transactions in the CJ2 market over the last quarter. The CJ2+ market (2005 to 2011 models) reveals a different story compared to the legacy CE 525A. Currently only 8 percent of the CJ2+ fleet is available for sale with prices ranging from the low $4 millions for a higher time, lower-serial-number unit to the high $5 millions for a low-time, higher-serial-number unit.

Cessna CJ3
The CJ3 market remains the most dynamic of the Citation markets. Though only 6 percent of the fleet is currently for sale, the majority of on-market CJ3s are coming up for sale because owners are taking deliveries of CJ4s. Also, Cessna is offering sizeable factory incentives for new CJ3s, so it’s a great time to be a CJ3 buyer. CJ3 pricing ranges from mid to high $4 millions for an earlier-serial-number CJ3 to the low $6 millions for a younger bird.

Cessna CJ4
Cessna’s largest single-pilot jet, the CJ4, has made large strides in 2011. As of this writing, there are a few more than 40 CJ4s in operation, with many operators being former CJ3 or CJ2+ operators. As the CJ4 is so new, and so few aircraft are in operation, there have been few retail pre-owned transactions to report. However, pricing on new CJ4s is approximately $9 million, with pre-owned aircraft currently projected to be in the high $7 million to low $8 million range.

Gathering of Eagles After Party

In total, jetAVIVA raised nearly $100,000 for the Experimental Aircraft Association this year and sponsored a week long celebration of fun and aviation at this years EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh. The jetAVIVA sponsored Gathering of Eagles after-party was a smashing success with some of aviation's greatest heroes in attendance.

Gathering of Eagles After Party photo gallery

jetAVIVA: Demand Rising for Light Jets

By Thomas A. Horne | AOPA

Light jet sales and training firm jetAviva reports that the market for light jet sales is heating up, with used light-jet sales leading the way.

While the market for new aircraft in 2011 has largely been driven by demand for large-cabin jets from developing nations, jetAviva says it’s seeing an uptick in light-jet demand coming from relatively established markets.

"Deliveries of new light jets are down the first two quarters compared to last year, but overall sales activity and inquiries continue to increase due to exceptional values in the pre-owned market," said jetAviva co-founder and President Cyrus Sigari. "While pre-owned inventories are in most cases coming down, pricing has yet to completely firm up or reverse trend toward appreciation. This is creating an environment where prices for newer pre-owned aircraft are driving buyers to enter the market due to a sense that depressed pricing may not last much longer."

"Many buyers are making step-up purchases, selling their first light jet in search of increased speed, range, and cabin size," Sigari said. "With the exception of Brazilian interest, most of the demand for light jets is still coming from the U.S. and European markets. Interest from China, India, and other emerging markets has yet to have a noticeable impact on this market segment."

jetAVIVA Reports Light Jet Market Improving – Powered By Pre-Owned Aircraft

July 18, 2011 – (Santa Monica, Calif.) – Signs are strong that the market for light jets is heating up, according to jetAVIVA, the world's leading light jets sales company. Citing recent market data and the company's own direct experience, jetAVIVA reports that depressed pricing of pre-owned light jets is driving the recovery.

"Deliveries of new light jets are down the first two quarters compared to last year, but overall sales activity and inquiries continues to increase due to exceptional values in the pre-owned market," said jetAVIVA co-founder and President Cyrus Sigari. "While pre-owned inventories are in most cases coming down, pricing has yet to completely firm up or reverse trend toward appreciation. This is creating an environment where prices for newer pre-owned aircraft are driving buyers to enter the market due to a sense that depressed pricing may not last much longer."

According to a June report from corporate aviation intelligence firm JETNET, retail sales of pre-owned business jets were up 15.7 percent in the first four months of 2011 while the inventory for sale percentage dropped from 15.5 percent to 14.3 percent, year over year.

"Many buyers are making step-up purchases, selling their first light jet in search of increased speed, range, and cabin size," Sigari continued.

While the market for new aircraft in 2011 has largely been driven by demand for large cabin business jets from developing economies, jetAVIVA is seeing the uptick in light-jet demand coming from relatively established markets. Sigari noted, "With the exception of Brazilian interest, most of the demand for light jets is still coming from U.S. and European markets. Interest from China, India, and other emerging markets has yet to have a noticeable impact on the this market segment."

In addition to buyers moving up to their second or third light jet, jetAVIVA is seeing an increase in early-stage shopping for light jets from first time jet buyers seeking to upgrade from high-performance piston and turboprop aircraft. "This is a dynamic market. Pre-owned aircraft present a great value right now, but as this inventory declines, prices are likely to stabilize and begin to increase, which may drive buyers back to considering new aircraft," Sigari predicted.

Sean D. Tucker and jetAVIVA Team Up to Fight Loss of Control Accidents, Specifically for Light Jet Owner Pilots

Sean D. Tucker's Tutima Academy of Aviation Safety, the leading aerobatic and upset recovery training school, in partnership with jetAVIVA, the premier light jet acquisition and sales firm, are launching their new Light Jet Upset Recovery Training course. Geared towards general aviation's light jet owner pilots, the course is specifically designed with the modern jet pilot in mind.

Following the FAA's recent announcement urging all commercial operators to begin incorporating "Enhanced Upset Recovery Training", jetAVIVA and the Tutima Academy are demonstrating their dedication to safety by expanding this recommendation to light jet operators. A recent NASA study demonstrated that Loss of Control (LOC) scenarios continue to outpace other factors as the leading cause of fatal accidents in the last 20 years.

To help combat LOC accidents, the course covers LOC scenarios and aerodynamics with a specific emphasis on LOC psychology. The three-day course utilizes the highly capable Extra 300L and Pitts S2B/C, giving pilots the ability to experience all flight attitudes and to test the edges of the aerodynamic envelope in a safe and structured environment under the guidance of some of the world's top aerobatic instructors.

This course is open to any pilot who flies a turbine-powered airplane or is considering the purchase of a turbine-powered airplane.

The team at Tutima Academy, including company principal and world-renowned airshow performer Sean D. Tucker, developed the curriculum in conjunction with jetAVIVA's jet instructor pilots. Says Sean D. Tucker,"Flying aerobatics is the greatest thrill I've ever experienced. Being able to share my experiences to help other pilots survive emergency situations is even more rewarding."

Since its inception, jetAVIVA has been dedicated to the development of its clients as owner pilots. Says jetAVIVA president Cyrus Sigari "Training for and flying in competition aerobatics has significantly helped increase my personal flying skills, potentially saving my life one day. As a result I have become a firm believer that upset recovery training is not just an educational option; it should be required training for all those operating turbine powered aircraft." jetAVIVA developed its first Experience Light Jets course several years ago and has helped hundreds of owner-pilots transition from propeller aircraft to jets.

Based in Los Angeles, jetAVIVA provides expertise in light jet sales, acquisition, acceptance and training for clients from around the world. The Tutima Academy of Aviation Safety is located in King City, CA. The Tutima Academy strives to provide high-precision flight training for pilots of all levels, building confidence during maneuvering, and a deeper understanding into the art of aviating. The goal of both jetAVIVA and the Tutima Academy is to increase safety in one of the fastest growing areas of general and business aviation: the owner-flown light jet arena.

For more information or to sign up for the course, contact jetAVIVA at +1.310.907.5099 or e-mail to contact@jetAVIVA.com.

NBAA 2010

The 2010 National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) annual convention held this year in Atlanta, Ga., was an event to smile about if you're in the aviation business. There was lots of positive news combined with a generally rejuvenated industry that's had its fair share of bumps and bruises during the recession. Some of the most notable announcements:

Piper announced significant changes to their PiperJet, now renamed the Altaire. The new Altaire boasts a much taller and rounder cabin, with a nine-inch increase in height and four-inch increase in width. With the significantly larger cabin came a redesign of the external aesthetics that, compared to the PiperJet, looks much more like a jet than a modified Piper Meridian. The $2.6 million Altaire is slated for certification and first deliveries in 2014.

Eclipse Aerospace made a splash by announcing their newest investor, Sikorsky Aircraft, with an agreement in principle to become a minority shareholder in the company that's now supporting the Eclipse 500 VLJ. Sikorsky Aircraft is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation (UTX), the parent company of Pratt and Whitney, Canada, and the manufacturer of the engines installed on the Eclipse 500 jet.

Net Jets announced that it had signed an agreement to purchase as many as 125 Phenom 300 business jets from Embraer Aircraft, which may be worth as much as $1 billion, includes a firm order for 50 Phenom 300 Platinum and options for up to 75 more.

Garmin announced that it's developing a revolutionary integrated flight deck for the Part 25 business-jet market. The Garmin G5000 is designed specifically for crew-flown turbine aircraft and combines a dual multisensor flight management system (FMS), touch-screen vehicle management units and multipane cockpit displays. These widescreen displays with touch-screen controls give pilots more useful information at their fingertips than ever before, such as worldwide weather, Garmin's synthetic vision technology (SVT), aircraft synoptics, electronic flight charts and more.

Cessna announced the new Citation Ten, a larger advanced version of the world's fastest certified business jet, the Citation X. It also marks the debut of the Garmin G5000 avionics suite and a Cessna-exclusive advanced cabin management system, and it features more powerful and more efficient Rolls-Royce engines.

Bombardier announced the addition of two new aircraft to the top of their product line, the Global 7000 and 8000 aircraft, with the 8000 flying farther than any other business jet with an impressive range of 7,900 nm (14,631 km) at Mach 0.85. It will connect Sydney-Los Angeles, Hong Kong-New York and Mumbai-New York nonstop with eight passengers. The Global 8000 jet will reach a high-speed cruise of Mach 0.90. Entry into service is scheduled for 2017. Cyrus Sigari is president of JetAVIVA and serves as P&P Light Jet Editor.

Light jet market ebbs and flows along with general economy

Despite an active first quarter in the light jet market, the remainder of the year has proven to be a sobering reminder that the world continues to recover from the financial meltdown of 2008 and 2009.

This is not surprising, considering that the light jet market tends to react directly to the general economy as measured by stock -market indices. In April 2009, for example, the Cessna Mustang, CJ1+, CJ2+ and CJ3 pre-owned inventory was at its peak at 123 aircraft for sale, according to statistics provided by -JetNet.

At the end of March 2010, when the Dow Jones Industrial Average was hovering around 11,000, that number had dwindled to 66 jets for sale. By the end of July 2010, when the Dow had dropped to 10,000, the inventory rose to 82 aircraft for sale. Not great news for those who are considering selling for reasons other than upgrading, but good news for those who want to take advantage of the fat inventory of today.

While we look at the impact of the global economy on the light jet market as a whole, micro-economic factors need to be considered for each make and model of light jet to fully understand the landscape.

Despite the aircraft's tumultuous past, faithful buyers and motivated sellers are supporting the Eclipse 500 market with a steady stream of sales of pre-owned models. Buoyed by the support of Eclipse Aerospace, the new parent company of the Eclipse 500 design, and their perceived ability to stay afloat, confidence is slowly being reinforced by the service and support offered by the company. A new relationship with SimCom Training Centers has restarted -simulator training, making insurance underwriters more likely to insure Eclipse 500 operations at reasonable rates.

As the aircraft has gone through numerous upgrades since the first production unit entered service in late 2006, pricing of the for-sale fleet varies significantly. Aircraft equipped with the original Avidyne cockpit suite and lacking the extended tip tank (ETT) configuration are trading in the $500,000 range.

Pre-owned Avio NG/ETT Eclipse 500s are trading just below $1 million. Those modified with Avio NG 1.7 are bringing approximately $1.25 million.

Meanwhile, Eclipse Aerospace is marketing its Total Eclipse -factory refurbished Eclipse 500s at more than $2 million. It is unclear how many jets the factory has sold at those prices. With the availability of pre-owned Citation Mustangs within 10 percent of the purchase price of a Total Eclipse, questions remain as to the market size for a $2 million-plus Eclipse 500.

Cessna Citation Mustang
The Mustang continues to be the darling of the light jet market with more than 300 flying after only four years of production. A mix of owner-pilots, commercial operators and corporate flight departments rave about the aircraft's efficiency, capability and the support offered by Cessna. Despite the success the company has had with the Mustang, the realities of the global economic environment continue to dampen company ambitions as the Independence, Kan. factory has slowed production of new units.

In July, with hopes of breathing new life into the product, Cessna announced the availability of the new High Sierra Edition Mustang featuring a modified interior, a new paint scheme and synthetic-vision technology, electronic charts and locking fuel caps as standard equipment, as well as prepaid maintenance.

Demand for Mustangs will be directly affected by how the pre-owned market continues to perform. Since the beginning of the year, the Mustang pre-owned market has stayed consistent with about two airplanes trading hands per month. The strongest demand continues to be for lightly used (100 to 300 hours) machines, with historical prices ranging from the low- to mid-$2 million range depending on options, hours and pedigree. Like-new aircraft are trading in the $2.5 million to $2.7 million range. Factory invoice on a new Mustang delivered today is about $3.1 million.

Cessna CJ/CJ1/CJ1+
CitationJets (1993 to 1999) are trading between $1.3 and $1.8 million, CJ1s (2000 to 2005) between $1.9 and $2.5 million and CJ1+s between $3 and $3.8 million. The combined CitationJet/CJ1/CJ1+ markets continue to see downward pressure influenced both the Mustang and Embraer Phenom 100 markets. The newer technology and relatively low acquisition price has attracted most new entrants into the world of jet ownership down the path of the Mustang or Phenom 100. As a result, a buildup of inventory has made the purchasing landscape attractive for individuals looking for a proven CitationJet at a bargain price.

Cessna CJ2/CJ2+/CJ3
The arrival of the CJ4 has had a direct impact on both the CJ2/2+ and CJ3 markets. The CJ3 market saw the largest increase in the for-sale inventory of all of the aircraft types discussed in this report. Inventory increased 76 percent from the end of March to the end of August, with for-sale aircraft increasing from 17 available units to 30 units. Many of the current sellers are reporting the need to sell their CJ3s to prepare for a future CJ4 delivery. CJ3 prices range from the mid-$4 millions up to the low $6 millions.  CJ2s are trading in the high $2 millions to mid $3 millions and CJ2+s are trading in the low $4 millions to low $5 millions.

Cessna CJ4
The CJ4, Cessna's flagship single-pilot jet, was certified earlier this year. The OEM has been aggressive in promoting the new product, a significant step for the factory as it moves from maintaining its order book of early adopters to creating new orders. Year-to-date deliveries of the CJ4 appear to have been tempered as compared to publicly announced forecasts, with the FAA registry showing just a handful of aircraft having been delivered thus far. Current pricing on typically equipped CJ4s delivered in 2010 is approximately $9 million.

Embraer Phenom 100
Embraer continues to attack the light jet segment with its entry-level  Phenom 100, with more than 150 of the model delivered since the end of 2008. As a -natural part of the maturing of the Phenom 100 market, the pre-owned market has grown along with the total Phenom fleet. Delivered Phenoms that are priced at or near the original invoice price remain untouched by buyers. However, when sellers accept the actual market value of their assets, aircraft are consistently selling in 15 to 45 days. Factory invoice on a new Phenom 100 delivered today is about $3.4 million. Lightly used Phenom 100s are trading just below $3 million.

Embraer Phenom 300
Actual deliveries of new Phenom 300s from the factory remain in the single digits. The delivery position market has been relatively flat, with only a handful of transactions. Several positions are for sale on the secondary market for aircraft delivering in the next 12 months. The delivered price of more than $8 million puts the Phenom 300 in competition with lightly used midsize jets.

Flight Plan

Purdue Alumnus Magazine - January | February 2010

By Brian Hudgins

When Ben Marcus was growing up in Santa Monica, California, a vivid picture of his future was on display daily and located the length of a football field away from his home.

"I got interested in aviation because I grew up 100 yards from a runway at the airport in Santa Monica," Marcus says. "I was fortunate enough to take my first flight lesson at age 10. I made a deal with my parents that they would pay for one hour of flight training a month as long as I kept my grades up."

Marcus (T'02) continued that path of learning until he was eligible to fly solo at age 16. He then paid for an increase in training hours by working various jobs.

That deal with his parents was not the only arrangement Marcus had set up. He and his best friend Cyrus Sigari tried to start their first airline-based business when they were both 14. However, their dreams of being budding business tycoons would have to wait until their educations were complete. Sigari's father had obtained his private pilot license years ago. That helped spark the same interest in Sigari (AAE'03).

The friends who first met at the Santa Monica airport when they were 12-years-old continue to work together today as co-founders of jetAVIVA, a company that serves as a light jet sales and acquisition firm along with providing Experience Light Jets for jet owners. Very light jets are designed to be smaller and have a lower price and operating cost than conventional jets.

"We decided to start our business based on a need in the marketplace," Sigari says. "We had a good first pitch and we then had to adapt to the marketplace and fit what our customers were looking for."

Marcus and Sigari started jetAVIVA nearly four years ago based on new light jets coming into the consumer market.

Cyrus Sigari (AAE'03) and Ben Marcus (T'02) are young entrepreneurs who have helped hundreds of people go through the process of plane ownership.

"When I graduated from Purdue, I got into airplane sales," Marcus says. "I was hired by Eclipse Aviation in New Mexico. When we were both at Eclipse, we realized technology was bringing the price down and more people got into it who couldn't afford it before. There was a gap on what was needed to educate people on ownership and flying. The company could build cheaper planes, but what to do after delivery?"

To turn that initial idea into jetAVIVA, Marcus and Sigari relied on the combination of their business savvy and the technical knowledge gained at Purdue.

"I can't stress enough how much my time at Purdue helped me in my career," Sigari says. "Being on the aerospace engineering student advisory council, I realized that getting volunteers to work for you for free was hard but a rewarding challenge. You have to motivate through fruits of labor. The rigors of the curriculum helped me solve problems and learn how to best optimize resources. It wasn't an easy experience academically."

Sigari's original timetable for graduating and entering the workforce was affected by a position that became available within Eclipse Aviation.

"I had to graduate early in 3 1/2 years because they could wait a few months but not eight months. One of the main reasons I got the job right out of school was due to fellow Purdue alum Ken Harness. My experience at Purdue helped me get a foot in the door and take an opportunity and run with it."

Marcus' first work opportunity in sales came after he graduated. When he started his first sales job with a Cessna distributor, he quickly became a student of sales.

"I had not sold a piece of fruit or clothing. I had not sold anything until I sold my first airplane," Marcus says.

Marcus worked at his sales skills by buying a book on the subject and examining the steps involved.

"It is a stretch for my personality," Marcus says. "I think of it as a process or a procedure. When you start with a lead and do a sale, it's a cool process. We have a long-term relationship with clients. We help them with the technical aspects and training. Most of our business comes from word of mouth. It's important we do a good job with each client."

In addition to the work Marcus put in to sharpen his sales skills, his client communication ability is aided by being trilingual in English, Hebrew, and German. Sigari is also able to speak three languages: English, Spanish, and Farsi.

Learning to fly

When the two friends were working together at Eclipse Aviation, Marcus stayed focused on a goal that had formed in his mind when he was a volunteer for Angel Flight during middle school and high school.

Angel Flight is a charity organization made up of pilots. Its purpose is providing free air transportation for medical patients in need. Patients are usually traveling for surgery, chemotherapy, dialysis, or other treatments.

Seeing the older volunteers in action gave Marcus a view into their world when he was a teen. It is a volunteer activity he has continued as an adult.

"For me, the biggest eye-opener was when I was a volunteer for Angel Flight. All of the volunteers rented or owned aircraft. I went on many flights as a co-pilot. I realized all the people I was flying with were entrepreneurs and not employees. I aspired to own my own plane."

Sigari and Marcus took the first steps of entrepreneurship by setting up a business plan. They also developed a financial plan and discussed risk management.

"At the beginning of the company as we envisioned a management service, we had a lot of infrastructure development and we split up the outward and inward duties. Cyrus was responsible for marketing the brand and I handled the inside stuff — finance and legal affairs. Our business plan has changed. You have to respond to what markets demand. All our risk factors from 3 1/2 years ago materialized," Marcus says with a laugh.

Sigari appreciates the freedom and adrenaline rush that is part of flying. His reaction to the task of developing jetAVIVA contained a wide range of emotions.

"It was challenging, exciting, scary, fun — every emotion," he says. "There were a lot of unknowns, but with those unknowns came opportunity."

Marcus and Sigari's light jet inventory at jetAVIVA includes Cessna Citation Mustangs, Citation Jets (CJ1-CJ4), and Embraer Phenom 100 models along with a handful of other jets. Considering the current economic climate, the company's clients do maintain a degree of consumer - independence.

"We specialize with owner/pilots," Marcus says. "They are on their own and they see the opportunity to upgrade and get a good deal. That has catapulted us into a larger aircraft market. These $2 to $8 million dollar jets we deal with, they (pilots) transition into the next step."

With the investment by the owner being a few million dollars, Marcus feels his education at Purdue gives him a solid ability to help jet owners get the most out of their money spent.

"One of the keys to our success is the depth of technical training we got," he says. "We got our start in that at Purdue. That led the way to us being at Eclipse and knowing the technical details of planes in and out. Owner/pilots look for technical descriptions of a plane. They want to really know how the plane works. Purdue gave us that technical foundation."

Plenty of pursuits

Aside from discussing the technical aspects tied to jets, Marcus and Sigari enjoy the travel opportunities that come with their work commitments. That includes delivering planes back to the United States from abroad. They also have an interest in competitive aerobatics.

Marcus shows a Phenom 100 to a potential buyer.

"I enjoy surfing and spending time with my family," Sigari says. "But if I don't fly, I start getting antsy. I have been able to travel and see good places. It is work with a vacation worked into it. Flying has been a big part of my life and it's important for Ben and me to do that on a regular basis."

The original joy Marcus first experienced as a teenage pilot is still strong today.

"Flying is a different experience now and I have never stopped loving flying," Marcus says. "The sights and sounds change because I am in a different aircraft now. I started in a single-engine 118 horsepower plane. Now I'm in jets with two engines. It's different altitudes and a different view."

While the dynamics of flying have changed for Marcus, some things have remained constant during his career.

"I still very much love flying and interaction with customers. I'm very excited to go to work every day and glad to grow my friendship with Cyrus. In my experiences since I have graduated, Purdue grads have proven to be good people to work with."

Within a work environment that calls for Marcus and Sigari to sell themselves and counsel jet owners, Sigari says the social skills he picked up while at Purdue play a big part in daily life.

"As I look back, that 3 1/2 years at Purdue was a significant enabler. Each organization helped me develop my social skills."

That growth served as a catalyst for Sigari's work within jetAVIVA, a company that has helped hundreds of pilots make the transition to jet ownership. The company history includes more than 100 jet transactions totaling more than $300 million.

"There are risks, but we have been able to get rewards," Sigari says. "There were times we each questioned our decisions, but we were able to lean on each other and look forward. I wouldn't give it up for the world."

The Single-Engine Jet From Diamond

By Cyrus Sigari, Photos By James Lawrence

I want one. And if you're thinking about stepping up to your first jet in the next few years, you will, too, once you fly it. The Diamond D-Jet, which Diamond Aircraft is developing as its flagship product, represents what's likely to be the first Part 23, FAA-certified, single-engine, turbofan-powered jet in aviation history—the first to market in a segment coveted by many companies.

Why do I want one? Four reasons: It's fast, efficient, easy to fly, and has great ramp presence. It's the perfect first jet to get an aspiring jet owner/pilot up and cruising in the flight levels at speeds above 350 mph.

On the day of my test flight, I was to fly serial number 003, the most recently built of Diamond's three test planes. S/N 003 conforms aerodynamically to the production version, and thus, has almost identical performance to the future production aircraft. It's your typical experimental flight-test airplane, with the interior replaced by flight-test equipment and instrumentation. Additionally, due to the test nature of the D-Jet, Transport Canada (the Canadian equivalent of the FAA) requires that all flight crew wear a parachute and the full suite of survival gear.

I've had my eye on the D-Jet since Diamond announced the program three years ago, and I wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to fly it. So when Diamond President Peter Maurer asked, "Do you mind wearing a flight suit, helmet, oxygen mask and parachute?" I responded, "Sign me up!" without hesitation.

I suited up for the flight and then met with Diamond's experimental test pilot, Mark Elwess, who briefed me on the test area and general operating procedures for the test plane. After our preflight briefing, we walked out to the plane, did our preflight inspection and strapped into the D-Jet. Though it's not outfitted with a production interior, the cockpit was quite comfortable, with more than adequate forward and side visibility while sitting on the ground. After we completed our before-engine-start checklist, Elwess instructed me to turn the engine switch from "Off" to "Start"—pretty simple. At ground idle, the Williams International FJ33-5A engine was burning 84 pounds per hour, or about 12 gph at 24.7% N1. After we got the engine started, we taxied out to runway 15 at London, Ontario's airport. The weather for our flight was perfect: light winds out of the south, scattered cumulus clouds and a ground temp of 20 degrees C.

Cyrus Sigari (left) and Diamond's Mark Elwess (right) prepare to fly Diamond D-Jet S/N 003. Because the aircraft is still in the testing stage, Transport Canada requires all flight crew to wear a parachute and full suite of survival gear.

As I pulled up to the runway, I was instructed by Elwess to push the takeoff configuration button prior to calling the control tower. This button is pushed just prior to takeoff to ensure that the aircraft is properly configured (flap and trim positioning) prior to departure. If the aircraft isn't configured properly, a CAS message is displayed on the MFD. If you forget to push the button before throttle up, then the system automatically will complete the checks and post the CAS message.

After I got my takeoff clearance, we lined up, and I smoothly advanced the single thrust lever to takeoff thrust, then quickly began accelerating down the runway. I began my rotation at 83 knots and broke ground about 2,500 feet down the runway. Shortly after liftoff, I trimmed out for an initial climb of 165 KIAS, climbing at 1,700 fpm and burning 850 pounds of fuel per hour.

The D-Jet's climb performance was impressive. Climbing through 16,000 feet, we were at 175 KIAS (235 KTAS) with a 1,300 fpm climb rate, and we were burning 588 pounds per hour at ISA+10 degrees C.

Due to airspace restrictions, we were limited to 20,000 feet, which is short of the D-Jet's 25,000-foot service ceiling. At 20,000 feet, I allowed the D-Jet to accelerate to a max forward speed of 307 KTAS, burning 523 pounds of fuel per hour, or 78 gph. With a day that was 10 degrees warmer than standard temperature, and 5,000 feet below the D-Jet's "sweet spot," the aircraft was already outperforming initial performance targets.

The Diamond D-Jet is being built and assembled in the same London, Ontario, facility as other Diamond aircraft such as the DA40.

After hitting max cruise, I slowed the D-Jet to evaluate its handling qualities through a series of slow-speed to high-speed accelerations with the aircraft configured in various flap and gear configurations; no adverse or pilot-unfriendly conditions were evident. I was particularly interested in the D-Jet's slow-speed handling, and wanted to gauge how it would perform in the terminal area in the hands of a newly transitioning jet pilot. No surprises were encountered.

I also was curious to see how the D-Jet would fare during a 2-G steep turn at 60 degrees of bank. It may have been our speed, weight and atmospheric conditions—in any case, the D-Jet is the first jet I've flown that'll do a perfect steep turn with almost zero degrees pitch-up!

Diamond's legacy as a company that got its start producing motorgliders is clear and evident in the D-Jet. Coming out of 20,000 feet, Elwess demonstrated the jet's impressive glide performance. With power pulled to idle, the D-Jet's slick airframe and high-aspect-ratio wings kept us aloft for what would've been over 25 minutes, or an average descent rate of about 900 fpm. That's plenty of time to get an engine restarted in the unlikely event of an in-flight shutdown, or enough time to find an alternate landing spot if relight isn't an option.

The sleek airframe is complemented by a luxurious interior. Two exterior baggage areas offer ample storage, and the fold-down rear seats accommodate big items in the pressurized cabin.

On our first landing, we planned to do a touch-and-go. Forward visibility during landing is excellent. With the flaps extended to the landing position, the deck angle changes by approximately seven degrees nose-down, as compared to the flaps-up position during straight-and-level flight. On our approach at an 85 KIAS Vref with power stabilized and on a three-degree glideslope, the sight picture of the beginning of the runway is directly in the center of the windscreen. This is a subtle, yet very important design feature of the D-Jet that offers its pilots a visually comfortable approach to landing.

Landing the D-Jet is a nonevent—cross the runway threshold at 50 feet, slowly bring thrust to idle, and wait for the plane to come home for a well-behaved landing. Currently, the test aircraft aren't equipped with the production trailing-link landing gear, which promises to provide pilots with even smoother landings.

As soon as the nosewheel touched down, Elwess retracted my flaps from landing to takeoff, and I applied full power, immediately accelerating back to our rotation speed and up for another circuit around the pattern. More of the same: stabilized on speed, in configuration for landing, thrust to idle at the approach end and smooth touchdown. As we pulled off the runway, I was convinced that the D-Jet was a solid machine.

The D-Jet's G1000 avionics system offers the largest displays in the aircraft's category.

As part of my introduction to the D-Jet, I had the opportunity to sit down and speak with Diamond COO Ken Harness. In addition to overseeing production at the London plant, Harness was tapped to directly oversee the design, certification, test and production of the D-Jet. From Harness, I learned what I had previously hoped to be the case: The D-Jet is a dirt-simple airplane—that's a really good thing. Diamond has employed one of the best airplane design practices out there, KISS ("keep it simple, stupid"), with incremental technological steps. Though Diamond took some technical risks in the certification of the D-Jet, it has done a great job of mitigating them.

Powered by a dual-channel, FADEC-controlled Williams International FJ33-5A medium-bypass turbofan engine, the D-Jet's engine control is as simple as it gets: a single thrust lever and a start switch. (The FJ33 also will appear on the D-Jet's single-engine competitor, the Cirrus Vision jet.)

One of the single greatest technical challenges Diamond has had to contend with, thus far, is its bifurcated engine duct design. Diamond made a significant commitment to making the D-Jet easy to fly by placing the engine's thrust line along the aircraft's vertical center of gravity. As a result, when thrust is applied or reduced, there's a relatively small, if any, change in aircraft pitch. Compare that to some of the other single-engine jet designs, in which the engines are placed above the aircraft center of gravity, sometimes requiring relatively complicated thrust-vectoring systems.

The cockpit ergonomics of the D-Jet are superb. Circuit breakers are hidden, yet easily accessed, beneath the outboard pilot and copilot armrests. The pilot and copilot audio panels are placed just forward of the outboard arm's resting location. The large GFC 700 autopilot control panel is centrally located on the glare shield. The FMS keypad used for entering flight plans into the G1000 is just beneath the inboard hand-resting position, adjacent to the single thrust lever. Diamond owners transitioning from a DA40 or DA42 will have an easy time finding their way around the D-Jet's cockpit.

The D-Jet has one of the most comfortable and ergonomic cockpits of the Garmin G1000-equipped jets currently in production, and it has the largest cockpit-screen layout, with two 12-inch PFDs and a 15-inch MFD.

Though the aircraft I flew didn't have a production interior, the mockup at Diamond's facility did have the final production configuration. Moving from the cockpit aft, you can't help but notice the width and height of the D-Jet cabin. The width behind the cockpit seats is as wide as a King Air 350 at just under 55 inches.

The D-Jet's aft seats are similar in size and comfort to those of a 7 Series BMW sedan, with bench seating for three. LED lights accent the sidewalls and the cabin. A work desk can be pulled up for the aft right seat. Sitting in the back seat, I could almost fully extend my legs without hitting the back of the pilot seats—a difficult accomplishment in most light jets.

The D-Jet truly is a "personal jet." It's not an overwhelming concept to own and operate this aircraft. Behind the D-Jet is a good company with a long-standing track record of producing good aircraft. Undoubtedly, there'll be challenges for Diamond to contend with as it marches toward certification (barring any future delays, Diamond expects to achieve this later in 2010) and production of its first turbine aircraft. Still, I feel confident in the company's ability to deliver the D-Jet to a market of hungry customers looking to step up to their first jet.

Diamond D-Jet photo gallery

Three More Phenom 100s to the US

On October 12, 2009, three brand new Embraer Phenom 100 jets arrived at Ft. Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (KFLL) within 10 minutes of each other. The flight of three made the journey together from the Embraer delivery center in Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil, where their owners and technical representatives from jetAVIVA accepted the aircraft. At the controls of each of the three airplanes were their owners, all of whom were type-rated in the Phenom prior to delivery. 

Accompanying the owners on the flight were Ben Marcus, CEO of jetAVIVA, and Marcio Lucchese, Manager of Phenom Acceptance and Delivery for jetAVIVA. These deliveries marked jetAVIVA's seventh, eighth, and ninth Phenom 100s accepted and delivered. jetAVIVA has accepted and delivered approximately one out of four Phenoms destined for North America, and has delivered the first EASA-certificated Phenom 100 to Europe.

Particularly noteworthy on this trek of three Phenoms, father and son Keith and Ryan Chistensen, the first two pilots type rated in the Phenom in all-simulator training at Embraer CAE Training Services (ECTS), piloted their own brand new Phenom on the delivery flight. Keith Christensen said, “What an adventure it was to be able to fly my new Phenom across South America and the Caribbean with my son sharing the cockpit with me.  We waited a long time for this and I’m sure glad we had the change to make the trip.”

On their way to the United States, the crews stopped at Gurupi, Palmas, and Belem airports in Brazil, Georgetown, Guyana, and St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles (for two nights). After clearing customs in Ft. Lauderdale, the aircraft continued to their ultimate destinations of Santa Barbara, CA, Yuma, AZ, and Salt Lake City, UT.

Flight time for the journey was just over 19 hours. The aircraft performed admirably.

As a part of its strategy to support its customers in all aspects of placing light jets into service, jetAVIVA’s comprehensive acceptance inspection and delivery service includes flight test to validate performance, systems operation, and handling qualities, a ground inspection for structure, systems, and cosmetics, and a documentation audit prior to final delivery to the end user.

Light Jet Safety Review – Fuel Exhaustion

By Ben Marcus

Fuel exhaustion—known for a long time as a leading cause of accidents in light aircraft—is a real and present danger in turbine aircraft, even those operated by professional flight crews.  One recent accident in particular reminds us that this topic is especially relevant to light jet operators and pilots.

On the night of January 3, 2009, two professional pilots with a Part 91 operation were given a Citation II (N815MA) and what some would consider the unenviable task of flying from the Dominican Republic to Teterboro, NJ with an 11:00 PM departure on a night where much of the U.S. East Coast was blanketed in low IFR conditions.  The crew intended to stop in Wilmington, NC (KILM) on the way to TEB.  KILM is the northernmost customs stop permitted for use by flights originating in the Caribbean, and is generally the one preferred by corporate air operators destined for the Northeast. 

Perhaps because of an issue with the aircraft’s RVSM status or because of strong winds aloft, the crew of N815MA flew the Atlantic Routes at or below FL280, occasionally using FL270 wrong-way. Fuel was certainly not abundant as the crew began their first approach at KILM, and the weather was definitely not “with the plan.”  Faced with ½ mile visibility and a ceiling reported as 100 feet broken, the crew was unable to land after their first ILS approach to Runway 24.  Second and third attempts failed to present the runway in the pilots’ windscreen.  The crew decided to make a fourth approach, only to have the engines flame out on a downwind vector.  The captain stated later that the aircraft just “ran out of fuel.”

Using their GPS, the pilots turned towards KILM and aimed at the runway intersection shown on the moving map.  Around 50’ AGL, the crew spotted a row of lights and turned to parallel the row.  The Citation landed gear-up on the departure end of runway 6 and overran the pavement, coming to a stop in the middle of the runway 24 approach lights.  Amazingly, not one of the seven occupants of the aircraft sustained injury.

Where did things go wrong?  The investigation is still underway so we can only speculate at best, but it seems as though this accident was the result of an error chain that began with a case of “get-there-itis.”  Any pilot who has missed an appointment with U.S. Customs will probably be able to tell a story about his or her horrific encounter with bureaucracy.  Surely, the pilots of N815MA were dreading the thought of having to divert to a non-Customs airport, and the “better dead than embarrassed” mentality may have been in play.  Four approaches was three too many.

Situations like this demonstrate the need for strict adherence to one’s personal minimums (in this case minimum planned landing fuel) and decision-making rules.  Frankly, if you miss one approach and fuel is not abundant, it’s time to give up and go elsewhere.  Bear in mind that the accident flight was operated under Part 91…a Part 135 operator would not even have been permitted to attempt the approach at KILM in the first place. 

As an owner-operator of a jet, it is of utmost importance to understand the range limitations of your aircraft and to never fall into the “personal airliner” trap.  We cannot always complete our missions as planned and must be prepared to divert.

Light Jet Market Update

By Cyrus Sigari

There is no doubt that the light jet business is seeing a response to the generally positive economic news.  Q4 2009 has already proven to be our firm’s busiest quarter and we still have one more month to go. The pipeline of buyers is continuing to fill up faster than the rate we can support them with high pedigree aircraft at the pricing levels we are all starting to get accustomed to.

We are getting more and more calls of… “I’m ready to buy a (you name the plane). What’s the best deal?”

We’re also getting a lot of… “Sell my (you name the plane). I’m ready to take my hit and then go hitting on the way to an upgrade”.

The November UBS business jet survey released on the 16th of the month shows continued improvement (more specifically, reduction in deterioration) along most metrics used to measure the strength of the pre-owned business jet market.

This month’s rating was a 45, up from 43 and 37 from the previous two monthly reports.

Newer machines continue to be the first to go. 

Though most indicators show that we are quite a ways away from real GDP growth, owing to continued job losses, investors (future and present jet owners) are benefiting from continued cost cuts and resultant corporate profit gains across most sectors.  This impetus directly results in buyers making the call to get back in.

Mustang
Each month that goes by, the same lesson is pounded home. Good pedigree, appropriately priced Mustangs will sell in a matter of weeks; not months. jetAVIVA participated in all three of the pre-owned Mustang sales that were completed in the month of October, with three more under way in November.  Serious sellers are taking recent trade data, pricing accordingly, and getting aggressive about working with buyers to get a deal done.  A number of Mustang owners are seeing an opportunity to step up to larger Citations (CJ1 through CJ4) now due to substantial dollar for dollar discounts moving up hill.

Though prices are still down 20-30% from the market trading high, we’re encouraged by the rate of entry (and exit for upgrades) of the market. 

Phenom 100/300
Embraer continues to pump Phenom 100s out at an aggressive build rate. Over 100 machines will be flying by the end of the year. We continue to see strong interest for the Phenom 100, particularly overseas.  In the past week we received five offers on Phenom delivery positions that we have for sale.  With only a handful of delivered airplanes available for sale, the pre-owned market is relatively uncharted territory.

As we move to 2010, we expect the Embraer ramp rate to flatten out to allow for demand to keep up. CAE SimuFite has achieved certification on their simulators in Dallas, Texas, and Burgess Hill, United Kingdom, which relieves much of the training challenges Embraer was having with owner-pilots.  With many Phenom 100 owners having Phenom 300s on order and certification for the Phenom 300 expected by the end of 2009, we anticipate an increase in supply on the used Phenom 100 market moving into Q1 2010. With respect to the Phenom 300 market, there is still little to no trading occurring in that market for the simple reason that there are no delivered units flying around yet.  We expect that the end of Q1 2010 will reveal a different story.

CE-525/A/B/C markets
In the middle of writing this report, we were advised by our research staff that two of the best buys in the straight CE-525 market (pre-1999) went under contract, with both aircraft going in the $1.5M range.  This is exciting news.

The CJ1+ market remains relatively quiet with one trade reported in the last two months.  We expect the CJ1+ market to loosen when sellers on the 2006 range machines begin to release at the low $3M price point.

CJ3 continues to be relatively strong on the down cycle.  Most of the great deals on the market are gone.  However, with CJ4 certification and delivery around the corner, and many CJ4 position holders being CJ3 owners, we expect to see an increase in CJ3 available inventory as owners look to unload before stepping up to a CJ4. 

Segueing into the CJ4 market, there have been few trades with a healthy supply of delivery positions available for sale trading below retail. 

Outlook
From our internal data and through speaking with partner brokerage firms, December looks to be a busy month as well.  Buyers hoping to get their purchases in to meet end-of-the-year tax deadlines are getting more plentiful, which is driving markets up.   However, moving into 2010, brokers will have their work cut out for them moving the 600 or so pre-owned light jets currently available on the market.

Something Like A Phenomenon

Flying Embraer's first entry-level jet, the Phenom 100

By Cyrus Sigari, Photos By Jessica Ambats

There's a saying, "A plane usually flies like it looks." I put that to the test on Embraer's latest release, the Phenom 100. My first impressions of the Brazilian-made machine? It looks big, really big. It looks fast and sporty, with its sleek nose design and relatively short wings. It looks like a real-deal corporate jet, beyond a VLJ.

Phenom 100: By Ron Mohrhoff

Walkaround
My review started with a detailed walk around the aircraft exterior. I started at the door. Ask any aircraft designer what one of the hardest parts to design is, and you'll likely get the following answer: the door.

Embraer put a tremendous amount of effort into designing the Phenom's door, making those lucky enough to board feel as if they're getting into a Gulfstream, not a jet that costs a fraction of the price. A simple twist of the embedded door handle begins an impressive mechanical ballet as the massive airstair door, with perfect balance, lowers to the ground, providing access to the cabin.

The particular aircraft I evaluated was equipped with the optional premium passenger door, which includes stainless-steel supports that hold the door at the proper height, once deployed. The premium door also adds LED lighting to brighten up the airstair for those late-night entries. What's more striking is how well balanced the door is when you need to close it. It literally takes just your index finger to push up on the handrail and lift the door to the closed position—very impressive engineering.

As I walked toward the nose of the aircraft, it was hard not to notice the height at which the aircraft sits. The ground clearance on the Phenom 100 is about the same as on the Hawker Beechcraft Premier 1A. On the left side of the nose is the baggage area. Due to the location of systems in the nose, Embraer was challenged to put much useful baggage space there. With a total baggage capacity of about seven cubic feet in the nose, you're limited to a small handbag and/or chocks and engine covers in that space. The larger and more practical baggage space is in the aft fuselage, accessed beneath the left engine; it holds 53 cubic feet of space. There's a forward cabin wardrobe and seven cubic feet in the aft cabin lavatory cabinet.

The Prodigy integrated flight deck by Garmin provides pilots with graphical system status synoptics on the MFD.

The radome houses the optional Garmin GWX 68 radar, which provides both lateral and vertical profiling of hazardous weather. I am, however, a little surprised that an aircraft of this level and value has radar as optional (and not standard) equipment.

On the right side of the fuselage, I inspected the nose-steering linkage pin to ensure that it was connected. Unlike most light jets, the Phenom 100's nose-steering linkage can be disconnected, giving operators the ability to spin the nosegear 360 degrees, and making ground handling more versatile for FBO linemen. All three landing gear also require ground-handling pins as protection from accidental collapse when the ship's hydraulic system isn't activated. The Goodyear tires are pressurized to a surprisingly high pressure of roughly 170 psi, which contributes to the Phenom 100 being a little "skippity" on landing—more on that later.

Continuing my walkaround, I inspected the three pitot tubes powering three independent air data computers, along with the angle-of-attack sensor that provides data to the Garmin Prodigy system to display 1.3 multiplied by Vso or Vs (depending on the aircraft's configuration) on the airspeed tape, a handy feature that helps operators double-check their landing speeds.

The Phenom 100's nearly 450 mph top cruise speed can be partly attributed to its wing design. Due to its relatively low-aspect-ratio wing, the Phenom 100 gets good cruise speed efficiency, handles turbulence well and requires special attention during slow-speed flight. The Phenom 100 is equipped with a stick pusher that's activated when the aircraft reaches an angle of attack close to the critical angle of attack. When the stick pusher engages, the elevator control is pushed forward before the aircraft can reach a stall. Additionally, added to the upper surface of the wing are a series of two stall fences that help keep flow attached and aligned during slow-speed flight.

The ergonomics of the Phenom 100's roomy, airline-influenced cockpit provides for both a comfortable and easy-to-use environment for any flight crew.

The ergonomics of the Phenom 100�s roomy, airline-influenced cockpit provides for both a comfortable and easy-to-use environment for any flight crew.

The Phenom's wing and tail leading edges are protected from icing by silver-colored rubber deice boots. Because of the emphasis Embraer placed on fuel efficiency and low acquisition cost with the Phenom 100, keeping the leading edges protected by deice boots—as opposed to heated anti-ice "hot wings"—was an important design decision. The Phenom 100's two trusty Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC) PW617F-E engines aren't robbed of nearly as much valuable bleed air when protecting the wings and tail as they would be with a hot-wing design.

The PW617F-E is the third 600-series engine that PWC has certified. The PW615F was the first, installed on the Citation Mustang, and the PW610F was the second, installed on the Eclipse 500. Because the general design of all three engines is almost identical, PWC was able to learn from the nearly 1,000 engines built throughout the 600-series to further improve on the PW617F.

The Phenom 100's engines are controlled by dual full authority digital engine control (FADEC) computers, providing full hot- and hung-start protection (a big benefit in avoiding the costly consequences associated with a hot start, which may cost up to $100,000). Starting the engines on the Phenom 100 is as simple as starting your car: Take the start selectors from the "off" position and twist them to the "start" position. That's it.

Designed by the folks at BMW, the interior is modern and functional. The aircraft has a roomy cabin with large windows and comes standard with four seats in a club-style configuration. The fully enclosed lavatory in the aft of the cabin comes standard with a flushing electric toilet; 110 VAC outlets under the passenger armrests can power laptops or DVD players.

Ben Marcus (demo pilot) and Cyrus Sigari grinning ear to ear after a great flight.

Put To The Test
For the test flight, I flew from Van Nuys, Calif., to St. George, Utah, and back. Sliding into the left seat, I got a chance to evaluate the business end of the Phenom 100—the cockpit. It comes equipped standard with the Garmin G1000–based Prodigy integrated flight deck. As opposed to a dozen or so other currently certified G1000-equipped aircraft, the Prodigy also provides complete synoptic system information, graphically depicting status on the MFD.

Prior to resting my hand on Embraer's signature "ram's horn" flight controls, I was a little skeptical of the design. With the natural resting position of the human hand being turned more inward rather than outward, however, I found the design to be very comfortable and effective.

After getting the engines started, getting clearance and plugging in the flight plan using the FMS keypad, I tested Embraer's electronic braking system. When pushing on the brake pedals, electronic signals are sent to the brake computer, which ultimately meters hydraulic pressure to activate the brakes. The synthetic force feedback provided by a series of springs located in the pedal assembly takes a little getting used to.

Once cleared for takeoff, I entered the runway, stood up the throttles to takeoff power, and listened to the meaty Pratts spool up to full power while holding the brakes. Upon engine stabilization and brake release, the Phenom leapt forward with a high rate of acceleration. With a takeoff weight of 9,800 pounds and a temperature of 20 degrees C, the Phenom quickly accelerated to the rotation speed of the day, 101 knots, using about 2,200 feet of runway to break ground. Climbing through 1,000 feet, I engaged the GFC 700 autopilot, brought the flaps up and ran the climb checklist. Once cleaned up, we climbed out of the Southern California sky at a stabilized climb rate of about 2,800 fpm at 200 knots indicated. Due to the short flight distance and crowded skies in the Southwest, the flight would be limited to FL290, which the aircraft reached in 13 minutes. Had I climbed all the way up to FL410, it would have taken a total time of 27 minutes.

The optional premium passenger airstair door includes chromed supports and LED lighting.

Once in cruise, I pulled power back to the cruise position and watched the aircraft accelerate to 393 knots, burning 966 pounds of fuel per hour, or 145 gph, precisely as advertised. Take the Phenom 100 up to FL410 on a standard-temperature day, and it'll cruise at about 340 knots and burn 520 pounds of fuel per hour, or about 78 gph, providing a significant fuel savings when flying at high altitudes.

As we transitioned from SoCal Approach and checked in with L.A. Center, I threw the controller for a bit of a loop. "Uh... what kind of plane is that you're flying there?" With only 20 Phenom 100s in North America at this writing, controllers, FBOs and pilots alike are all still getting to know this new little jet. By the end of 2009, Embraer expects to have about 100 Phenom 100s delivered. Not bad for the first full year of production!

As I continued along to St. George, I took some noise readings. The cockpit's noise level was fantastic; no headsets needed to speak to your copilot. The noise signature at cruise was measured to be 80 dB, and 81 dB in the aft cabin.

Before I knew it, it was time to begin the descent into St. George. Descending the Phenom 100, like any jet, requires preparation and planning. Due to high speed and high flying altitudes, it's not uncommon to start the descent 100 nm before your destination. Descents are commonly done at an Mmo of Mach 0.70 or a Vmo of 275 knots indicated (with true airspeeds reaching above 400 knots).

As I evaluated the arrival into St. George, I decided to shoot the LPV approach. Because of the momentum associated with an aircraft that has a maximum takeoff weight of 10,472 pounds, a slick airframe, no speed brakes, a gear speed of 275 knots and an initial flap speed of 200 knots, it takes a little work to get the machine slowed down for the approach. If you're not slowed down below 180 knots before you capture glideslope on an ILS or LPV approach, it will be difficult to slow the aircraft down. That being said, all it takes is a little planning.

I let the autopilot shoot the approach until 500 feet, disconnected the autopilot and went visual. Crossing the threshold, I brought throttles to idle, and brought the 100 in for my first Embraer landing. The trailing-link gear gently greeted the earth. As mentioned earlier, the combination of the high tire pressure and the electronic brakes takes a little getting used to on the ground and can cause the aircraft to skip around a little on landing. Once firmly on the ground, you can go to maximum braking and let the antiskid system quickly bring the Phenom 100 to a gentle stop. Fifty-eight minutes after departing Van Nuys, I pulled off the runway at St. George. Now that's fast.

Not only is it fast, but the Phenom is comfortable, high-tech, and has a great ramp presence. Embraer has hit a home run with its first entry-level jet, providing a great value to those who are fortunate enough to afford the $3.6 million price tag. The Phenom 100's initial entry into service has gone relatively well, with few issues thus far. When there have been issues, all of the early operators I've spoken to have had nothing but the highest praise for Embraer's responsiveness and customer service. With the 100's big brother, the Phenom 300, just around the corner (certification is expected later this year), I can't wait to see what Embraer has up its sleeve!

Embraer System Synoptics

Graphical depictions of system status ease cockpit workload

By Cyrus Sigari

The Prodigy flight deck in the Phenom 100 provides a number of innovative improvements over other G1000-equipped aircraft. One of the most notable is the implementation of system synoptic pages on the MFD, which displays graphical depictions of system status. The first light jet to implement system synoptics was the Eclipse 500, which had synoptic screens for each system displayed on the MFD through Eclipse's Avio system. With the Eclipse out of production for the foreseeable future, the Phenom 100 is now the only light jet that provides graphical system synoptic information to the pilot.

Previously, system synoptics were found only on aircraft that were tenfold more expensive than the Phenom. They provide the pilot with organized and easy-to-read system status. Displaying synoptics on an MFD significantly frees up space in the cockpit because only critical information is continuously shown (the "prettier" optional information is available should a pilot need it).

System synoptics become increasingly handy during adverse flight conditions when a system anomaly or malfunction has occurred. With the copious information displayed on the synoptic pages, an operator or mechanic can quickly diagnose problems that may otherwise take significantly more time to isolate.

As opposed to Eclipse's Avio system, which controlled system operation with a combination of the synoptic pages displayed on the MFD and electronic circuit breakers (ECBs), the Phenom's synoptic pages are, for the most part, "output" only. More specifically, with a few small exceptions, you can't control systems with the MFD; rather, the MFD simply depicts the status of each system. System control is still accomplished by more conventional switches located in the cockpit.

As both Embraer and its customers continue to build experience and confidence in the current layout and design of the Phenom's flight deck, don't be surprised if further improvements are implemented, putting full system control in the MFD.

Embraer, The Company From light aircraft to airliners

By Ben Marcus

Embraer is the third-largest aircraft manufacturer in the world, smaller than only Boeing and Airbus. The company builds airliners, military aircraft and business aircraft. Though its roots go as far back as the 1940s, Embraer was officially formed in 1969 by Brazil's General Command for Aerospace Technology (CTA), which remains immediately adjacent to Embraer's headquarters facility in São José dos Campos, Brazil. The CTA is a research and teaching institution that graduates thousands of highly talented engineers each year.

Many people think of Embraer as an airliner manufacturer, but in fact, the company has been building light aircraft since its inception. In the 1970s, Embraer built many Piper products under license. The first pressurized Embraer airplane was the EMB 121 Xingu, which was a twin-turboprop business airplane that first flew in 1975. There are still many Xingus operating in Brazil and in Africa. The company's first major airliner success story was the EMB 120 Brasilia turboprop, which entered service in 1985.

As the market for the Brasilia began drying up in the early 1990s, Embraer struggled and was nearly disbanded. Maurício Botelho, an investor, visionary and skilled salesman, is credited with saving the company. He led Embraer's privatization and investment in the ERJ 145 program, which was the catalyst for Embraer's rapid growth through the late 1990s and into the 2000s. Embraer has been aggressive with new product development, introducing the E-Jets series of 70- to 110-seat airliners in 1999. Customers include JetBlue, Air Canada and US Airways.

Embraer's entry into the bizjet market was the Legacy, a derivative of the popular ERJ series of airline regional jets. Today, Embraer's lineup of business jets includes the Phenom 100 VLJ and 300 light jet, the Legacy 450 and 500 midsize jets (in development), the Legacy 600 super-midsize jet and the Lineage 1000 ultralarge-cabin business jet, a derivative of the E-190 airliner.

From Cirrus To Citation

JetAviva puts its clients into the left seat of light jets

By Jessica Ambats. Photos By Jessica Ambats. Video footage by Sean O'Leary

Through my Lightspeed Zulu headset, I hear a confident voice: "Denver Center, Citation One Three Zulu Mike, vacating flight level 390 for 240, smooth ride." Our descent into Aspen marks the conclusion of a 703 nm, tailwind-blessed trip from Santa Monica, Calif., and aside from a 2,000-foot marine layer cloaking the Los Angeles Basin, we haven't encountered any weather-until now. It's IMC with moderate chop, and through breaks in the clouds loom the snowy peaks of the rugged Colorado Rockies.

Standard traffic pattern at KASE, which sits at an elevation of 7,820 feet on the southern end of a valley surrounded by 14,000-foot mountains, calls for aircraft to land on runway 15 and depart on 33.

But, today, winds are 310 at 18 knots, gusting to 28, so after requesting a circle-to-land approach on 33, tower clears our Citation Mustang for the circle. Swooping ski trails and majestic homes dot the white and green landscape below, but although I'm the passenger on this flight, it's hard not to notice the large mountain in front of us as we turn right base. "Pull up," commands the G1000 TAWS system. "Pull up!"

Marty Sprinzen (right) and one of his aviation mentors, Cyrus Sigari (left) of JetAviva.

Single-pilot jet operations in mountainous terrain at a high-elevation airport flying a nonstandard traffic pattern in turbulence isn't for the faint of heart. Throw in a screaming terrain alert, and it's enough to rattle the staunchest nerve. But my left-seater keeps his composure and, on final, methodically states, "In a position to land, flaps to landing," and maintains 94 knots over the numbers, extra airspeed for the gusty conditions.

Our touchdown is as smooth as any flown by a high-time professional pilot. But I'm not with one. I'm with Marty Sprinzen, who at age 57, embarked on his childhood dream of becoming a jet pilot. Until three years ago, he hadn't even logged his first private pilot training flight; today, he jet-sets between homes in Los Angeles, Aspen and New York. How did he get here?

Single-pilot jet operations in mountainous terrain at a high-elevation airport flying a nonstandard traffic pattern in turbulence isn't for the faint of heart.

Created by Cyrus Sigari and Ben Marcus in 2006, JetAviva is an innovative company that assists pilots with every aspect of owning and flying a light jet. The team has completed over 125 light-jet transactions and is able to offer objective advice while ensuring a hassle-free experience for customers.

"Our clients typically fall under one of two categories," says Sigari. "They're either retired, self-made business owners whose lifelong ambition has been to own and operate a light jet, or they're principals of medium to large businesses who use their aircraft extensively for the betterment of their business. The aircraft they're stepping up from range from Cirrus SR22s and Cessna Corvalises to TBM 850s and King Airs."

"It doesn't take superhuman skill to fly a light jet," says Marcus. "But it does take a tremendous investment in time, money and emotion." In 2000, a merger took place between Forte, a publicly traded software development company that Sprinzen founded, and Sun Microsystems, which valued Forte at $1.2 billion. "I was just in the right place at the right time," shrugs the Cooper Union graduate.

After soloing in a Cessna 172, he purchased a Cirrus SR22. "JetAviva set me up with two mentors, Craig Byrd and J. Robert Moss," says Sprinzen. "Mossy taught me how to fly a jet single-pilot in the real world. I've learned intimate details about the aircraft and its systems and the best techniques for operating my Mustang in different environments. JetAviva developed my maturity as a pilot in a way that I couldn't have done on my own."

JetAviva provides all of the services necessary to determine which type of light jet is best for a particular client. The company teaches the pilot how to fly his or her new jet and place it into service. Specialized services include an 800-point ground inspection and test flight on the day of delivery as well as a jet-familiarization training program. The company also offers aircraft acquisition consulting and assistance with the sale of a previously owned aircraft. (When Sprinzen was signed off in the Mustang and was reluctantly ready to let go of his SR22, all he had to do was sign the final sales paperwork; JetAviva took care of the rest.)

We're sitting at the one restaurant that's open for Sunday lunch during pre-ski season in downtown Aspen, reminiscing about the morning's flight. Sprinzen is giddy with excitement and texts friends with the proud news of the challenging circle-to-land accomplishment. The guy at the next table overhears the buzz: "You own a jet?" Sprinzen's eyes brighten, and it's as though the little boy from Brooklyn is here: "I flew myself here in it!"

Sprinzen is a prime example of how JetAviva can make jet dreams come true; a vision that Sigari and Marcus are passionate about. The best friends immersed themselves in aviation at the age of 12, both studied aviation-related fields, and while working for Eclipse, came up with the idea to start JetAviva. "Ben and I are 26 years old," says Sigari. "By no stretch are we veterans in the business; however, we believe in three key tenets: have fun, take care of every customer as if they were the last, and be the best at what we do. One of the unique aspects of our business is that all of our clients are fantastically successful people, both in business and in their personal lives. We spend a lot of time with our clients, and as a result, we learn a lot from them. We take the golden nuggets that we've seen help our clients, and try to apply them to our business and personal lives as well."

Our flight home from the Colorado Rockies the following day is uneventful. Today, Sprinzen is a far cry from where he was a year ago, overwhelmed during the training process. "I'm a perfectionist, and when I get into something, I get into something," he says. "I like the challenge of knowing something like the G1000 system really well, and making it do what I want, such as fly across the country. There were times when I was ready to give up, but now I love my Mustang and I wouldn't want to trade it for anything.

"The first time alone in the Mustang felt like my first solo flight all over again," the new jet pilot continues. "I was extremely focused for takeoff and climb, and then once established at cruise, I looked around the cockpit and cabin. I thought to myself, 'I'm alone in a jet at flight levels. Wow!'"

Top 5 Ways To Ease The VLJ Transition

By Cyrus Sigari

It was three o'clock on a Thursday afternoon when my cell phone began to ring. A friend, J.B., had just finished his third day of simulator training for his new VLJ. I knew what was coming. I could sense it before I even answered the phone. "Cyrus, I can't do this...this is too hard." I sat and listened to J.B. talk about why he should quit training, sell his plane and come home.

Transitioning to a VLJ is a humbling experience. If you're considering the transition, know that there will probably be a moment when you too will want to give up. This is normal. If the transition is approached correctly, however, a transitioning VLJ owner-pilot won't have to make the kind of call J.B. made to me.

Having helped dozens of individuals make the transition to one VLJ or another, I know that a smooth and fun transition can be had, but only with thoughtful, realistic planning and, more importantly, the right attitude.

1) Choose the right mentor. Too often, mentors come to the aid of newly transitioning VLJ owner-pilots after they've received a type rating. For a mentor to be truly helpful, the person should be brought in well before the transition process begins in order to help sculpt the transition plan. A mentor serves many roles: planner, coach, disciplinarian, adviser, teacher, friend and therapist. That's right-a therapist. You need somebody to talk to when you hit the point in your transition when you think, "There's just no way I can do this." The most important questions to ask yourself about a prospective mentor are: 1) Can I learn from this person, and 2) Does he or she have the experience required to teach me? You also need to get along with the person. If you can't readily communicate, there won't be any learning. Is the person enthusiastic about your flying success? Does he or she love teaching? Does the person know the techniques required to safely fly a single-pilot jet? Interview a few prospective mentors before making a decision. Pick the one who'll best help you develop the judgment and decision-making skills to successfully fly your VLJ.

In addition to a mentor, you need to get a support network behind you. This is an important step in the transition process. It's now very easy to find a support network through online owners groups. There's an owners group for each VLJ type flying today; for example, there are groups for the Embraer Phenom 100 (www.jetbrief.com), the Cessna Citation Mustang (www.citationjetpilots.com) and the Eclipse 500 (www.eclipse500club.org), to name a few.

2) Understand what's expected of you. Per the Federal Aviation Regulations, any turbojet requires the pilot in command to hold a type rating. In most cases, a type rating can be earned either in the airplane with a designated pilot examiner or through a Part 142 simulator-based training facility, such as FlightSafety International or CAE SimuFlite. Most insurance companies require owner-pilots to successfully complete a simulator course before they'll be insured. In either case, to successfully pass a type-rating program, you must pass a thorough checkride to Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Practical Test Standards. Even if you hold a private pilot certificate, you'll be tested to the highest standards. Most of the Practical Test is focused on the applicant's instrument-proficiency skills. Part of your transition plan should focus on demonstrating fine-tuned instrument skills prior to arriving at a type-rating school. This can be done at your local flight school or with a trusted CFI. Under no uncertain terms should you arrive for your type-rating course without having polished up on your instrument skills beforehand.

3) Been there, done that. By far, the most effective way to ensure a smooth transition into a VLJ is to build time in type prior to beginning the type-rating process. This can be done in two ways. The first assumes that you take delivery of your jet before going to training. After taking delivery, work with a mentor in your jet before you go to type-rating school. The amount of time spent training beforehand varies from applicant to applicant, but on average, 15 to 30 hours of real-world experience in the jet can make a world of difference. If early delivery of your plane isn't an option, there are a number of companies that offer Phenom 100, Mustang or Eclipse aircraft for rent, enabling you to build experience with an instructor.

4) Be honest. Be truthful about where you are, and where you need to go. Fly with your mentor to get a sense of how much work you need. For most people, the biggest areas for improvement include checklist usage, autopilot and flight management system (FMS) usage, performance calculations and instrument proficiency. Once your mentor has the opportunity to assess your level of proficiency in the above categories and your previous flying experience, the person can help you lay out a comprehensive plan of action to get you type-rated.

5) Have fun! The challenge of owning and flying a VLJ is likely one of the principal reasons why so many people have chosen to take on the task. Making the transition should be an enjoyable experience. It should never turn into a burden. If it has, you should reevaluate your transition plan immediately - it's likely there was a wrong turn made somewhere along the line.