Why VLJs are getting so much hype.

The advent of a new type of aircraft into the general aviation arena is tantamount to a new arrival into a family--a cause for celebration to be sure. This is especially true when that "blessed event" has been much anticipated by that "family" and represents the culmination of everyone's long-held hopes and dreams.

With the long anticipated introduction of Very Light Jets on the near-term horizon, i.e. Eclipse 500, Cessna Mustang, Embraer Phenom, et. al., this new category of aircraft is generating a great deal of interest both within the industry and in the press that follows it. Pinging any internet search engine with the phrase "very light jet" will yield no less than 1,000,000 results including articles, solicitations, or offers for more information on the subject. And considering that none of these aircraft have been certified or entered production, VLJ's are indeed something of a phenomenon.

Why all the hype? Well, it would seem that the VLJ's harken back to a fantasy era that was popularized by the Jetsons cartoon of the 1960's. Images of regular guys like George Jetson zitzing around in his own private airplane are irresistibly resonant with the baby boomer generation and it seems that they cannot get enough. I have personally fielded hundreds of exuberant inquiries from clients and would-be zitzers alike asking for information about the VLJ and the revolutionary impact they will have.

Now, I know that anything that portends a day that traveling via private airplane is as commonplace as jumping into your car will generate a lot of interest. The shrinking-value proposition offered by the airlines and the comparatively high cost of the existing private aircraft fleet assures many in our industry that people will beat a path to the door of anyone offering a viable alternative. But the investors and conceivers of the Eclipse 500 are not likely to become the Henry Fords of aviation. Aviation is still very expensive and the gulf that exists between the folks that can fly privately and those that cannot is likely to continue for some time. Taking an honest look at the numbers provides a much needed reality check for the VLJ enthusiasts.

Despite the fact that the NAA recently awarded their coveted Collier Trophy to the manufacturer of the Eclipse 500, this aircraft does not constitute a quantum leap in any of the categories by which aircraft are measured; performance, utility, or cost. Setting aside for the moment the nascent idea of a thousand air taxi's with people ride-sharing around like some airborne Prime Time Shuttle, the best the Eclipse will do is to deliver service for four passengers at an hourly flight time charge of around $1,500.00. Considering that a wide array of service-tested airplanes can be rented today at a similar price point it is difficult to identify the "magic" that VLJ's bring to the arena. And what, therefore, is the basis for bestowing esteemed awards like the Collier Trophy to the Eclipse, an accolade that is typically reserved for aircraft designs with a proven track record? It has more to do with the development and manufacturing processes than the aircraft itself.

The VLJ's do constitute a new category of aircraft, one that will serve a niche for small owner-operated private aircraft in the $1.5M to $3.0M price range. But especially for Eclipse, their business model is inextricably dependant upon the success of their so-called "Air Taxi" partners that suggest that there is demand for thousands of VLJ's serving hosts of semi-wealthy citizens unserved by existing charter operators.

One explanation for the hype is that the purveyors of the VLJ's have found a willing accomplice in our governmental bureaucracies, namely the FAA and NASA. For the FAA's part they use projections proffered by Eclipse and air taxi wannabe Day Jet to justify the agency's budget, citing that Day Jet's inevitable success will result in a 10% increase in business jet flight activity. And for NASA, they use these same FAA forecasts to justify plans to fund a $69,000,000 research program for a Small Aircraft Transportation System, a plan that reads like a storyboard for the Jetson's.

While it is laudable to be forward thinking with the challenges in our nation's transportation system, this NASA study is a real flight of fancy. The fact is that more and more people are accessing private aircraft through existing general aviation service channels, most of which are being choked by overbearing and misguided regulation from the FAA. So for these bureaucracies to simultaneously co-opt the VLJ hype to promote themselves as the key to solving our problems of congested airports and highways is a bit of a stretch.

The Eclipse, Mustang, and Phenom will definitely have their place in the newly minted VLJ category. The aviation industry will welcome them into the family with open arms and with great expectations for market expansion and advances in technology. But the manufacturers would be wise to focus on under promising and over-delivering on specifications and performance; unless they don't mind, terribly, the negative headlines that will likely result.

Information for this article was provided by Spirit Aviation.