DayJet Attracts Attention To VLJs

DayJet Corp., expected to be the first new on-demand air taxi service to fly VLJs, got lots of attention from the mainstream press at its launch announcement, held without VLJs on Monday. A news conference in Delray Beach, Fla., included Gov. Jeb Bush and Eclipse CEO Vern Raburn. DayJet CEO Ed Iacobucci said he plans to start service later this year flying Eclipse 500 jets between five small cities in Florida, bypassing the airlines' hub-and-spoke system. "You don't have to go through Atlanta to get to Gainesville, okay? That's a promise," he said. Despite that example, though, the five cities to be served haven't yet been named. Fares are expected to range from $1 to $3 per mile. DayJet is expected to get the first Eclipse jets off the production line.

The company plans to fly them with a two-pilot crew and carry up to three passengers. It is on record as having ordered 239 jets, which, barring special arrangements often granted by manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus, would otherwise suggest a near $30 million investment in the form of deposits. Market research has shown that travelers consistently prefer a 50-minute flight in an Eclipse to a 300-mile trip by car, spokeswoman Vicky Harris told the St. Petersburg Times. While no traveler has ever taken a 50-minute flight in an Eclipse, it may nonetheless be a reasonable answer if presented with the two options -- associated costs notwithstanding. The car is DayJet's real competition, she said. The Monday news conference was rescheduled from an earlier date due to a conflict in executive schedules, according to DayJet's Schwartz communications. Similar start-ups are in the works, such as PogoJet and Corporate Clipper.

Taking The VLJ Overseas

With flocks of very light jets readying to arrive in the U.S. market (Spectrum, the VLJ performance leader hopeful, is expected to announce its European strategy in Geneva early next month) Europe is taking notice and wondering if the concept will work for them. "Within Europe's business aircraft operating community," says Kate Sarsfield, writing for Flight International, "the VLJ is being greeted with a mixture of excitement, curiosity, apprehension and skepticism." The Eclipse 500 and Cessna Mustang are expected to earn European certification by late next year, though deliveries may not start until 2008. Critics say the VLJs will likely replace piston twins used for charter, but the cabins are too small to compete with the amenities of larger corporate bizjets now in service. Eclipse CEO Vern Raburn told Flight International he doesn't expect to compete straight-on with the bigger jets, but instead expects to find "a vast untapped market" of business travelers. But aviation analyst Richard Aboulafia is unconvinced that small jets will flood European skies. "VLJs might help a few new charter operators to make cash, but we're talking a few score aircraft, not thousands," he told Flight International.

With Supersonics In The Works

While VLJs are the next big thing on the horizon, there is always something new just beyond. For aviators, that next next thing could be the comeback of supersonic passenger airplanes. Yesterday, Aerion Corp. announced that it has secured funding for its supersonic jet through program launch -- the point at which production design and prototype development would begin. "All of our activities to this point have shown that the aircraft is technically and economically viable," Aerion Vice Chairman Brian Barents said in a news release. More public definitions for those variables will likely develop along with the aircraft. "This has given us the confidence to enter into discussions with OEMs and first-tier suppliers who would become consortium partners." Barents added that the program is "on schedule and on plan," with ongoing efforts to further refine the design and to confirm supersonic performance. Active discussions with potential partners are ongoing. Aerion engineers said their continuing research has shown that they can achieve gains in range, performance and cabin size beyond their original goals. The Aerion supersonic business jet aims to cruise at Mach 1.6 with a range in excess of 4,000 nautical miles. The company predicts certification five years from program launch.