Thoughts on VLJ?

Hi Phillip...

Had a great lesson yesterday. Love flying out of SQL, learning good
habits!

Its amazing all the advice I get on getting my new plane. My favorite
on e being, "Buy Mine!". I have been lucky and worked hard to afford a
high end plane. I just feel insecure if I can handle a TBM700.

BTW, got a sales call from the eclipse folks. Arrogant sales people!
Did some research, found a blog that counters the love affair with
eclipse.
http://eclipseaviationcritic.blogspot.com/
Wanted to hear your thoughts on VLJ's in general. Especially on the
ones coming from Cirrus, Honda, and Censsna.
cheers,
rayan

-- Rayan Lakshmanan, October 17, 2007

Answers

I wrote about this in http://philip.greenspun.com/flying/very-light-jets

I visited Eclipse about 1.5 years ago and wrote that they were remarkably arrogant then. I would have thought that years of certification delays and cracked windshields would have humbled them a bit (also watching their competitors catch up). Given what you said in my other forum about the TBM-700 maybe not being large enough for your passengers, you would not find an Eclipse useful.

My friends who actually know anything about jets have placed orders for Cessna Mustangs and Embraer Phenom 100s. From what you said about your mission, it sounds like an old (fully depreciated) TBM-700 now and an order for a Phenom 100 would make sense.

-- Philip Greenspun, October 17, 2007

I've done a significant update to my online VLJ article. In partnership with a couple of friends, I also ordered 14 VLJs (Cessna Mustangs and Embraer Phenom 100s).

-- Philip Greenspun, December 17, 2007

To Ritesh below: Why 14 VLJs? (Actually up to 15 now.) The Northeast is apparently rather scarce on light jet charter. My friends and I have some cash and we have pilot certificates. So why shouldn't we offer Part 135 services? We also have a lot of teaching experience. There will be guys at our local airport who would love to fly a jet but don't have the required experience and didn't think to order one now for 2010 or 2012. Anyway, the orders give us options. Right now we are trying to buy a Mustang and it isn't pretty. We are begging people to sell us theirs for $400,000 more than they paid and we are being refused. It is tough to say what the market will support when our jets finally arrived here in New England, but I think they will be in demand somehow.

-- Philip Greenspun, January 8, 2008

Eclipse Aviation Critic is not the only outlet that ist starting to sour on Eclipse: Article 1 Article 2

-- Mike Zaharis, October 27, 2007

Why 14 VLJs Philip? Are you convinced of the viability of the VLJ air-taxi model? Or just planning on reselling positions? I guess you are aware of the Linear Air guys in your neighborhood.

Congratulations on the very useful and well designed web site! Please keep updating whenever you can.

-Ritesh

-- Ritesh L, January 8, 2008