Light Jet: This category is perfect for James Bond movie villains or business travelers looking to save money on a relatively short flight. Modern business jets, such as the upcoming Dassault Falcon 10X and Gulfstream 800, are luxury long-range aircraft that rival regional aircraft. The Gulfstream 800 and Falcon 10X are extremely efficient for the industry with the latest and most advanced technology, but their impressive size puts general aviation at the top of the list with jets popular with celebrities and business travelers. That’s one difference.
Larger private aircraft have accommodations such as beds and galleries, and the ability to stand and walk around the cabin, while smaller jets are expected to carry up to eight passengers. These jets were more common in the early days of business aviation.
Early jet aircraft were much smaller, less efficient, and had shorter ranges, but they were faster. Very fast. Although the range may vary depending on the number of passengers, today light private jets still stand out for their speed, with all types listed having a top speed of over 450 knots.
5. Hawker 400/Nextant Aerospace 400XT
Maximum cruise speed: 471 knots
- First flight: 1978
- Range: 2,160 nautical miles
- Occupancy: 7
Beechcraft and Raytheon worked together to develop the Mitsubishi Diamond 300, which led to the creation of the Original Hawker 400, which was produced by Beechcraft in the late 1970s. The Hawker 400 was quicker once modifications were made, and it could travel at a maximum speed of 458 knots.
Aerospace company Nextant Aerospace began redesigning a private jet that was already flying in 2007. The Hawker 400 was their first project and the redesign included improved avionics and controls. The Nextant 400XT will also receive an engine update. These new engines will make the jet faster and have a longer range than the original Hawker 400 model.
4. Bombardier Learjet 24
Maximum cruise speed: 475 knots
- First flight: 1966
- Range: 1,473 nautical miles
- Occupancy: 4
The Learjet 24, perhaps the most recognizable and well-known, was the initial iteration of the Learjet 23, the company’s first aircraft. “Bill” Lear created the Learjet after getting the idea to model a business jet after a Swiss ground-attack fighter aircraft. The Learjet 23 became one of the quickest private aircraft to ever take to the air after the manufacturer made a number of design changes in response to its success.
The new jet would have an additional window added to the cabin, larger and more powerful engines, and a higher maximum takeoff weight. The Learjet 24 was one of the few civilian aircraft designs whose activities were banned by the Federal Aviation Administration because of its loud operation, which was caused by their formidable fighter jet-like design. Even now, there are still examples of this kind of aircraft that can get under these noise restrictions thanks to upgraded engines and quieter design changes. Bombardier acquired Learjet in 2021.
3. SyberJet SJ30
Maximum cruise speed: 476 knots
- First flight: 1991
- Range: 2,500 nautical miles
- Occupancy: 4
Perhaps one of the newest aircraft on the list, the SyberJet SJ30 is almost unknown. Why it’s good: Only about 8 copies were made. The aircraft design was purchased from his two amateur aircraft builders who had designed jet aircraft in the 1990s. After the development of the Cyberjet, this type of aircraft attracted many investors and small-scale production began.
The SyberJet boasts a unique look with many notable characteristics. With a maximum flight ceiling of 49,000 feet, the aircraft is licensed for single-pilot operations and can maintain sea-level cabin pressure at altitudes as high as 41,000 feet. The aircraft has a maximum speed of.83, making it fast. The fast jet is also free of the design flaws that other fast aircraft have that make landings harder. Instead, it boasts fuel-efficient features and cutting-edge wing slats that enable it to operate easily at modest speeds.
2. North American Sabreliner
Maximum cruise speed: 480 knots
- First flight: 1958
- Range: 2,170 nautical miles
- Occupancy: 7
The goal of North American Aviation in the early 1950s was to revolutionize executive travel and training for the US Air Force by utilizing the technology of the jet age. North American Aviation had already established itself as a leader in aircraft design with now-iconic aircraft like the F-86 Sabre, P-51 Mustang, and T-6 trainer. In 1958, the Sabreliner made its first flight, using the same wing and tail as their ground-breaking fighter aircraft.
The aircraft was designated the Sabreliner for business travel but was known as the T-39 when in military service. The smallest and almost fastest was the Sabreliner 40. Subsequently, the aircraft would be produced in a number of versions by North American Aviation, featuring larger cabins and updated engines. More than 800 examples of the kind, including all variants, have been built due to its popularity. The Los Angeles Times revealed in 2001 that Osama Bin Laden, the head of Al-Qaeda, had bought a former military T-39 in 1994 that was later modified into a Sabreliner and offered for sale by a jet broker in California. The terrorist group flew that aircraft on multiple occasions.
1. Falcon 10 – Mystere
Maximum cruising speed: 490 knots
- First flight: 1970
- Range: 1919 nautical miles
- Number of occupants: 7
The French government assigned businesses such as Dassault to begin developing aircraft suitable for service as liaison transports and trainers in an attempt to revive the country’s aviation industry following World War II. They created what would eventually be the company’s first business jet, the Falcon 20. The French aircraft manufacturer quickly sought to build two Falcon 20 shifts in order to profit from the model’s enormous popularity among foreign consumers.
The Falcon 10, given its French name Mystere, can be thought of as a scaled-down version of the 20. However, with a different fuselage, different wings, and different avionics than the Falcon 20, two Garrett TFE731 engines powered the new type, and the Falcon 10 was significantly faster. This aircraft was one of the first aircraft to be equipped with this type of engine, which was later adopted in the Learjet, Cessna Citation III, Hawker 800, and others.