Archive for the ‘excel jet’ Category:
The Personal Light Jet
National Public Radio recently aired 2 very interesting segments on the airline industry. The first segment cited companies leaving small cities because of poor air transportation service. The second segment cited an interesting statistic; all of the airlines that existed before the deregulation act of 1978 have gone bankrupt.
But wait, wasn’t airline deregulation supposed to be good for the airlines? Wasn’t it supposed to spawn innovation and drive economies of scale? Wasn’t it supposed to increase choices for the airline passenger?
Well, at least one of these impacts is true; deregulation spawned innovation – although probably not the way it was predicted in 1978. Today, new technologies are appearing everywhere from new forms of social organization to faster and smarter aircraft systems. This article features a very interesting aircraft sector called the personal sport jet. While I do not know enough about their actual business model, it would appear that they are aiming where the airlines and major manufacturers simply cannot reach.
With an operating cost of $400 per hour instead of $1200-$2000 per hour in this class, the excel sportjet can deliver a 2 hour jet flight performance in a “regionalization” market. Social media trends show us that people are connected in shorter distances and far more diverse locations than the hub and spoke system can accomodate.
This aircraft is small, lightweight, and fast. It uses a single jet engine and flies at a lower altitude reducing pressurization forces and associated cost. The Sport Jet II carries 4 people and employs extensive use of composites in addition to simplified pilot qualification requirements.
Clayton Christensen’s book “The Innovator’s Dilemma” cites numerous now classic examples of how industries are threatened by simple upstarts that deliver what the customer wants at a price they can afford without the complexity and “over-performance” burden that mainstream players evolve into.
While the aviation business is very complicated, it is truly a pleasure to witness new products and innovations that come to market under the radar of the big players. We hope that they grow to have an impact on the industry. After all, that is what Social Flights is all about.
Bravo Sport Jet II, Bravo.