VLJ MAGAZINE | How Many VLJs Are Coming? | Vljs, Light, Very, Some, Have

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About the editor

Bill Strait William Strait is President and CEO Private Jet Group International. His company's Private Jet services include specialized aviation business consulting, capital solutions, insurance brokerage, targeted training solutions, and provision of qualified flight crews. All of which are in great demand by the rapidly growing international very light jet marketplace.

Bill is a veteran aviator and corporate manager with over thirty years of civilian flying experience in the general aviation, corporate, and commercial sectors. He has logged more than 20,000 hours of safe flying experience while traveling to more than 50 countries and is an active Captain on the MD-11 for a major international freight carrier. His professional path to this level includes type ratings in the G-1, DC-9, B-727, B-757/ 767, and seaplanes plus instructor pilot ratings in the B-727, B-757, and B-767.

His passion in life is aviation and his personal goal is to help those interested in aviation fully realize their dreams-whether it be to discover flying or to create a successful aviation business. It was this entrepreneurial aviation spirit that caused Bill to become one of the early promoters of the very light jet market sector through his publication of this online magazine. As its managing editor, Bill is now recognized as a key leader in this exciting Private Jet aviation business sector.

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How Many VLJs Are Coming?

The Very Light Jet story unwinding before us is history in the making. There was a statement made not long ago that so many VLJ s were on the way that they might very well “darken the skies.” (If you are my age this may have called up a vision of Hitchcock’s 1963 movie “The Birds.”)

Right now the Eclipse fleet stands at around 50 aircraft. Eclipse 500

Today these Eclipses and the Mustangs delivered, combined with all of the flying test aircraft from all the manufacturers, might cast a shadow over some small schoolyard.

Fear Factor aside, here are some highly credible and current speculations of how many VLJs might enrich our view from our polarized or shaded airline windows over time:

[Click the image to view full size]

ISASI comments in their August 2007 report: “as of mid-June 2007, Airclaims, which defines orders rather conservatively, identified nearly 1,500 orders from 19 countries for VLJs. Less demanding definitions produce much higher estimates…from 5000 units to 15,000 units by 2020. Typical estimates also suggest 1,000 to 1,500 VLJs will enter the fleet annually within several years..”

I have had the great fortune to study this Very Light Jet phenomenon for nearly seven years. During that time I have traveled to over 40 countries in my work as a pilot. I have discussed VLJs with many FBO operators and airport managers in the process and the level of awareness and interest is remarkable. This is the real deal and it is global.

My company, VLJ Group, tracks the interest in VLJs around the world on a daily basis.
Here are some interesting analytics from a recent 30 day window:
There were 9922 entrants from 113 countries. The #1 city interested in VLJs was London, followed by New York, then Beverly Hills. Beverly Hills? Some of us thought it was just a cool song and video by the band Weezer filmed at the Playboy Mansion in 2005.

I’m in Honolulu now and going to Sydney and Hong Kong in two weeks and of course I will be making and taking impressions of the incredible world of Very Light Jets.

How many VLJs are on the way? Enough to hold our undivided attention.