The 10 Most Revolutionary Business Jets Of The Past 60 Years

FIRST FLIGHT: October 7, 1963

IMPACT: Invented the light-jet segment for corporate travel.

VERDICT: “With a 902km/h speed, six-passenger cabin and modern styling, the 23 reimagined regional travel while delivering a sexy, James Bond ramp appeal.”

FIRST FLIGHT: October 2, 1966

IMPACT: First large business jet with an exquisite cabin and extended range.

VERDICT: “With a stout airframe to withstand heavy transport demands, the GII became the executive transcontinental jet of choice.”

FIRST FLIGHT: November 7, 1976

IMPACT: Dramatically extended range in the super-midsize category.

VERDICT: “The three-engine design—the first of its kind—made nonstop travel across the North Atlantic or continental US possible, setting the stage for decades of successful tri-jet Falcons.”

FIRST FLIGHT: December 21, 1993

IMPACT: Clean-sheet design that shattered Cessna’s image as a maker of slow jets.

VERDICT: “The X was Cessna’s counterpunch to Learjet, making it an instant super-midsize category leader with its 976km/h top speed.”

FIRST FLIGHT: October 13, 1996

IMPACT: A revolution in ultra-long-range, large-cabin private jets.

VERDICT: “With its 6,000-nautical-mile range, for the first time 16 passengers could travel, with at most one fuel stop, between any two points on Earth.”

FIRST FLIGHT: April 29, 2008

IMPACT: Breakthrough design in a light-jet airframe.

VERDICT: “The best of what a small executive jet can be, with a single-pilot flight deck, 2,000-nautical-mile range, advanced cabin entertainment and room for nine passengers.”

FIRST FLIGHT: February 18, 2014

IMPACT: Reinvigorated the midsize-jet category with a clean-sheet fuselage.

VERDICT: “The enhancements included a lower cabin air pressure, flat floor and Garmin’s G5000 avionics that made the Latitude a favourite among pilots.”

FIRST FLIGHT: November 19, 2018

IMPACT: Bespoke interiors and a 6,000-nautical-mile range make it the pinnacle of air travel for up to 25.

VERDICT: “The cabin on this massive wide-body, 15 per cent larger than its closest competitor, can be laid out in highly creative configurations.”

FIRST FLIGHT: March 16, 2018

IMPACT: With the lowest operating costs of any BBJ model, the Max 7 is the evolution of the BBJ Max 8 and Max 9, delivering 7,000 miles of range with its more fuel-efficient LEAP-1B engines. Its enormous cabin is 26-metres long and 3.3-metre wide, for about 82sqm.

VERDICT: “When the 737 Max comes back online, passengers will love the space and solitude of the Max 7’s luxurious cabin and owners will surely notice the increased ROI.”

FIRST FLIGHT: February 14, 2020

IMPACT: Longest, widest and tallest cabin of any business jet, featuring five living zones.

VERDICT: “Travel up to 7,500 miles in a cabin that minimises jet lag with true circadian lighting while being bathed in sunlight from 20 panoramic oval windows.”