FRACTIONAL OPERATOR NetJets will become the fleet launch customer for the Bombardier Global 8000 ultra-long range business jet. An order for four from the company, worth USS312m at list prices, was confirmed on November 29.
NetJets is likely to have acquired the jets at a significant discount, thanks to its importance to Bombardier and prominence within the industry. The operator accounts for more than 10% of new business jet shipments. In addition, the company has converted eight of the orders it holds with the Canadian manufacturer to Global 8000s.
Bombardier has already stated it will replace the Global 7500 on the production line with the 8000. Once the aircraft is certified —expected to occur at some point before 2025 — the Global 7500s already in service with NetJets will also be upgraded as 8000s, a process that will be undertaken via a service bulletin. NetJets plans to eventually operate a fleet of at least 24 Global 8000s, although Bombardier has highlighted that a series of options give it the ability to go beyond that figure should it choose to do so.
The latest deal is part of an aggressive growth strategy for the fractional operator, which is already the world's largest business jet operator. By the end of 2023, the company expects to have a fleet that is 30% larger than the one it flew at the beginning of 2022. NetJets has 850 aircraft spread across its US, European and Executive Jet Management fleets, and with scheduled deliveries and no plans to retire any, will approach a total of 1,000 aircraft by the end of 2023. Speaking at the Corporate Jet Investor Miami event at the start of November, NetJets' president of sales, marketing and service, Patrick Gallagher, confirmed that his company was receiving around 75 aircraft during 2022, between 25 and 30 of which were to be handed over in the last two months of the year. During 2023, more than 100 new production aircraft will be delivered, with the company hiring around 700 additional pilots.