Stats from above #6

We’re slowly, but surely approaching the tail end of autumn. And while you can still see the land covered in shades of orange, brown, yellow, and gold from a jet’s window, you can also hear Mariah Carey waking up from her slumber. Taking that into consideration, we’ll probably see passengers opting more for city breaks rather than beach getaways in this month’s edition of our blog series – Stats From Above. This blog series is where we zoom in on some of the most intriguing statistics from the world of business aviation includingpopular destinations, busiest routes and airports, or the most used types of jets. If you want to catch up before you dive into our latest installment, we suggest you check out our Stats From Above from September.

Stats from above

Looking at the stats provided by our partners from the EBAA, we can see that the skies over Europe have been quite busy over the month of October.

We’ll be looking at the arriving flights. Compared to September all of the numbers have taken a bit of a dive. However, that can be attributed to the fact that the temperatures have plummeted and the number of vacationers seeking sunny and warm spots in Europe has gone down. There were 1,482 active airportsresponsible for a grand total of 63,390 of arrival flights, which is a difference of almost 9,000 flights compared to the previous month. Moving on to active aircrafts, there were 4,880 active jets in the skies in October, with the Turboprop segment accounting for the most departures with 14,925 flights.

Compared to September that’s almost 1,000 flights less. And while turboprops account for two out of the three most active aircrafts with the Pilatus PC-12  and the King Air 200, it’s the Cessna Citation XLS that has been the most sought-after business aircraft. The Super Light Jet accounted for 4,740 arrival flights.

While a trio of bizliners accounted for the top three places for the longest average distances, the fourth plane on the list was the Gulfstream G700. The Ultra Long-Range Jet had an average trip distance of 5,702 kilometers. Interestingly last month Gulfstream G600/650 made it to a similar position on the list but with a much shorter average trip distance - 2,300 kilometers.

Busiest airports and routes

We move to everyone’s favorite section - stats focusing on the busiest airports, routes, and countries. Country flows remain largely the same with domestic flights remaining popular as ever. And although the order of countries remains the same the numbers have seen a bit of a dive compared to the those in September. France remains the leader with 4,431 flights (5,135 previously), the United Kingdom comes in second with 3,770 flights and Germany is third with 3,196.

Focusing on the busiest airports by number of arrivals, traditionally, Paris Le Bourget remains the clear leader of the pack with 2,709 arrivals. However, we have a new contender on the list with the second airport on the list being Farnborough Airport near London. The airport saw 1,404 flights arrive and that could be chalked up to several reasons, one of which is a pretty packed and eventful month in London.

In October London hosted the autumn edition of the London Restaurant Festival catering to the palettes of foodies from all over Europe. That however was not the only event worth visiting. London also hosted the 67th BFI London Film Festival as well as the Bloomsbury Festival.  Closing up the top three is the  Geneva Cointrin Airport with 1,390 flights.  

Jet of the Month

This month’s Jet of the Month is the Cessna Citation XLS manufactured by Cessna a subsidiary of Textron Aviation. The Cessna Citation XLS is a 2004 update of the Citation Excel which was first announced in 1994. By the time the XLS entered production over 300 Citation Excels were manufactured and delivered to customers. Compared to its predecessor the Citation XLS received a range of updates including modern avionics and improved engines that led to enhanced performance. It was in production between 2004 and 2009 with over 300 units produced during that time.

The Cessna Citation XLS is classified as a medium size business jet, which on average seats around eight passengers. However, that can vary depending on the configuration and seating arrangement of the jet itself. As for the power units, the Citation XLS is powered by a pair of Pratt and Whitney PW545B engines which provide it with a flight range of approximately 3,500 kilometers or about 1,900 nautical miles and a maximum speed of 422 knots. This makes the jet an ideal choice for short to medium-length flights allowing you to travel around most of Europe or even to countries across the Mediterranean.

Looking at the interior the Citation XLS is well-equipped to handle the comfort of passengers on short-haul and medium-length flights. Most passengers can look forward to lush, comfortable executive seats that can usually slide, swivel, and recline, allowing them to reach their destination well-rested and relaxed.  Beyond the executive seats, some configurations sport a two-place divan usually located in the forward cabin. Additionally, the cabin can be equipped with a small refreshment center that can take care of small snacks like sandwiches, so passengers don’t go hungry during their flight.

You now have a pretty good overview of the Cessna Citation XLS’s history and the amenities it has to offer, and you might even be considering obtaining one for yourself or your company. However, one question remains unanswered: “How much do these jets go for?”.  Well as is always the case with jets, that depends on the model year, the flight hours it has accumulated, and what the precise configuration is. But you’re looking at a price hovering around US$ 6 to 7 million. If you’re looking to purchase one, you’d better be quick since the median time a Cessna Citation XLS spends on the market is anywhere from 70 up to 100 days.

If you’re looking to buy a Cessna Citation XLS, but are unsure where to start your search or need help with the purchasing process, we’d be happy to assist you on your jet buying journey, so, don’t hesitate to contact us.