Business flights from Farnborough Airport, generate $2.45bn (£1.9bn) of gross value added (GVA) to the UK economy every year, according to the CBI researchers. Up to 80% of the flights from the airport supporting UK business and inward investment either directly or indirectly. It characterised flights from the airport as having a high economic impact and being “time-sensitive in nature and essential in purpose”.

Commenting on the research Louise Hellem, chief economist, CBI Economics said: “It is striking the impact that the business aviation sector has on the UK economy, in particular the economic opportunity it creates and the importance of the sector in driving UK competitiveness and growth.” 

Simon Geere, CEO, Farnborough Airport thought the research validated the airport’s long-standing contribution to both the national and local economies. “These latest findings from CBI Economics support what we have been saying for some time, that the role of business aviation in driving inward investment and creating economic opportunity within the UK is both significant and demonstrable,” he said.

It’s not just the national economy, which benefits from the business airport. Local employment opportunities generated by the facility, about 50 miles south west of London, were said to total the equivalent of 23,000 full-time employee (FTE) jobs. Geere also makes a claim for the airport’s environmental sustainability. “With Farnborough Airport serving smaller-lighter aircraft, our environmental footprint is a fraction of that of a traditional commercial passenger airport, yet our economic output relative to our size is completely unsurpassed,” he said. 

These will prove handy arguments for the airfield, following its planning application last year to Rushmoor Borough Council to increase annual flights from 50,000 to 70,000. Growth, which it argues, will further benefit both the national and local environment – despite some local opposition to the expansion.

Meanwhile, back at the airshow, this year’s numbers showed significant growth compared with the previous event in 2022. The show last month attracted 33% more visitors (numbering over 100,000) and recorded a 57% increase on delegation attendance and more than $105.8bn in commercial deals announced during the five days. Events in Geneva (EBACE 2024) and Las Vegas (NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition – NBAA-BACE) must generate similar benefits. 

Sadly, sales of gold braid are not recorded at any of these events. 

Farnborough features military gold braid at its airshow and a golden contribution from business aviation year round. (Image courtesy of Wyedean).

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The study revealed about 80% of flights from Farnborough Airport were related either directly or indirectly to supporting UK business and inward investment. Flights  from the airport are mainly of “high economic impact, time-sensitive in nature and essential in purpose” it concluded. The economic value created by the airport was also said to generate the equivalent of 23,000 full-time employee (FTE) jobs.

The research evidences the value of business aviation to the UK economy and in particular the role of Farnborough Airport in supporting growth and investment, said Louise Hellem, chief economist, CBI Economics. “It is striking the impact that the business aviation sector has on the UK economy, in particular the economic opportunity it creates and the importance of the sector in driving UK competitiveness and growth,” she said.

Simon Geere, CEO, Farnborough Airport added: “These latest findings from CBI Economics support what we have been saying for some time, that the role of business aviation in driving inward investment and creating economic opportunity within the UK is both significant and demonstrable.”

The airport has a critical role to play in supporting economic growth – both at a local level and also across the wider UK, he said. “With Farnborough Airport serving smaller-lighter aircraft, our environmental footprint is a fraction of that of a traditional commercial passenger airport, yet our economic output relative to our size is completely unsurpassed.” 

The research also quantifies the value to the UK of the proposed increase in flights at Farnborough Airport from 50,000 to 70,000 per year, with an additional £1.4bn of GVA being generated within the UK economy every year. More flights would also create an extra 17,900 FTE jobs, claimed the researchers.

The latest research follows an economic assessment last year undertaken by York Aviation, which was submitted last year to Rushmoor Borough Council as part of the airport’s planning application to increase its annual flights from 50,000 to 70,000. This claimed the localised economic impact of Farnborough Airport supported 2,600 jobs and injected £170m of GVA into the local economy each year. This contributed, it was said, to making Rushmoor one of the fastest growing Local Authorities in the UK, according to data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The CBI Economics report is entitled ‘Getting Business Going – The economic benefits to UK plc of business aviation at Farnborough Airport’.

Farnborough Airport was said to create the equivalent of 23,000 full-time employee jobs.

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The new Cessna Citation CJ3+/Cessna Citation M2 Gen2 convertible simulator (pictured), designed and manufactured by TRU Simulation + Training, is scheduled to be fully operational by January 2025.

Jerry Messaris, vice president and general manager, TRU Simulation + Training noted that training a new generation of pilots is critical to business aviation’s success amid the current shortage. “We’re pleased to provide a world-class training device to complement the legendary Cessna Citation lineup,” said Messaris.

Columbus, Ohio-headquartered FlightSafety International provides training for pilots, technicians and other aviation professionals. The company’s Farnborough site offers European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) training covering both corporate and regional aircraft.     

Brian Moore, CEO and director, Operations, FlightSafety Textron Aviation Training said the firm planned to expand its Cessna Citation training network in Europe.  “Our partnership with Textron Aviation and TRU will provide a high-fidelity training device and enable us to deliver a high-quality training experience to our mutual customers,” he said.

The simulator is equipped with the latest Garmin G3000 avionics and features real aircraft parts throughout the cockpit. TRU’s design has incorporated its third-generation control loading system that aims to produce a highly realistic flight experience and accurate representation of the aircraft.

“Our customers rely on us to design and deliver the best aviation experience, and that includes supporting them throughout their entire aircraft ownership journey,” said Duncan Van De Velde, vice president, Sales, Textron Aviation Europe. “We are pleased to share this new training option for customers in Europe who trust Cessna Citations to fulfil their missions.”

Meanwhile, Textron Aviation’s revenue rose by 10.5% to $1.1bn in the first quarter (Q1) of the year, up from $1bn in Q1 2022, according to its parent company’s financial results.

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The service will be operated using Go Zero’s fleet of all-electric Teslas. The firm operates a corporate chauffeur service in and around London, UK and has been working with Microsoft, Rivian and Taylor Made.

Launched in 2018, Go Zero has since covered 299,049 net green miles and saved 87,000kg of Co2 which is the equivalent to filling 322 London double decker buses, it said.

Jo Goodall, CEO, TAG Aviation Europe, said: “We are delighted to be working with Go Zero Travel, it complements our sustainability offerings and delivers excellent service which is imperative to our business.”

TAG recognises its responsibility as a business aviation, said Goodall. “[Therefore it] seeks opportunities to reduce their carbon footprint which include initiatives in their offices and bases to voluntarily offsetting flights.”

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The new addition is registered in Malta, which Flexjet said reflects its “continuing operational growth in the region”.

It marks the first time the ultra-long-range aircraft has become available in Europe on a shared ownership programme, following its success in the US.

Offering a maximum range of nearly 11,500km (7,145m) and a top cruise speed of Mach 0.925, the Gulfstream G650 joins Flexjet’s existing super-midsize Embraer Praetor 600 fleet in being registered in Malta and operated by its Maltese operation.

“Our ultra-long-range programme is well-established in the US and we are delighted to welcome our first Gulfstream G650 into our European fleet, a significant investment that is a key milestone in our ambitious expansion plans,” Marine Eugène, MD Flexjet said.

She added that registering the jet in Malta demonstrates how “pivotal” the region is to the company’s future growth. “We have been impressed by its dynamic and professional aviation community and growing pool of industry talent,” added Eugène.

Back in May, Flexjet added three Praetor 600s to double its European fleet and moved its European operations to Farnborough. The company said that it will hire 350 pilots and add 50 aircraft to its fleet by the end of the year.

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The San-Francisco-based company, which offers aircraft that can be booked exclusively by a group or per seat, raised $50m in Series B funding and $15m in convertible notes. The funding round was co-led by European alternate investment firm AlbaCore Capital Group and returning investors Expa and Keyframe Capital, with new investment from Capital One Ventures.

The group said the Series B funding will be used to drive the company’s global market expansion and to meet increased demand on existing routes. Currently, clients can fly from Los Angeles and San Francisco to destinations like Aspen, Sun Valley and Colorado and from London Farnborough to the Greek island Mykonos, Ibiza and Nice.

With a fleet of ERJ135 16-seater jets and 13-seater Legacy 600s, Aero allows customers to travel with a dedicated concierge service in direct, premium flights via private terminals, offering quicker journeys to popular leisure destinations.

“Aero’s success over the last few years highlights that customers in both the US and Europe have been waiting for the Aero travel experience,” said Uma Subramanian, CEO, Aero. “Aero is growing fast and we look forward to bringing the Aero experience to new markets in the coming months.”

“Aero has consistently delivered an unforgettable flying experience and proven to be a leader in the next chapter of premium air travel,” said John Rapaport, chief investment officer, Keyframe Capital. “Aero has built a recognisable brand and a thoughtful jet service that customers love. We are excited to continue building upon Aero’s successes and to be by their side to develop next-level global air travel experiences.”

Aero, which was launched in Europe in 2019 and in the US in 2021, claims all its seats on its bespoke black jets are “first-class seats”. The company has a range of partners including W Hotel Aspen, Black Tie Ski Rentals and Wally’s Wine and Spirits.

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When the cleaning of commercial aircraft, conducted by its division Up & Away Services, came to a halt during the pandemic, its private business, Up & Away Detailing, began to see a big increase in orders. “Our business aviation model has always done well, so during Covid we were able to use that money to fund assets to grow the whole business,” Stefan Murphy, MD and founder, Up & Away Aviation, told Corporate Jet Investor.

During the lockdowns, the company continued to build its infrastructure. “We were able to get into airports and build our operation, and when everything started up again, it was just a matter of staffing it,” said Murphy. “When we came out of lockdown, we had established more bases and had bought assets for 50% of their current worth, so we were in a really good position to continue our growth.”

Over the past three years, the Up & Away team has grown from 16 people to 380. Of those, 55 are based at Farnborough Airport and Oxford Airport in the UK. Redundancies due to Covid allowed the company to hire skilled staff once work resumed. Recruitment has proved a challenge during the past. “Because Up & Away Detailing offers such a bespoke service in terms of cleaning private jets, we initially found it hard to recruit and train people quickly,” said Murphy.

Meanwhile, Murphy planning expansion into France next year. A key target is the acquisition of a similar cleaning business and hiring more staff. “We are looking to recruit more detailers in line with our plans to move into France in 2023,” he said.

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Dubbed the ‘Air Cocaine’ case, it began six years ago when ex-fighter pilots Pascal Fauret and Bruno Odos attempted to smuggle drugs out of the Dominican Republic. They were accompanied by two passengers – Alain Castany and Nicolas Pisapia – on board a Falcon 50 intending to fly to Saint-Tropez, in France. The trijet was holding 26 suitcases – allegedly in poor condition – containing a total of 680 kgs of cocaine.

The aircraft belonged to Alain Afflelou, owner of a chain of French opticians. He had made it available for charter, not knowing what was waiting to happen.

After being arrested and detained for 15 months by Dominican police, Fauret and Odos were found guilty and sentenced to 20-year terms in 2015. Then, they escaped house arrest with the help of friends and unknown allies. The two men wanted to appeal to a French judge. They were said to have fled to the French-Dutch island of Saint Martin, and only returned to French mainland later that autumn. They were arrested soon after their arrival.

Since then, others have been implicated in this case. The Guardian reports: “The evidence runs to more than 62,000 documents and more than 100 witnesses are expected to be called during the seven-week trial.”

Ali Bouchareb, considered to be the ringleader, has been sentenced to 18 years imprisonment. While his right-hand man, Frank Colin, got 12 years.

This is one of the biggest drug seizures on an aircraft in recent years. The Farnborough case last year involved five men smuggling £41m worth of cocaine packages labelled with ‘Superman’ logos into the UK. They were jailed for a total of nearly 100 years.

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Sam Heather, Commercial Director at Voluxis, commented: “It is an exciting time at Voluxis, with the new office and a new aircraft that we will be able to announce in the next couple of weeks. We have been based at Biggin Hill since our inception, but we opened an office in the Middle East earlier this year and now we have a second UK one here at Farnborough.

“Biggin Hill is still our headquarters, but we felt that we needed another option near London for our clients going forward. We will be announcing a new aircraft in the near future and it will be a very different offering to what we currently have – basing it at Farnborough signals our intentions for the future.

“We now have a top class management team in place and are in the best position in the company’s history, which is why we are now expanding our range of operations bases and our aircraft offerings.”

VOLUXIS is a worldwide AOC holder with a diverse fleet of Falcon and Hawker aircraft available for private charter. In addition to private jet charter, VOLUXIS also offer aircraft management and aircraft sales & marketing services with offices in London and Dubai.

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When the Citation Longitude is certificated, and the first deliveries begin, it will be the largest Citation to date, capable of carrying 12 passengers. With four passengers on board, the aircraft has a maximum range of 3,500nm.

The company took Corporate Jet Investor on a one-hour flight, departing Farnborough, heading south towards Southampton before climbing back up the country and over south Wales and returning to land back at Farnborough.
The aircraft we flew on is the seventh Longitude built (MSN 700-0007 / N707CL), with a spacious eight-person, double-club configuration.

Cessna has used five aircraft for its test program. Aircraft numbers 1 – 4 have focused on systems-reliability and function testing, whilst aircraft 5 has been fitted with a full production interior. Aircraft number seven is being used as a demonstration aircraft. Prior to arriving at Farnborough, it had been on a world tour, with Farnborough the final stop before its return home to Wichita.

The weather in the south-east of the UK was not the best for flying, with heavy snow showers to pass through. Despite this, the aircraft handled well despite a few bumps along the way.

Our initial climb to 43,000ft took 23 minutes. This was done in small steps, but as Cessna’s Tom Perry said in a flight the previous week the Longitude had climbed directly to 43,000ft in just 16 minutes.

The ride itself was very comfortable. The aircraft cabin is a longer version of the Citation Latitude cabin, which already had the widest cabin in its class. The cabin height is 1.83m, which is roomy enough for 6ft people to be able to stand comfortably.

One of the features of the aircraft is how integrated the cabin controls are via Cessna’s own Clarity Android and IOS apps. We were able to control the music, as well as the temperature on board the aircraft from the app loaded onto an iPad, as well as being able to control the window shades.

Up front, the Longitude sports the Garmin G5000 flight deck, featuring three large 14-inch glass displays, along with four touch-screen controllers. The pilots told us later that the aircraft is one of the “most fun” Citation’s to fly.

But it was the cabin that Cessna really wanted to show off, especially how quiet it is. Tom Perry, vice president of sales for Europe, Middle East, and Africa, explains that Cessna had addressed each individual source of noise entering the aircraft cabin, and tried to soundproof them.

The result is that even during take-off when the engines are at full power, the cabin noise level was so low that conversations were possible without raised voices. “The noise which you do hear is literally the slight aerodynamic sound from antennas along the fuselage,” explained Perry.

N707CL was on the last leg of an anti-clockwise world tour. It’s now been completed, and on the day after our flight the Longitude set off on its journey back home — flying a long leg directly from Farnborough to White Plains New Jersey.

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