People who are rich and powerful enough to own a private jet understand that their aircraft is more than a highly efficient, luxurious way to travel. They also understand the prestigious and iconic symbolism commanding a private jet delivers to one’s image and reputation.
So, speaking of icons, what have been some of the most exemplary private jets since this paradigm-shifting mode of personal air transportation took flight approximately in 1950? Scroll down and take a look:
First Jets
Most people assume jet technology did not “become a thing” until the technology was ready and viable in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
It’s fascinating that two men in the 1930s developed the first private jet models! Back then, German physicist Dr Hans von Ohain finished work on the first turbojet that powered an aircraft in 1937.
But by six months, British inventor Sir Frank Whittle bested Dr. von Ohain. Sir Whittle is credited with the invention of the first turbojet engine -– although he drew heavily from a patent created by Frenchman Maxime Guillaume in 1921.
It must be noted that Dr. von Ohain was the first to make a plane fly with a turbojet, while Sir Frank Whittle fell behind in that regard.
First Private Jet – Lockheed Jetstar
Jet technology didn’t become commercially viable until about the year 1950. The first true private jet was the Lockheed Jetstar brought out that year; thus, the Lockheed Jetstar deserves “icon status” as the first true “dedicated business jet.”
It seated ten passengers and two crew members and had a top speed of 547 mph, adding to its icon status: Elvis Presley owned two of them!
A New Industry Emerges: Learjet
Even so, it would be a decade or more before turbojet engine technology became viable enough to produce a practical model that could create an all-new sector of aviation – private jet ownership and travel.
The market for private jets took off thanks to the brilliant Bill Lear. He brought out his Learjet 23 in 1963. The actual look and feel of the private jet travel you know today were on the scene and in action across the skies.
The Learjet 23 has a “coolness factor” that cannot be overstated. Smaller, sleeker and faster than the Lockheed, it seated 4 to 6 people and a two-person crew. It boasted a blazing top speed of 561 mph.
Incidentally, Bill Lear, who had an eighth-grade education, was also the inventor of the first viable car radio and the iconic 8-track tape player. Before he died in 1978, he racked up 140 patents.
Gulfstream II
In 1966, a new, large, luxurious private jet arrived. The sweptwing Gulfstream II could carry 19 passengers and two crew. Powered by two Rolls Royce Spey turbofan engines, it had a marvelous range of 4,090 miles and a top speed of 575 mph.
This twin-engine business jet was built by Grumman, which later became Grumman American and then Gulfstream American. The highly innovative design of the Gulfstream II made possible an all-new level of luxury, range, passenger size and efficiency to the private jet realm.
The driving force behind Gulfstream II was American businessman Allen Paulson.
The Embraer Legacy
The next iconic private jet model burst upon the world. Embraer S.A. is a multinational aerospace firm founded in 1969. In 2001, its Legacy model entered the market, and two decades later, aviation observers consider this private jet a leader in the industry.
The Legacy series of jets can accommodate 13 to 14 passengers, two crew members, and a maximum 4,500-mile range. The Embraer Legacy is considered among the most technologically advanced private jets. The most popular models are the Phenom 300 and Praetor 500.
The Phenom 300 has a top speed of 598 mph, and the Praetor 500 raps at 624 mph.
Embraer models now populate numerous private jet travel providers and find frequent use among firms offering high-quality private jet membership programs, on-demand services, private charters and more.
A Rich Legacy
Amazingly, the private jet industry is only about 70 years old. In this short time, however, private jet travel has evolved from a technology that is the exclusive playground of the rich to becoming ever more available and affordable to a more significant segment of society.
