November 20, 2008 The London to Dubai route is probably going to see a lot of private business air traffic in the coming years and Emivest Aerospace has used it to showcase the high speed capabilities of its SJ30 Business Jet. The aircraft has set a speed record for its class, flying from London to Dubai in seven hours and seven minutes, including a 41-minute refueling stop in Istanbul.
The 46-foot long SJ30 has a range of 2,500 nautical miles, a top speed of Mach 0.83, and a top flying height of 49,000 feet. The plane completed the 3470 mile London/Dubai trip at an average speed of 488 miles per hour in a time that is currently the fastest recorded for any aircraft below 20,000 lbs (as officially certified by the National Aeronautical Association). In addition to its high speed credentials, it is the first light jet to retain a sea level cabin pressure at up to 41,000 feet.
“As the world’s fastest light business jet, the SJ30 is completely built for speed using innovative concepts in wing design ensuring it is aerodynamic and has the ability to cancel out gusts of wind. Since its first introduction, the SJ30 has been making world speed record flights including its record-breaking journey from Texas, USA to Dubai last year for the Dubai Airshow,” said EMIVEST Chairman, Buti Saeed Al Ghandi.
“The Middle East is now the world’s fastest expanding market for private jets with industry experts forecasting it will account for $720 million of the private jet market this year making the region a strong territory for the SJ30. Emivest Aerospace is looking forward to embracing these opportunities that lie ahead by bringing the SJ30 to market in large scale production,” he added.
Incidentally, those of us stuck with the commercial airline option will get there just as fast - around seven hours – but we suspect we wont be as comfortable.
