A few months ago, we asked our readers to nominate themselves to become members of the Private Air Aviator Rater Panel. More than 100 of our readers applied, and 50 Rater pilots were selected based on flight experience, aircraft certification level, and type of aircraft owned for our first Rater Event in Fort Lauderdale on October 27. Raters evaluated aircraft ranging from the $349,000 piston single-engine Diamond 40 XL up to the $24.5-million Embraer Legacy 600.

They came to fly what was new, to see, feel, and touch crisper flight controls, more ergonomic cockpits, and gee-whiz computerized avionics in a new generation of airplanes that are standing the industry on its head. Our Raters come from all backgrounds, predominately business entrepreneurs who own and operate their own aircraft—including weekend fighter jocks, bizjet pilots, small and big airplane pilots, and new and old pilots—all with a passion for aviation. All of the Raters took lots and lots of notes. And when they landed they all filled out their ballots and debriefed with Managing Editor Chris O’Connell before the evening’s elaborate hangar party—“Islands of Innovation, An Evening of Inspiration.”

It was a very full day, and some of our Raters flew as many as three airplanes. That morning the ramp at Banyan Air Services at the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE) looked like the deck of an aircraft carrier as the Rater crews and demo pilots marched to the airplanes and line guys directed out the traffic in quick succession. Airplanes departed the crowded pattern for one of four outlying airports—weird-sounding places like Okeechobee and Pahokee and Immokolee on the edge of the Everglades—to do the demo flying and the air work. At the “out airports” they chatted to the Raters on other event airplanes on the radios. When they finished flying in one aircraft, they landed, switched crews, and did it all over again.

Sixteen airplanes went out in one hour. Lauderdale Exec is the second busiest nonairline airport in the country, and we made it busier—a lot busier. The day was an endless symphony of turning props and spooling turbines and kerosene fumes wafting through the humid air. Golf carts and Banyan’s refueling trucks charged out to each arriving airplane like NASCAR pit crews, getting ready to quick turn it for the next flight. A few airplanes went out as many as six times—the factory pilots earned their pay.

Between flights our Raters fortified themselves at a seemingly endless buffet line we had set up in the ops hangar. They walked through the mock-ups of some new light jet cabins including the Diamond D-JET and the Embraer Phenom 300. They traded notes, numbers, and business cards. Some made new friends, and they all came away with new ideas and a new understanding of how the private aircraft industry is changing. A marketer would call this a focus group. It was. But for the men and women who flew that day it was just plain fun—the airplanes pulled in, and our Raters debarked smiling.

We thought the timing was right to start these aviation consumer comparisons in light of the robust and growing demand for private airplanes. The resurgence is fueled by quantum leaps in avionics, engines, and engine systems, and private airplanes are changing. Sleeker shapes and lighter weight composite construction mean more speed. Better ergonomic design translates into more comfortable cabins. And new glass panel, computerized avionics give pilots more data and safety awareness in a format that is easier to use and understand. Rarely has there been a more exciting time to be involved in private aviation.

While much of the focus has been on the emergence of Very Light Jets, 5-10 passenger airplanes weighing under 10,000 pounds, much of the technology that enabled these airplanes, for both the material construction and avionics, came from the two piston engine-powered aircraft featured in and reviewed by our Raters in this article: the Cirrus 22 and the Columbia 400. Look for additional comparison articles in Private Air in the coming months.

Development of the Cirrus and Columbia began in the mid-1990s. Both of the companies that make these airplanes trace their roots back to the kit plane industry, descendants of the homebuilt airplane sector. During the 1970s and 1980s these innovative tinkerers rejected the 40-year-old designs of mainline manufacturers and mated the spirit of innovation to their dreams. And from countless garages and barns sprang modern designs and new ways of thinking about small airplanes. Today those dreams are rolling down the production lines in Duluth, Minnesota, and Bend, Oregon, and other places yet to come. The airplanes made there have revolutionized the standards for user friendliness, comfort, safety, and speed. Both the Cirrus and the Columbia can generally get you to your destination faster than the airlines for trips under 1,000 miles.

Just how different are these airplanes?

Well the computer screens that replaced the old “steam-gauge” instrument panel give one clue. Rater pilot Steve Edwards, who flies a Pilatus PC-12 turboprop, has flown for 20 years, and the evolution of these avionics impressed him. “The advancement of avionics in the last few years has been nothing short of astounding,” he emphasizes. “The biggest area of growth seems to be in situational awareness. Today’s pilots have more tools than ever before to help them navigate, see and avoid terrain, and be aware of other airplanes in the sky. Being part of the Rater Panel allowed me to see the cutting edge of aviation technology and enabled me to see what is happening in piston singles all the way up to the large jets. I see better than ever that innovations in aviation are creating a much safer way to travel regardless of the type of plane you are in.”

Next article » The Norman Empire

Previous article « The Luck of the Irish