If You Were In The 1%, Which Private Jet Would Buy/Fly?

[Grasshopper]

For range, speed and comfort (large cabin class) it would be either the Gulfstream G550/G650 or a Bombardier Global Express 5000/6000.

 

[jordane93]

Global.

 

[zwaustin]

Making $400,000 gets you into the top 1% which isn't going to get close to covering a G550. Butttt, if I made enough to be in the market to buy something of the like I would take a G650 tomorrow.

 

[kyleb]

1% ain't gonna get you a new private jet. Maybe 0.25%.

But I'd go Eclipse. Big enough for my immediate family, fast enough to cross the country in 6 hours. Too small to take the extended family.

 

[JOhnH]

Making 400,000 grand gets you into the top 1% which isn't going to get close to covering a G550. Butttt, if I made enough to be in the market to buy something of the like I would take a G650 tomorrow.

Uh, "400,000 grand" would certainly enable you to buy a G650. Perhaps you meant $400,000, which would be $400 grand.

sorry.

 

[JHW]

Everyone feading this is in the top 0.1% of income for the world's poulation

 

[zwaustin]

Uh, "400,000 grand" would certainly enable you to buy a G650. Perhaps you meant $400,000, which would be $400 grand.

sorry.

Edited just for you!! Don't want anyone else to think too hard.

 

[oregonboy109]

G650 for sure. Faster, longer range, and better looking than the 5000/6000.

 

[N801BH]

I would go directly for a Boeing 757..

 

[Shawn]

Honestly...in addition to still keeping a single I would want just a King Air to fly myself and friends into smaller places and Net Jets for when I wanna be flown.

...and as other already said...it would take a LOT more than just being in the top 1%.

 

[Kritchlow]

Well, the 757, 747, yadadada would all be nice, but in reality GA ramps can't accommodate such airplanes. Some will remote park, but that rules out thousands of smaller airports.
I would say the Citation X, but from a complete utility factor perhaps the Citation Sovereign. It can go east to west with pretty much a full load, and depart a relatively short runway in the summer doing that mission. Truly a versatile machine.

 

[Brad Z]

I think many of us on here are already in the 1%. So I'll go with a 40 year old Skylane.

 

[txflyer]

I think many of us on here are already in the 1%. So I'll go with a 40 year old Skylane.

 

[Jay Honeck]

Am I the only pilot that finds biz jets about as interesting as vacuum cleaners?

 

[Phoenix]

None. I'd have a house and runway in the Sierras with a supercub or similar and the latest greatest self launching sailplane. And I'd have another house in NZ(for winter, err never seeing winter) with a copy of the flying machines. Maybe a small place in the Northeast(Cape or Adirondacks?) with an Aircam on amphibs for brief summer fun. And I'd just take the airlines and stay 5 months at a time. For a handful of airline flights a year I can skip the private jet expense and hassle, we are talking about enough money to not have to be anywhere or answer to anyone right?

 

[Kritchlow]

I think many of us on here are already in the 1%. So I'll go with a 40 year old Skylane.

It really depends what methodology you are using... Personally I don't believe many here are in the 1 percentile. Some, probably yes.

 

[Kritchlow]

Am I the only pilot that finds biz jets about as interesting as vacuum cleaners?

I flew biz jets for many years. Interesting? You bet they are. Sophisticated, fast machines going to remote places carrying VIP's.

 

[James331]

As a real man I'd get a F104, have all my crap and children shipped Alaska or Virgin, or Uhaul.

 

[brian]]

It really depends what methodology you are using... Personally I don't believe many here are in the 1 percentile. Some, probably yes.

Before or after buying an airplane?

 

[cowman]

Basler Bt-67
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basler_BT-67

 

[weilke]

Your kids orthodontist is probably in the 1%. What jet is he flying ?

 

[EdFred]

I think some people don't realize how low the threshold for being in the 1% is, and how much to operate a jet costs.

Based on the Internal Revenue Service’s 2010-2014 database below, here’s how much the top Americans make:
Top 1%: $380,354
Top 5%: $159,619
Top 10%: $113,799
Top 25%: $67,280
Top 50%: >$33,048

 

[Ted]

I think the cheapest you could expect to operate a jet for is $1k/hr, and that would be something like an Eclipse. It goes up from there.

So let's say you're at the low 1%er threshold. Assuming 100 hours per year, that's $100k towards your airplane, purchase excluded. If you figure it's personal use only and you can't deduct it, that's removing substantially more than $100k from your effective income, since it would be the after-tax income you'd be deducting from.

If you can deduct it or you need to travel for business and the business pays for it, completely different story.

And if you live in NYC, you about need to be a 1% just to afford an apartment that could fit into the 1st floor of my house. Forget about money for an airplane.

 

[ktup-flyer]

SJ30.

 

[NoHeat]

NetJets. Much safer and thriftier than buying your own.

 

[Ted]

NetJets. Much safer and thriftier than buying your own.

But that takes all the fun out of it.

 

[weilke]

NetJets. Much safer and thriftier than buying your own.

Block lease with a stable charter operator. For private use there is no tax angle to fractional.

Or a 1/6th share in a CJ with a shared pilot.

 

[NoHeat]

But that takes all the fun out of it.

As was mentioned, bizjets are no fun anyway. No more than an appliance. So I might as well make it safe and choose NetJets when I travel in the 0.1%.

For fun, a small plane.

 

[txflyer]

As a real man I'd get a F104, have all my crap and children shipped Alaska or Virgin, or Uhaul.

F104 was my dream jet as a kid. But I'll take Dianna Stanger's L139 any day.

Call me metrosexual.

 

[Kritchlow]

I think some people don't realize how low the threshold for being in the 1% is, and how much to operate a jet costs.

Based on the Internal Revenue Service’s 2010-2014 database below, here’s how much the top Americans make:
Top 1%: $380,354
Top 5%: $159,619
Top 10%: $113,799
Top 25%: $67,280
Top 50%: >$33,048

That's why I said it depends on how you calculate the top 1%. Many laugh at the IRS methods to calculate this.

As far as how much it costs to operate a jet; our company (past company) wouldn't target anyone with a net worth less than $10M... And that was for a 1/16 share.

 

[Kritchlow]

Block lease with a stable charter operator. For private use there is no tax angle to fractional.

Or a 1/6th share in a CJ with a shared pilot.

Ahhh... But fractionals generally offer a charter card option just for that purpose.

 

[Kritchlow]

As was mentioned, bizjets are no fun anyway. No more than an appliance. So I might as well make it safe and choose NetJets when I travel in the 0.1%.

For fun, a small plane.

No fun??? Ever fly one, such as a Citation X ?

 

[Brad Z]

I think some people don't realize how low the threshold for being in the 1% is, and how much to operate a jet costs.

Based on the Internal Revenue Service’s 2010-2014 database below, here’s how much the top Americans make:
Top 1%: $380,354

Yep, which is basically most dual income professionals in a major metropolitan area. $190,000/year is not exactly an extravagant wage for an attorney, doctor, senior engineer, legacy airline captain, etc.

 

[LandSickness]

Yeah, I think you mean the top .001%.

If I were truly a "net" 1%er, I would want the GCB jet.

 

[Henning]

SJ-30, and add some more fuel. All I want is a 400lb cabin and 3500nm legs. I have no desire for a big wide cabin and hauling a bunch of people. As long as it can get me and one with light luggage across the Pacific, hitting Hawaii and some of my favorite dive spots for fuel, on the way across and down. If I want to sleep or sit in the back, I'd charter or fly first class.

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

I bet OP is thinking "man I should of just put if money were no object"

 

[weilke]

Ahhh... But fractionals generally offer a charter card option just for that purpose.

Thats for the people who need a 'QS' in the tail number so they can pretend to roll with the fractional crowd.

 

[Kritchlow]

Thats for the people who need a 'QS' in the tail number so they can pretend to roll with the fractional crowd.

Lol!! It is indeed for tax and liability purposes.

 

[Cpt_Kirk]

I bet OP is thinking "man I should of just put if money were no object"

Lol. Seriously.

I'd take the G650. When you actually see one in person, you'll understand why.

The Global has a great ramp presence, but the G650 beats it out.

 

[Acrodustertoo]

I would go directly for a Boeing 757..

+1000