Very Light Planet (Part 2) Last week you might have spotted a debate about the true size of the very light jet (VLJ) market. Some, like the ever acerbic John Walsh, decided to restrict his forecast to "the Planet Earth". But why? Well Nephew Richard Harrison believes that it is "because when there is an Eclipse we are all in the dark!" Talking of which: Eclipse chief honcho Vern Raburn, speaking to customers about why the company is focusing so heavily on a top-notch training programme: "We can build the best aircraft in the world, but if it's operated by the dumbest pilots we will fail. But hey, that's not you! You've already demonstrated your phenomenal intellect by buying it! And on related promotions (introducing Eclipse board member Brian Barents) : "By the way, Brian is also chief executive of a new company called Aerion - which is developing the cheapest supersonic business jet at around $80 million a go. Oh, and as a special offer, he's offering to throw in two Eclipses for every Aerion." And on the competing VLJs: "They are sort of like mushrooms on a wet morning. A lot of smoke and not a lot of fire." (Just exactly what sort of species of fungus are we talking about here? Ed.) And on great sayings: "A vision without money is an hallucination."
Art fan WonderJets: "Hey, here's a bit of news for you. One of our fabulous composite fan blades, developed for millions and representing the future of propulsion, is so beautiful that it's going to be on display in the Architecture and Design collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York." Rollo Freelunch: "You mean it's a museum piece already!"
Brolly bags (Tales from the Budgie News in-tray.) "News From Eurofreight Umbrella" it says here. Presumably this outfit offers dry-lease air-cargo capacity? And here's another one, just in... National Air Transport Association (NATA) press release. KIDDER JOINS NATA COMMUNICATIONS STAFF. That's unfortunate - how will we know when to believe them?
Thrilling Virgin? (From BBC news.) "In addition to its majority stake in Virgin Atlantic, Virgin also has shares in Belgian and Nigerian carriers. It is also setting up a no-thrills airline in the USA." ...which frankly, is the way your Uncle likes to fly.
Warmed over - cold shouldered Airbus's John Leahy, speaking to the Aviation Club to deny the A350 is a "warmed over" A330. "It's NOT a warmed-over A330. Otherwise we'd have called it the WO330."
Source: Flight International
