In the United States, public reaction to the corporate use of business jets can be scathing when instances of obvious excess become publicised, such as the day in 2008 when the top executives of Detroit's big three automakers each used a private jet to fly to Washington to argue for $25 billion in taxpayer bailouts.
But in China, where sales of business jets are increasing despite a lack of large-scale air system support and a dearth of airports to handle private flights, attitudes about private jets seem to be different.
While forecasters had long assumed mid-size and smaller jets would prevail as China's business aviation market expanded throughout the country, that has not been the case.
Instead, Chinese buyers are enthusiastically opting mostly for heavy-metal jets - big, long-range luxury jets that can cost $50 million or more before extras such as fancy cabin fixtures. A big jet is considered a big status symbol.
Brian Foley, whose company, Brian Foley Associates, provides market analysis of the global aerospace industry, said the main allure was longer range. A top-end Gulfstream G550 - priced at $56 million before cabin fittings - can fly 6800 nautical miles non-stop (about 12,500 kilometres), easily covering the distance between Shanghai and New York.
''China is a pretty big land mass, and if you want to go to a business centre outside China, you just need the legs to get there,'' Foley said.
But it seems big luxury jets are also favoured because of cultural differences. ''In China,'' Foley said, ''if you're a successful business person, you generally don't mind flaunting that and making your compatriots aware that you're doing well. And one way to do that is to buy the biggest and best business jet.''
Global sales of business jets, which plunged during the financial crisis, have been in a slow recovery and will account for $250 billion in sales from 2013 to 2023, according to Honeywell's business and general aviation division. In its most recent 10-year forecast, Honeywell said bigger, faster, more expensive long-range jets would account for 70 per cent of new business jet expenditure worldwide.
Throughout Asia, Honeywell said, the total number of business jets has grown by about 12 per cent annually over the past five years, when large-cabin, long-range jets accounted for 77 per cent of total sales.
Figures from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association show marked global shifts in the business jet market are under way.
In 2007, the US and Canada accounted for 58.3 per cent of the 1136 business jets delivered worldwide. That dropped to 49.7 per cent in 2012, then rose slightly, to 52.4 per cent, last year, when the industry was still struggling for stability and overall shipments were 678.
But there has been significant growth in the Asia-Pacific region, which accounted for 11.9 per cent of shipments in 2013, up from 4.2 per cent in 2007. In Latin America, the share grew to 11.1 per cent in 2013 from 7.5 per cent in 2007. The Middle East and Africa accounted for 9 per cent of shipments last year, up from 5.2 per cent in 2007.
In Europe, the share fell to 16.6 per cent in 2013 from 24.9 per cent in 2007. In addition to Europe's struggling economy, contributing factors included cultural attitudes that are sometimes negative towards the use of private jets.
In the Asia-Pacific region, transport ministers from 21 countries have adopted a plan to ease the way for business aviation, which is often hampered by strict bureaucratic rules and, in many cases, by military control of national airspace.
''In the US there are about 5000 airports that can be used by business jets,'' said Foley, adding that in China the number stood at about 200 airports. ''And complicating that is the fact that there aren't a lot of services for fuel or comfort, or any of the things you expect in a longer-established business aviation market.''
And Foley pointed to other obstacles in the region.
''In China, trying to get from point A to point B by business jet can be tricky,'' he said. ''In the US, you can just file your flight plan and be up and on your merry way within half an hour. Not in China.
''It used to be days, but it's still hours, to get flight clearance. And it might not be very direct, at your requested altitude or way-points, because the military owns the airspace, and private aviation is low on the totem pole after the military and the airlines.''
So a well-heeled tycoon might buy a $60 million luxury jet in China but find that using it is more complicated than in many countries.
''Some of these big jets that are bought are pretty much parked out on the ramp most of the time,'' Foley said, adding that the owners were often limited to impressing associates and clients on the ground, rather than at 40,000 feet.
''We kind of refer to that as ramp jewellery,'' Foley said.
New York Times
