Monday, August 8, 2011

Top 10 Private Jets

Billionaires around the globe invest heavy bucks in private jets to make their travel a luxury. These jets come in all varieties of comfort and cost. Here we look at the top 10 private jets.

No 10. John Travolta’s Boeing 707
 
This Hollywood celebrity is also an avid flyer. His interest in aircraft can be judged from the fact that John literally lives on a runway. His private mansion boasts parking for jets along with automobile. Travolta has achieved Captain qualification for numerous jets including Gulfstream II, Learjet 24, Hawker 1A, Citation 1 and 2, Tebuan and Vampire Jet. Recently this experienced pilot flew a cargo flight of his Boeing 707 for Haiti earthquake victims.


No 9. Harrison Ford’s Cessna 525B CJ3
 
This cinema sensation is also an able pilot. His private Cessna 525B CJ3 is a very popular private jet among corporates. This flying luxury costs around 6 million USD. The CJ3 can carry six people non-stop to any destination within 1900 nautical miles. Harrison Ford who loves to pilot his jet himself is also the FAA spokesman for the runway incursion awareness and prevention campaign that the agency started in 2001.

No 8. Donald Trump’s Boeing 727
 
This vintage jet once formed a part of American Airlines fleet. Bought in 1968, the jet was given an overhaul to provide luxury travel for upto 23 passengers. The interior boasts comfy furniture,oil paintings, gold plated seat buckles and ambient lighting. The paint job of this jet is also very unique and extravagant. The 30 feet long Trump logo on the fuselage is made from 23 carat gold leaf.

No 7. Bill gates Bombardier BD-700 Global Express
 
This is a top of the line corporate business jet available in aviation market. This flying luxury is the number 1 choice of travel for numerous tycoons around the planet. The Chairman of MS Corp. also owns one such beauty for his travel. The Bombardier can cruise at 51,000 feet with a payload of 8 VIPs. It has an excellent range of 6,500 nautical miles allowing non-stop Tokyo-New York or Los Angeles-Moscow flights.

No 6. Roman Abramovich’s Boeing 767
 
Roman Abramovich is a Russian businessman with an estimated fortune of $11.2 billion. The owner of of the private investment company Millhouse LLC, Roman is the fourth richest man in Russia. The insides of this flying private palace are little known though it is reportedly outfitted with chestnut and decorated with gold. The Chelsea club owner extends seclusion of his daily life to air travel through this private 767.

No 5. Elvis Presley’s Convair 880
 
Elvis Presley bought this jet in 1975 after its expulsion from Delta Airlines. The vintage Convair 880 was purchased for the then substantial amount of $250,000. The aircraft was extravagantly customized to a 28 seater from the usual 110. The post over haul cost was estimated to be $600,000. Elvis rechristened his private aircraft after his daughter “Lisa Marie”. The aircraft survives today in good condition.

No 4. Mark Cuban’s Boeing 767
 
Billionaire Mark Cuban the owner of the Dallas Mavericks NBA basketball team also owns a healthy fleet of private jets. His private fleet includes Gulfstream V, Boeing 757 and 767. In addition to other lavish upgrades, the 767 is reportedly fitted with custom made seats that are large enough to accommodate the tallest team player.

No 3. Brunei Sultan’s Boeing 747
 
When it comes to lavish life style the Sultan of Brunei is one of the most extravagant ruler in the world. The Sultan was literally fed with gold spoons after his birth. His private Boeing 747 is considered to be the most luxurious jet in the world. Bought in an excess of $100 million, an additional $120 million were spent to plush the interior with gold furniture and fittings. The over haul included bedrooms, lounges, bars and the installation of a whirl pool bath made entirely out of gold.

No 2. USA President’s Air Force 1
 
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. Since 1990, the presidential fleet has consisted of two specifically configured, highly customized Boeing 747-200B series aircraft with serial numbers “28000″ and “29000″ with Air Force designation “VC-25A”. While these aircraft have the call sign “Air Force One” only while the president is on board, the term is still used colloquially to describe either of the two aircraft normally used and maintained by the U.S. Air Force solely for the president, as well as any additional Air Force aircraft used by the president. The aircraft might not be the most luxurious but it surely is the safest plane in the world. Air Force 1 is heavily modified with state of the art defense counter measures providing fool proof safety to its precious cargo.

No 1. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud’s A380
 
The Saudi Prince has decided to invest a major chunk of his oil wealth in buying a flying palace. Prince Al-Waleed is set to become the owner of the first private custom built A380 jet at a whopping cost of $485 million. The lavish interior is being designed by the prestigious British firm “Design Q”. The plane initially designed for a staggering 600 passengers will be cleared up to provide unimaginable amenities in flight including on-board garage, prayer room with computer generated mats that always face Makkah and luxury bedrooms for upto 20 guests. Other major attractions for this exotic comfort opulence include a concert hall that seats ten and has a baby grand piano; a boardroom with a holographic projector; and a full size steamroom. The most entertaining perk is a “Wellbeing Room” which has a floor upon which is projected an enormous image of what the plane is flying over, thus creating a “magic carpet” effect. The most incredible touch might just be the approximately $58 million he is spending to have the plane painted in gold leaf on the outside.
Credit : realitypod.com

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