Aircraft
Delayed VLJ deliveries allow time for transition
The economic downturn is giving manufacturers and operators of very light jets (VLJs) more time to prepare for the airplanes’ widespread entry into service

The economic downturn is giving manufacturers and operators of very light jets (VLJs) more time to prepare for the airplanes’ widespread entry into service, according to speakers at the Royal Aeronautical Society’s corporate, air taxi and personal jets conference in London on March 18 and 19.

A few attendees maintained that the airplanes pose no threat to safety, are just like aircraft that have been around for 40 years and will rarely be flown by single pilots (especially in Europe). More attendees, however, suggested that the airplanes pose unique challenges that the industry can address before the small jets darken the skies.