A fair wind was blowing for the Boeing Business Jet program yesterday as one of the first in-service aircraft flitted into town along with news of 10 more sales and a new model.

The latest purchases bring total orders for the BBJ to 56, according to Borge Boeskov, president of the BBJ program. The company's policy is to disclose sales only at the annual NBAA forum. As of yesterday the BBJ has outsold the competing Airbus A319CJ by a blistering three-to-one ratio and reached half the order total of the smaller Bombardier Global Express.

More sales are expected as BBJs enter service worldwide, Boeskov said. Twenty-eight have been delivered to completion centers and 12 will be in customer hands by year-end. Five finished BBJs are due to be handed over this week alone. Boeing is producing BBJs at a rate of about 30 a year. The aircraft was launched in July 1996 and made its first flight a year ago.

At least five more orders for the larger BBJ 2 are anticipated by year-end, Boeskov said. Essentially a full-size 737-800, it offers 19-foot longer main and cargo hold floors. This adds 25% to cabin space and doubles luggage space at the BBJ 2's 5,800 nmi. maximum range, compared to the BBJ at the same range. Gross takeoff weight is 174,500 pounds, about 4,000 pounds more than the BBJ. No structural modifications are necessary in the changeover from passenger transport to VIP configuration.

Boeing already is offering the BBJ 2 to customers and has a production plan in place, Boeskov said. First deliveries to completion centers are scheduled for late 2000 or early 2001. Strong customer demand for the longer version pushed Boeing plans to offer the BBJ 2 forward by about a year. Customers in the Middle East in particular wanted the additional luggage space.
The price of the BBJ 2 is $43.3 million in mid-1999 dollars, Boeskov said. That compares to the current BBJ list price of $35.9 million. Sales and production of the original BBJ model will continue and it likely will outsell the larger BBJ 2 by a 3:1 ratio. Boeskov also hinted at a future BBJ 3, but declined to speculate on its size or Boeing model line origin.

Michael Chowdry, chairman of cargo carrier Atlas Air and a new BBJ operator, said he preferred the BBJ over smaller corporate jets like the Challenger 601. The added floor area also allows him to have a private office onboard and hold video conference sessions through a satellite connection. Chowdry, who flew his BBJ into Atlanta for NBAA, said he is on the road more than 200 nights a year.