Difference between private jet and private plane

Find out the difference between private jet and private plane:

The collective imagination establishes a clear difference between a private plane and a private jet: the term “private plane” refers to the personal use that one makes of the aircraft, whether it is a tourist plane or a passenger plane.

The term “private jet” is a type of jet aircraft in its own right, smaller than commercial aircraft and often used for private flights, as opposed to “regular” flights. Let’s take a look at the different categories of private aircraft and jets.

Private propeller planes

It was in 1903 that the first airplane took off with a thermal engine (12 hp, 4 cylinders in line), propelled by a propeller. On board was one of the Wright brothers, American pioneers of aviation. Even if aviation has continued to innovate since then, it is still very common today to see propeller planes flying over our heads, carrying passengers over short distances. These are planes that we can find in flying clubs, such as the Cessna 172 carrying 4 passengers, or in airports around the world, with the Franco-Italian ATR72 carrying 70 passengers, widely used for regional flights. These two planes both have a propeller but their engines have nothing in common.

A propeller is made up of two (two-bladed) to 8 blades (for the Airbus A400M for example). On closer inspection, a propeller resembles the profile of an airplane wing. Its purpose is to transform the power produced by an engine into traction force allowing the airplane to gain speed. A propeller can be driven by two types of engines: the piston engine and the turboprop.

How does a piston airplane work?

The piston engine, derived from the automobile industry, has been used since the 1910s and the beginnings of aviation. Its low manufacturing and operating cost makes it a very widespread engine. We still find single-engine and twin-engine piston aircraft today.

The engine operation is simple and is based on a 4-stroke cycle:

Admission
Compression
Explosion – Relaxation
Exhaust

Piston-engined aircraft are less complex to operate and can be flown by a single pilot. However, for safety reasons, Avico avoids renting or chartering aircraft without a crew of two pilots. Similarly, with rare exceptions, Avico will always prefer to offer a twin-engine solution to its customers.

The gasoline used for this type of engine, specially designed for piston engines, is called 100LL. The 100 index represents the Motor Octane number (very high) and reflects the behavior of the gasoline when the engine is at full power. The “LL” means “Low Lead”, low lead content.

These engines do not have a turbo. Without this mechanism, it is difficult to reach an optimal cruising altitude, to use high altitude terrain or to develop high power. The turbocharger recovers hot exhaust gases to turn a turbine at high speed. This movement makes it possible to suck in and then compress a significant quantity of air, providing additional power through better combustion of the fuel. These are therefore planes little used in private transport.

Piston engines: robust but limited and noisy

Notable single-engine piston aircraft include:

The Cessna 172: the ultimate flying club aircraft, it made its first flight in 1955 in the United States. Equipped with high wings and a tricycle landing gear, it is very popular in recreational aviation and for pilot training. From 1963, part of the construction of Cessnas was carried out in Reims in France, at the manufacturer Reims Aviation, owner of the license, and this until 1982. In 1959, a Cessna 172 broke the world record by landing safely at its departure airport in Nevada after 64 days 22 hours of flight, with refueling of course.
The Robin DR400: French-made, originally from Dijon-Darois (Côte d’Or), it is a training plane renowned for both training and travel. On board, it offers between 2 and 4 seats depending on the engine.
The Piper Saratoga: larger than its predecessors, it is very popular for personnel transport, particularly in Africa. Robust and versatile, it is the ally of miners and oil tankers for landing on steep terrain.
The Cirrus SR22: a new generation American aircraft, it is the best-selling single-engine aircraft. Its cabin is small, with 3 rear seats, but it can make private flights of 1000 km at a speed of 270 km/h, thus opening access to the 600 French airfields.

For twin-engine piston aircraft:

The Beechcraft Baron 58: an aircraft widely used in the training of commercial pilots, which can also be used for business or private trips within a radius of 1500 km, even if its narrow cabin, accommodating 4 passengers, is rather noisy.
The Diamond DA62: a new generation aircraft, its 180 horsepower engines allow it to carry up to 5 passengers at a cruising speed of 320 km/h with a fuel consumption of only 14 l/100 km.
The Cessna C340: is an aircraft designed for private transport. The most comfortable in the piston engine range, with its pressurized cabin (which maintains a constant pressure despite variations in altitude). It was produced from 1971 to 1985 but is still widely used today. However, despite good soundproofing, the cabin remains noisy, allowing the two 310 horsepower engines to be heard.

How does a turboprop aircraft work?

From the outside, a turboprop aircraft is a simple propeller-driven aircraft. But when you look more closely at the engine and its design, it is actually almost identical to that of a turbojet (also called a “jet”) aircraft. The only difference is that the energy is provided by a turbine to obtain traction generated by the propeller.

It was in the 1950s that this new type of engine appeared, gradually replacing propeller planes equipped with piston engines. These engines were revolutionary because they allowed both a significant gain in power and a reduction in nuisances (vibrations and noise) in the cabin.

Turboprop engines: power and comfort

Unlike piston engines, turboprop engines can reach high cruising levels, offering a more comfortable (less turbulent), faster and quieter journey. The power of turboprop engines allows them to be adapted to heavy aircraft, which can reach speeds of between 300 and 600 km/h. They are widely used in private aviation due to their low operating costs and operational efficiency. Aircraft powered in this way can operate on short runways, such as Courchevel or London City. Like piston-engined aircraft, they can have several engines and are used for both commercial and private flights.

How much does a turboprop plane flight cost?

Let’s take the example of a Pilatus PC 12 , a Swiss-built, single-engine turboprop aircraft with a spacious cabin that can accommodate 6 passengers. The major advantage of this aircraft is that it can reach short and rough terrain, on dirt or grass at high altitude. It can therefore land as close as possible to your destination, where private jets cannot go, and at a better cost:

To reach Saint-Tropez la Môle airport, located 10 minutes from St Tropez

- From Paris Le Bourget airport, reach Saint Tropez in 1h45. Price: €6,700
- From Geneva airport, reach Saint Tropez in 1 hour. Price: €3,950
- From Milan airport reach Saint Tropez in 1 hour. Price: €4,850
Venice – Lido Airport, located just 5 minutes from Venice
- From Lyon airport, reach Venice in 1h45. Price: €7,900
- From Luxembourg airport reach Venice in 1h35. Price: €8000
- From Olbia airport reach Venice in 1h25. Price: €8250

Courchevel Airport, located in the Courchevel and Megève ski area
- From Paris Le Bourget airport, reach Courchevel in 1h45. Price: €5,850
- From Cannes airport reach Courchevel in 0h40. Price: €3,950
- From Milan airport reach Courchevel in 0h50. Price: €4,350

The Beechraft King Air is also a turboprop, but this time it is a twin-engine. This entry-level 7-seat aircraft is very practical for short or medium-distance business trips. Thanks to its 3,000 km range, it allows you to approach most European airports with a definite advantage on short runways. It makes it easy to organize a business or leisure trip at the times of your choice at a reasonable price: