Airplanes have evolved drastically over the last few decades as more technological discoveries are made. Aircraft designers have come a long way and are making aircraft on the cutting edge of safety, fuel efficiency, ease of maintenance, avionics, and in-flight entertainment.
Older aircraft require more maintenance, more repairs and usually have shorter time intervals in between large maintenance jobs. Finding parts for older aircraft also tend to be more difficult due to shortages of good parts or the parts no longer being manufactured. Maintenance is a crucial factor in safety and with better maintenance, it is easier to sustain the desired level of safety. Newer aircraft are able to provide maintenance technicians with diagnostics via its computers about the status of the aircraft, allowing for more detailed routine maintenance and easier troubleshooting. This decreases downtime for an aircraft, ensuring that a safe, reliable aircraft is available for your next flight.
Newer aircraft are installed with the most advanced, capable avionics and cabin technology making the flight more comfortable for passengers and gives pilots more situational awareness. Newer jets like our Embraer Legacy 450 and Legacy 500, for example, have Wi-Fi onboard and passengers get to experience an inflight entertainment and cabin management system at their fingertips whereas older aircraft may not. Fly-by-wire technology also delivers unprecedented redundancy and overall smoother flight experience for both pilots and passengers.
More importantly, older aircraft lack the same fuel efficiency, have higher noise levels, and are not as environmentally friendly as newer aircraft. Everything from fuel consumption to the way a particular aircraft is produced adds to how environmentally friendly or not an aircraft is. Many newer business aircraft are more fuel-efficient than most cars, burn cleaner and as a result, leave an exponentially smaller carbon footprint. For many, it is not just important to travel the safest, fastest, and most comfortable aircraft. Being responsible for our environment by utilizing the most efficient and clean aircraft is just as important to many passengers.
Next-generation aircraft will make the transition into the FAA’s Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) easier as well. This FAA initiative seeks to modernize America’s air transportation system to make flying safer, more flexible, and more efficient. Newer aircraft will be able to participate in NextGen since technology installed by the manufacturer will make them compatible with newer systems that NextGen will implement. By 2025 the NextGen program essentially will create an up-to-date National Airspace System to serve the close to 3 million passengers and 40,000 flights flown in the United States. More info about the FAA’s NextGen goals can be found here.
Next-generation aircraft have given passengers and operators tremendous value and performance. Thankfully, you can experience next-generation aircraft while flying with us!
