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Transcript of Robb Report - September 2013 USA
S E P T E M B E R 201 3
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fall fashion
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SuPEr Safari ➤ abErcrombiE & KEnT PlanS ThE ulTimaTE african advEnTurE
AN DR E W LAU R E N
F I L M M A K E R
F O R P R I V A T E A P P O I N T M E N T S A N D M A D E T O M E A S U R E I N Q U I R I E S : 8 8 8 . 4 7 5 . 7 6 7 4
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1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s1880s
DISCOVER THE TIMES OF CARL F. BUCHERER
1888
Bucherer Incabloc
1948
The 1930s were a critical decade for the development of the
wristwatch, which, for the f rst time, began to be produced in greater
numbers than pocket watches. The introduction of the temperature-
resistant Nivarox alloy and the novel Incabloc shock protection
system made wristwatches more accurate and durable than ever
before. From a handful of small workshops in western Switzerland,
Bucherer’s new models for men—still produced in small numbers—
soon incorporated both inventions. Like most watches of the day,
watches bearing the Bucherer brand were assembled by hand using
ebauches from the top Swiss movement manufacturers. The cases,
which incorporated many of the most memorable design elements
of the period including unusually shaped and faceted cases, kept
the brand at the height of desirability.
So much so that by the end of World War II, Bucherer stores reported
numerous cases of allied servicemen offering to trade their bomber
jackets to get their hands on one of the watches. These years also
saw collaboration between Bucherer and Rolex, stemming from
the long-term friendship Carl-Friedrich Bucherer established with
Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf in the 1920s. The Bucherer collection
1940s1930s 1950s
Bucherer Incabloc
1950s
THE MEN’S WRISTWATCH MATURES
1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s
In the century and a quarter since 1888 when Carl-Friedrich
Bucherer f rst opened his store in Lucerne, Switzerland, many
people have come to know the Bucherer name as a luxury retailer
of the f rst rank, whose business includes watches. Relatively
few, however, know that their roots making watches go back in
an uninterrupted line to 1919. Their time as a company bears
exploring, as they are inextricably linked with the history of our
shared passion: the wristwatch.
contains a jumping hour Rolex Prince, one of the few examples of such
a co-branded piece.
Collectors today fondly recall the post-war years as one of the most
memorable periods for watch designs. Larger, sportier men’s watches, in
particular chronographs, were made in ever-increasing numbers. Bucherer
chronographs of the 1940s and 50s incorporate many of the signature
elements of the period, including the characteristic bi-compax counters
and tachymetric and telemetric scales. Some examples also include the
“big date” feature created by two large rotating discs. Bucherer was one
of the very f rst makers to incorporate this feature in wristwatches.
Bucherer’s growth continued into the 1960s, a decade in which the company
applied itself to another watchmaking specialty: the f eld of high-precision
chronometers. The 1960s were a competitive period for the watch industry
at large as many companies sought to prove the accuracy of their timepieces
through chronometry competitions. Bucherer had relied on a specialty company,
Credos SA, to assist it in this f eld, and eventually purchased the company
renaming it Bucherer Montres SA. Using the latest production methods and
equipment of the time, Bucherer increased the output of this facility to nearly
30,000 pieces per year. By the end of the 1960s Bucherer was one of the
top three producers of certif ed chronometers in Switzerland. The company’s
research in accuracy also involved it in an interesting new project—quartz.
That, however, is another story.
A CONTINUOUS THREAD
TO THE CONTEMPORARY
The near century’s worth of experience in making watches
is ref ected in every watch that leaves the Carl F. Bucherer
factory today. So too are the major design inf uences of their
history. If you look at the Manero CentralChrono, you will see
generations of chronographs from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s
imbued in its bi-compax counters, sweep seconds hand and
classical dial. But like every Carl F. Bucherer watch before
it, the Manero takes advantage of the very best modern
innovation has to offer. The modern self-winding
Caliber CFB 1967 beats at 4 hz, providing an
advantage in accuracy the classic watches
of the 1950s would envy.
Likewise, Bucherer’s famous big date lives
on in watches like the Patravi Calendar. But
underneath the dial is the most modern of
engines, the Manufacture Caliber CFB A1004
with its peripheral rotor, which Carl F. Bucherer
has designed and built to carry its tradition into
the 21st century.
1960s
Rolex Prince
1930
Manero CentralChrono
2011
Patravi Calendar
Chronograph
2011
125 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
798 Madison Avenue New York
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sePtembeR 2013, volume xxxv i i , numbeR 9
102
90 Executive PrivilegesPorsche expands upon the Panamera’s
success with two new stretched-out
and souped-up editions that are sure
to satisfy drivers and passengers alike.
by ronald ahrens
102 Orient ExpressionsSilk embroidery, chinoiserie-style patterns,
and other intricate details lend an Asian
feel to fall’s finest men’s fashions.
Featuring Tom Ford, Brunello Cucinelli,
Isaia, Ermenegildo Zegna, Versace, and more.
photography by david roemer;
styling by christopher campbell
125 Spirit in the Material World
The latest fashions from five top
designers highlight the varied
and vibrant materials making
appearances this fall. by jill newman
fEaturES
c o n t e n t s
september 2013 robb report 25
71 Robb Gallery Boating 71, Sport 74,
Dining 76, Spirits 78,
Watches 80, Jewelry 82,
Collectibles 84, Home
Electronics 86
61 FrontRunnersPatek Philippe reaches for
the Sky, Spyker speeds back
to the States, Bally celebrates
a Himalaya high point, From
the Robb Cellar, and more.
depaRtments
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32 From the editors
150 Register of advertisers
151 Classifieds
On the Cover Porsche Panamera Turbo Executivefashion PhotograPhy by DaviD roemer
47
40 Robb design portfolioA doomed BMW that commands top dollar,
and a groundbreaking bar from Linley.
elements of styleHead to the Highlands with these
tweed coats, monk-strap shoes, and other
distinguished designs from Ascot Chang,
Ralph Lauren, Brunello Cucinelli,
John Lobb, and more.
Grand OpeningsAn old-town hotel puts history on display
in Barcelona, Amanresorts celebrates the arts
in Venice, and Wilderness Safaris goes back to
the future in Kenya.
53
adventure of a LifetimeAbercrombie & Kent’s Geoffrey Kent celebrates more
than 50 years in the safari business with what may be
his most extravagant expeditions yet. by jack smith
modern sound, midcentury VibeHepcat hi-fi enthusiasts can recapture the glory days
of tube amps and Eames chairs with these impressive
audio systems that pair cutting-edge performance
with enduring design. by robert ross
the Robb ReaderWhen not performing with the world’s top ballet
companies, the primo ballerino Roberto Bolle finds
time for everything from fashion shoots to open-
water dives. by michalene busico
131
152
143
61 78 40
c o n t e n t s
september 2013 robb report 27
Grande Seconde Quantième, ref. J007030245
Côtes de Genève dial and blue opaline flange. Stainless steel case.
Self-winding mechanical movement. Power reserve of 68 hours.
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rOBBrEPOrt.COM
Lincoln MonumentalWith new models such as the high-tech MKZ Hybrid, Lincoln aims to
reestablish itself as a force in the luxury-car market.b yr onaa ldhesdfipe
RobbReport.com/Lincoln
a Colorful taleVan Cleef & Arpels celebrates its heritage with a new collection of large,
vibrant gemstones in fanciful designs. yr tghh fidvonfi
RobbReport.com/Vancleef
the double StandardPreview the season’s i nest double-breasted suits, a classic fashion that is
returning this fall in new, trimmer variations.
RobbReport.com/Suits
SEPtEMBEr iPad BOnuS fEaturE
Robb Report is available as an interactive edition for the iPad at the iTunes App Store and through Zinio.
Download either version today to access enhanced content, including photos, videos, and more.
Beautiful BeastTesting BMW’s handsome and high-po wered
M6 Gran Coupé on the road and track in
Texas. yr onaa ldhesdfipe
dIGItaL EXCLuSIVESGet more of Robb Report with these
special iPad and online features.
c o n t e n t s
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sartorial styles, for better or worse, connect cultures—
bridge east and west, link north and south—through the
common bond of taste (see “Orient Expressions,” page
102). Throughout Europe’s history, shared standards of dress
and deportment contributed in their small way to the com-
mingling of royal bloodlines that resulted in the continent’s
elaborate network of pedigrees. Today, however, the noble
ranks serve the couture industry as often as it serves them:
Most of the European haut monde
pays court at fashion galas to the
designers, who preside like sovereigns
over their guests. As The New York Times
observed in its account of a 1986 bash
thrown for Karl Lagerfeld at the Palace
of Versailles, “kings and queens of fash-
ion such as Kenzo Takada, Dior’s Marc
Bohan and the Italian designers Anna,
Federica and Maria Teresa Fendi” were
present, surrounded by an entourage
of “working and unemployed counts
and countesses” as well as “a clutch of princesses” that
comprised, among others, Ghislaine de Polignac, Laure de
Beauvau-Craon, and Gloria von Thurn und Taxis. Yet the
latter of these ladies—who, only six years before, at the age
of 20, had married her Fürst, Prince Johannes von Thurn
und Taxis—did not remain a silent member of the clutch
for long. “On this same floor, the great-great-great grand-
father of my husband was dancing like crazy,” she remarked
to the Times correspondent. “But the fact that there were
no bathrooms still bothers me.”
Dubbed the punk princess—thanks to her spiked hair
and affinity for Harley-Davidsons—Gloria (pictured with
Johannes) was well versed on the subject of castles: Her
husband’s overstuffed real-estate portfolio included numer-
ous regal properties, the grandest being the 500-room
Schloss St. Emmeram in Regensburg, Germany, which was
originally constructed as an abbey in the eighth century.
Johannes’s family traced its own history to the mountains
of northern Italy, where an ancestor by the name of de
Tassis established a private postal service in the 15th cen-
tury that later became the courier of record for the Holy
Roman Empire. Though this enterprise was absorbed by
the Prussian government in 1867, the family received a
hefty sum in exchange, and in 1982, when Johannes
assumed his place as head of the dynasty, he controlled a
fortune valued at several billion dollars, making it one of
the largest in Germany.
Armed with these resources, the prince and his bride,
who was 34 years his junior, embarked on a decade of rev-
elry that shocked some of the more conventional members
of their social circle and delighted the international press.
The prince, who was openly bisexual, frequented disco-
theques that were infamous points of assignation, and he
habitually engaged in spiteful pranks. He was reputed, for
example, to have introduced a piranha into an acquain-
tance’s aquarium of rare fish, and sup-
posedly he once sprayed a guest’s sable
coat with hair remover. For her part,
Gloria, who regularly rocked the house
at Studio 54, was on one occasion
arrested for possession of hashish at the
Munich airport, and while a guest on
David Letterman’s late-night talk show,
she famously barked like a dog. These
antics made her steady fodder for
gossip columns, where she was often
referred to as “Princess TNT” and “the
dynamite socialite.” Her most explosive stunt, however,
occurred during her husband’s 60th birthday celebration,
which was held at St. Emmeram. Attended by such lumi-
naries as Malcolm Forbes Jr. and Mick Jagger, this opulently
orchestrated affair culminated with the presentation of cake
adorned with 60 phallus-shaped candles and a performance
from the hostess, who, costumed as Marie Antoinette,
descended on a golden cloud to sing “Happy Birthday.”
All fashions change, however, and the reign of the punk
princess ended abruptly with the heady hedonism of the
1980s. After two heart-transplant surgeries, the prince died
in December 1990, leaving his wife and three young chil-
dren an estate saddled with staggering financial liabilities,
including a monumental tax bill. The notoriety in which
Princess Gloria had exulted only a few years before quickly
became a burden, as headlines proclaimed “Treasures of a
Punk Princess on the Block” and “Princess Tightens Her
High-Fashion Belt.” To meet her obligations, she was forced
to open St. Emmeram to the public and hire out its gilded
spaces for corporate events. More distressing still, at several
much-publicized sales, Princess Debt und Taxes, as she
came to be called, auctioned off not only priceless silver,
jewelry, and paintings but also—in a fatal blow to her erst-
while punk image—the royal Harley-Davidsons.
brett anderson
senior vice president, editor in chief
Unruly Style
Ro
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al
el
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f r o m t h e e d i t o r S
32 robb report september 2013
Editorial Senior Vice President/Editor in Chief Brett Anderson [email protected]
Editorial Director Bruce Wallin [email protected] Executive Editor Larry Bean [email protected]
Managing Editor Lori Bryan [email protected]
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Natural Diamond
Not Synthetic
Color Grade
E
Clarity Grade
VS1
Cut Grade
Excellent
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Registry Number
GIA 16354621
Carat Weight
1.53
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The Virginian, an acclaimed 538-acre private country club community in the rolling hills of Southwestern
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Classic Blue Blazer1957 BMW 507
d e s i g n p o r t f o l i o
40 robb report september 2013
The 507 roadster was one of the most beautiful cars of the post-
war era and, from a business perspective, a disaster for BMW. the
German automaker created the 507 at the urging of american importer
Max hofman, who envisioned the car as a lower-priced alternative to the
Mercedes-Benz 300sL.
Penned by the industrial designer albrecht Goertz,
the 507 embodies perfect proportions in a seductive yet
understated design. hofman anticipated that the 507
would sell for $5,000 (about $42,000 in today’s dollars).
Instead, costs ran so high that BMW had to price it at $9,000 when production
began in 1956 and eventually at nearly $11,000—and the company still lost
money on each car. on the edge of fnancial ruin, BMW ceased production in
1959 after building only 251 examples. today about 200 of those
cars remain, and their values can reach $1 million. —robert ross
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september 2013 robb report 41
Earth ShakenThe Tectonic Bar sets the cocktail hour in motion.
‘‘When I was a small boy, my grandmother challenged me to find a secret
drawer in a bureau that she treasured,” says David Linley, the renowned
British designer and a grandson of the Queen Mother. “I couldn’t under-
stand how it was possible to conceal something so cleverly, so I resolved to find out how.” The
Tectonic Bar (www.davidlinley.com) is the latest manifestation of Linley’s fascination with mechanical
furniture, a design genre that was the vogue of the 18th century. This contemporary interpretation
by Linley’s eponymous furniture-making firm appears to be simply an elegant cabinet of ebonized
walnut incised in gold leaf with an abstract map of the world. But at the press of a concealed
button, the doors open to reveal an interior lined in gold leaf and housing a cocktail bar outfitted
with Linley accessories. Internal columns rotate; a refrigerator appears in the base of one column,
and the press of an interior button summons a cigar humidor. should prospective owners of the
Tectonic Bar (approximately $130,000) require secret drawers of their own, Linley—which allows
any number of variations—will enthusiastically oblige. —andrew myers
d E S i g n p o r t f o l i o
42 robb report september 2013
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or a 404 hp V6 with intelligent Q4 all-wheel drive. Both engines are matched to an 8-speed automatic transmission for maximum
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A N E L E G A N T P E R F O R M A N C E
this year’s classic tweed
sport coat is a distant cousin of
the bulky old favorite popularized
by 19th-century aristocrats, who
commissioned custom tweed tartans to
mark their estates. The new jackets retain
the traditional tailored details—flap
pockets, buttonhole collars, and soft
shoulders—but are constructed with
wools woven from finer, plush yarns
flecked with color. Some of the best
examples include, from left, windowpane
plaid by Brooks Brothers ($498), teal
herringbone by Paul Stuart ($1,487), and
olive check by Ralph Lauren Purple
Label ($2,995). Each jacket is supple,
lightweight, and bears its own mark of
distinction. Brooks Brothers, 800.274.1815,
www.brooksbrothers.com; Paul Stuart,
800.678.8278, www.paulstuart.com; Ralph
Lauren, 888.475.7674, www.ralphlauren.com
—christina garofalo
Subtle tweeds, bold textures, and appealing earth tones breathe
the breezy spirit of the Highlands into this fall’s wardrobes.
Photography by LiSa ChaRLES WaTSon | Styling by ChaRLES W. BumgaRdnER
E l E m E n t s o f s t y l E
september 2013 robb report 47
thisyh the monk-strap shoe has
existed for centuries,
this time-tested style
has recently received
a double-buckle
retooling. Fall’s wide
range of colors and
materials includes,
from top, Scarpe di
Bianco’s amber
leather ($950 per
pair), Fratelli
Rossetti’s distressed
anish ($990 per pair),
Scarpe di Bianco’s
cognac with wingtip
detailing ($950 per
pair), Fratelli
Rossetti’s pebbled
green leather ($650
per pair), and John
Lobb’s hand-dyed
perforated leather
($1,350 per pair).
any model of this
adaptable style shows
as well with a great
pair of jeans as with
a wool sport coat
and trousers.
Scarpe di Bianco,
646.415.8925,
www.scarpedibianco.com;
Fratelli Rossetti,
212.888.5107, www
.fratellirossetti.com; John
Lobb, 212.888.9797,
www.johnlobb.com
—r.y.
E l E m E n t s o f s t y l E
48 ���� �e���t �e�te��e� �o�p
slim neckties crafted from various fabrics put a personal accent on autumn suiting and also
offer a touch of rich texture and pattern. Shown from left are Isaia’s silk-and-wool tie ($225, available
at Saks Fifth Avenue), Brooks Brothers’ blue wool oxford tie ($80), Paul Stuart’s olive cashmere tie and
wool-and-cashmere zigzag tie ($179 and $140, respectively), Brunello Cucinelli’s cashmere tie ($275),
and Ascot Chang’s wool tie ($275). Saks Fifth Avenue, 877.551.7257, www.saksfifthavenue.com; Brooks Brothers,
800.274.1815, www.brooksbrothers.com; Paul Stuart, 800.678.8278, www.paulstuart.com; Brunello Cucinelli,
212.813.0900, www.brunellocucinelli.com; Ascot Chang, 212.759.3333, www.ascotchang.com —c.g.
e l e m e n t s o f s t y l e
50 robb report september 2013
F o r a c a t a l o g , c a l l 5 6 1 9 8 8 8 6 0 0 ,
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New rotor with variable geometry
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Newly developed gear teeth profile
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New patented stem-crown construction
Balance: CuBe, 4 arms, 4 setting screws
Inertia moment 7.5 mg.cm2, angle of lift 50°
Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 hz)
Newly designed flat head movement screws in grade 5 titanium
Anglage hand polished
Satin finished surfaces
Titalyt® treatment for the baseplate and the bridges
KENYAN CONNECTION
JA
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ON
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the paddock house lounge at Kenya’s new Segera
Retreat brims with artifacts—vintage hats and boots, time-
worn leather trunks, unpublished letters from Ernest
Hemingway and David Livingstone—of safaris past. But this
resort-style lodge, which opened in March on the Laikipia
Plateau, is setting a new standard for the modern-day safari.
The German entrepreneur and conservationist Jochen
Zeitz purchased the 50,000-acre Segera estate in 2006 and
partnered with the South Africa–based Wilderness Safaris to
open its f rst camp in Kenya. The latest addition to the com-
pany’s top-tier Wilderness Collection (joining North Island in
the Seychelles, Abu Camp in Botswana, and Odzala Camp
in the Republic of the Congo), Segera comprises eight
thatch-roofed villas, each with an observation deck and hot tub,
nestled within an oasis of f owers, cacti, and manicured lawns.
Segera—which also includes a spa, a swimming pool, and a
2,500-bottle wine cellar—is decorated with more than 150
contemporary African artworks from Zeitz’s personal collec-
tion. The prime viewing, however, is found on the surround-
ing savanna, which is home to such endemic species as the
reticulated giraf e and beisa oryx. Safari drives and game walks
aside, some of the best sightings can be had on the Paddock
House lawn, where herds of giraf es and elephants often con-
gregate while gues ts enjoy sundowners on the deck. Segera
Retreat, +27.11.807.1800, www.segera.com; available through Alluring
Africa, 800.510.0059, www.alluringafrica.com —jackie caradonio
G R A N D O P E N I N G S
september 2013 robb report 53
BET-SABERIBAS
barcelona’s ciutat vella, or old town, has for centuries
been the seedy and grimy neighbor to the grand and fashion-
able Eixample district. But the ancient Roman walls of Barcino,
as the Romans referred to the Catalan city, once housed the
local elite. “Many palaces were built along the Roman wall
for noblemen in medieval times,” says Pedro Molina, owner
of the new Mercer Hotel Barcelona—a stylish 28-room retreat
at the heart of the neighborhood’s recent renewal.
One of three boutique hotels to open in the old town’s
Gothic Quarter since last year (the Hotel DO Plaça Reial
and the Aparthotel Arai are the others), the Mercer is set
within a former palace along the ancient wall. Molina
enlisted the Spanish architect Rafael Moneo to fuse 21
centuries’ worth of construction into one harmonious patch-
work where yesteryear is subtly on display. Visit the spot
where Roman guards kept watch from defense tower No. 28,
or peek through the restaurant’s glass f oor to see the Roman
wall’s base, from about the f rst century AD, below. The past is
also present in the guest rooms, where 18th-century wooden
ceiling beams and original stonework blend with contempo-
rary decor by Carl Hansen, Santa & Cole, and Tom Dixon.
The Mercer’s location of ers a convenient base for explor-
ing Barcelona landmarks, including the Gothic cathedral and
La Rambla, while shopping on Eixample’s Passeig de Gràcia
is just 10 minutes away. Mercer Hotel Barcelona, +34.93.310.74.80,
www.mercerbarcelona.com —regina winkle-bryan
ON THE WALL
G R A N D O P E N I N G S
54 robb report september 2013
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the aman canal Grande Venice opened in June in the
city’s San Polo district, in a 16th-century palazzo owned
by Italy’s Count Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga and his wife,
Countess Bianca di Savoia Aosta. The couple resides in the
top-f oor penthouse of the building, whose classic European
ambience marks a striking departure for Amanresorts.
Known for its Zen-like contemporary hotels, Amanresorts
has embraced the neo-Renaissance and rococo styles of its
f rst property in Italy. Intricately restored frescoed ceilings,
golden cornices, and ornate tapestries f ll the waterfront
palazzo, which is adorned throughout with paintings by the
Italian masters Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and Michelangelo
Guggenheim. The hotel’s Sansovino Suite features an original
f replace designed by the 16th-century Venetian architect
Jacopo d’Antonio Sansovino. But Amanresorts’ modern
ethos is not entirely absent in the 24 guest rooms and suites,
where interiors by the designer Jean-Michel Gathy incor-
porate minimalist bathrooms and wenge-wood furnishings
from B&B Italia.
Rare in Venice are the Aman’s two gardens: one a hidden
treelined courtyard, the other a dining terrace with views
of the Grand Canal. A f tness center af ords vistas over the
city, while two boats, which can be used for private cruises
alon g the canals or trips to Venice’s lagoon islands, of er
regal means for exploration. Aman Canal Grande Venice,
+39.041.270.7333, www.amanresorts.com —scott goetz
ROYAL PALAZZO
G R A N D O P E N I N G S
56 robb report september 2013
B A R N E YS.CO M N E w YO R k B E v ER lY H i ll S B O S tO N C H i C Ag O l A S v EgA S S A N FR A N C i S CO S COt tSdA l E SE At t l E
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d i s c o v e r t h e n e w a n d e v o l v e d m e n ’ s s t o r e a t o u r m a d i s o n a v e n u e f l a g s h i p
Current print subscribers get
FREE access to the iPad edition.
*Available through Zinio * * Interactive content not available in this edition † Current print subscribers have FREE
access to the Nook Tablet or Nook Color edition. Go to BN.com and search Robb Report for more details.
WHETHER YOU’RE VACATIONING in Los Cabos or
relaxing at home, you can unwind with the
latest issue of Robb Report. Every digital issue
includes unique content, videos, slideshows,
interviews, and other interactive features.
Download the latest issue on your preferred
device and experience the quintessential
guide to the luxury lifestyle.
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C e n t r a l C h r o n o g r a p h
collection: Hydroscaph..................................................................................................................................
created by: Gerald Clerc.................................................................................................................................
limited//edition
case//dlc steel 103 elements/
locking rotating bezel/water resistant 500m/
movement//automatic chronograph/
hand-crafted in switzerland/
please call 609-750-8802
or visit clercwatches.com
Patek Philippe shoots for the moon once more. . . .
Production has begun on the second genera-
tion of the Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon (www.patek
.com), the company’s most complicated production
wristwatch. Like the first-generation Sky Moon (Reference
5002), which was introduced in 2001, this version features
12 complications. The price of the new watch, Reference
6002G, is available upon request and will likely be seven
figures, as was the price of the original. Patek Philippe will
not say how many examples of the watch it plans to make,
but plan on production being extremely limited.
The new watch features a slightly updated version of the
original movement and three wholly new windows that
display the perpetual calendar. The tourbillon escapement,
cathedral-gong minute repeater, and celestial complication
(displayed on the back of the watch) remain unchanged. The
most noticeable upgrades are the high-relief engraving on
the case and the cloisonné and champlevé enamel on the
dial. The decorations demonstrate Patek Philippe’s growing
in-house artisanal capabilities, and for a timepiece of this
caliber, such flourishes seem appropriate. . . .
The new Patek Philippe Sky
Moon Tourbillon is as compli-
cated as the original version and
more elaborately decorated.
■ FrontRunners ■
september 2013 robb report 61
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A Spyker in America’s future market, and boots made for climbing. . . .
going dutch � With the Spyker
B6 Venator (www.spykercars.com), the
Dutch automaker plans to return to
the American market in 2014. The new
design is created in the tradition of the
limited-production, hand-built sports
cars for which the brand is known.
Unlike Spyker’s previous model, the C8
series—which was made of aluminum
and powered by an Audi V-8 engine—
the B6 Venator has a carbon-flber body
and a transverse-mounted V-6 engine
that develops at least 375 hp.
The B6 Venator also features a cur-
vaceous body and luxurious interior,
which are hallmarks of Spyker cars, and
exquisite aluminum details that exploit
the beauty of the material and chal-
lenge the machinist’s art. . . .
high climbers � The Swiss-made,
reindeer-fur-covered Bally Everest Col-
lection Himalaya boots (www.bally.com)
commemorate the 60th anniversary of
Sir Edmund Hillary’s ascent of Mount
Everest. The boots are a cashmere-
lined version of the Bally footwear
that Tenzing Norgay, Hillary’s lead
guide, wore when he and Hillary
reached the mountain’s peak in 1953.
They are made-to-order and available
at Bally’s Madison Avenue store in
Manhattan for $2,095. The boots fea-
ture an elastic update of the original
lace-up system, which allows for easy
adjustments even in extreme weather.
The lightweight sole is new, but it has
the original nonslip grip. . . .
sports Writer � The Visconti Pinin-
farina Carbongrafte pen (www.visconti.it)
is the product of a two-year collabo-
ration between the Italian pen maker
and the design flrm that has created
bodywork for Ferrari, Maserati, and
other Italian automobile marques.
The pen’s carbon-composite barrel
displays the graceful lines of a flne
sports car. Production is limited to
930 fountain pens ($1,895 each) and
930 roller balls ($1,695 each). . . .
Spyker B6 Venator; Bally Everest
Collection Himalaya boot;
Visconti Pininfarina Carbongrafte pen.
■ FrontRunners ■
62 ropp remort semtebper 13�a
Ferretti 960; Valgrine S.T. Dupont putter;
McLellan Jacobs Kayak 1.
planing and simple ✵ The flrst
Ferretti 960 (www.ferretti-yachts.com),
a production yacht that launched in
June, is the largest planing-hull ves-
sel the Italian company has ever pro-
duced. The 96-footer can reach a
speed of 27.5 knots with the standard
engines, and it sleeps as many as 10
guests. (The price is available upon
request.) Accommodations can include
a master suite forward on the main
deck and four lower-deck cabins. The
960 has quarters for flve crew mem-
bers, but it does not require a profes-
sional captain for operation. The yacht’s
highlights include a large �ybridge, a
main saloon that is well lit thanks to
the yacht’s low gunwales, and a padded
lounging area at the stern. . . .
artistic stroke ✵ The limited-
edition Valgrine S.T. Dupont putter (www
.valgrine.com) features an alligator-
scale pattern carved into the club’s
face and is accentuated with Chinese
enamel work and palladium-flnished
rings and screws. The golf-club
manufacturer Valgrine, which was
founded two years ago in Saint Eti-
enne, France, specializes in bespoke
putters rendered in a range of materi-
als, styles, and flnishes. S.T. Dupont is
a 141-year-old Parisian design house
known for its flne lighters and writing
instruments. The blade-style putter is
priced at $25,000. . . .
the river styled ✵ The New
Zealand designers Jamie McLellan
and Andy Jacobs have turned their
focus from furniture and lighting
to their mutual passion for boating.
The result is the McLellan Jacobs Kayak 1
(www.mclellanjacobs.com). Nearly
11 feet long, the single-person kayak
is made of carbon flber, so it weighs
less than 40 pounds, making it easy to
transport and maneuver in the water.
The seat back, carrying handles, and
deck hatch are made of teak. Priced
at $15,000, the vessel can be ordered
with a paddle made of teak and carbon
flber. Each kayak requires eight to 10
weeks for completion. . . .
Ferretti’s biggest wave rider, and a light and luxurious kayak. . . .
TO
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�The american Whiskey boom of recent years has
prompted a good deal of experimentation. Lincoln
Henderson, who spent 40 years as Brown-Forman’s
master distiller, placed himself at the forefront of this move-
ment with the 2011 introduction of his Angel’s Envy label,
whose inaugural release was a bourbon flnished in port
barrels. With Angel’s Envy Rye, Henderson has again ventured
into new territory. Distilled from 95 percent rye grain, the
whiskey ages for at least six years in new, charred American
oak barrels before flnishing for 18 months in Caribbean
rum casks that previously held Cognac. Bottled at 100 proof,
Angel’s Envy Rye initially presents strong vapors on the nose,
followed by a rich bouquet of orange zest, clove, hazelnut,
and buttery brown sugar. The palate is smooth, showing
�avors of cinnamon, vanilla, candied apple, and cherry—as
well as a delicate tobacco-like spiciness—that leave the taste
buds yearning for more. ($70) www.angelsenvy.com
the family that owns David Family Wines is not
named David. This boutique producer of Pinot Noir based
in Santa Rosa, Calif., was founded in 2006 by Michelle
Reeves, an entrepreneur from Australia who developed a
fascination for wine, particularly Pinot Noir, while living
in San Francisco. Enlisting the expertise of master somme-
lier Emmanuel Kemiji and winemakers Byron Kosuge and
Pat Knittel, Reeves traded a career in sports-and-fashion
marketing for one in viticulture. Because her maiden name,
Turnbull, was already taken by another producer, she named
the new venture for her father and set about developing a
style of Pinot that appealed to her palate. The David Family 2011
Pinot Noir Anderson Valley embodies
Reeves’s concept of vinous per-
fection: reflned yet subtle com-
plexity. Its aromas of black plum
and wild strawberry draw the
nose in deeper to reveal loamy
scents of mushroom and piñon.
In the mouth, earthy notes of
cocoa and caramel coat the
wine’s mineral core, which
is as precisely rendered
as the bottle’s removable
tooled-leather label. ($90)
www.davidfamily.com
Fron tue Ross Ceppmr ✵ Fine wines & spirits worthy of a place in your private collection.
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Cartier’s hometown homage, and an unmatched chess set.
seeing the city of light ✵ The
designs in the Cartier Paris Nouvelle Vague
jewelry collection (www.cartier.com)
either obviously or subtly reference
the jewelry house’s home city. One of
the collection’s motifs features curva-
ceous diamond-studded wave patterns
intended to evoke the ripples of the
Seine. Another references the city’s
1930s architecture with graphic shapes
and subdued gemstones. The ring
shown here is adorned with strands of
gold beads that appear to burst from the
band like flreworks launched into the
night sky. The collection ranges from
gold designs to pieces featuring striking
layers of onyx, lapis, and
diamonds. Prices start at
$2,740. . . .
chess mastered ✵
The board for the Purling
London Art Chess set (www
.purlinglondon.com) is
crafted from black ani-
gre wood and bird’s-eye
maple, and each of the
game pieces is hand-
painted by a contempo-
rary British artist. The set is priced from
$2,300 to $3,830. Custom artist com-
missions and colors are available for an
additional fee.
�o�tr�s�tor�: Brett Anderson,
Bailey S. Barnard, Christina Garofalo,
John Lyon, James D. Malcolmson,
Amanda Millin, Jill Newman, Robert Ross
Cartier Paris Nouvelle Vague ring;
Purling London Art Chess set.
■ Fro0tR300er� ■
66 ross reyort �eytenser hl�
Download the FREE App
Featuring
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Deep ConnectionCRN’s 197-foot J’ade links guests to the sea—and the Italian yard to the future.
The launch of the 197-foot J’ade marks a new direction for CRN, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
one of the latest launches from Italy’s CRN Yachts includes
all of the amenities—lavish sleeping accommodations for
10 guests, an expansive saloon with floor-to-ceiling win-
dows, iPad-controlled lighting and entertainment systems, a
sundeck with a hot tub and gym—one would expect of a
200-foot custom megayacht. But of all the vessels in its rar-
efied class, J’ade, which was delivered to its billionaire owner
in April, offers perhaps the closest connection to the sea.
J’ade is the 125th yacht from CRN, an Ancona-based
builder that is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The
launch marks something of a new era for the shipyard and
its parent company, the Ferretti Group, which a Chinese
firm acquired a controlling interest in early last year. The
investment helped to reduce some of the Italian company’s
debt and is now supporting new research and development
at the eight yards—including Riva, Pershing, and Custom
Line—under the Ferretti umbrella. CRN, the group’s only
builder specializing in custom megayachts, appears to be
■ b o at i n g
■
september 2013 robb report 71
taking full advantage of this creative opportunity.
Standout features aboard J’ade include a water-level
beach club, a striking owner’s suite with a balcony, and an
aquarium topped with a bar. The boat also ooers something
never before seen on a yacht of its size: a noodable tender
garage. Located on the lower deck, the garage allows J’ade’s
27-foot Riva Iseo tender to dock directly into the yacht’s
hull, just as it would at a marina.
A push of a button opens the garage’s 10-foot-wide
water-level door, located in the port side of the aluminum hull.
Seawater then ells the recessed dock in the noor of the aft
beach club. A pair of small door naps protects the tender from
waves while it is docked in the nearly 5,000-gallon tender bay.
The Riva can be refueled in the garage, which can be drained
of its seawater in a few minutes with the nip of a switch.
Guests boarding J’ade from the tender bay simply step
from the Riva to the almost 1,100-square-foot teak-clad
beach club. They can then either walk up a short night of
stairs to the main saloon or stay at the club
to enjoy another of the yacht’s novel water-
front features: The stern door of the club
drops down to become a large terrace over
the water, and ladderlike stairs lower from
either side of the platform into the sea.
The innovative features found aboard
J’ade point to a bright future for CRN.
With seven yachts ranging in length from
about 140 feet to 260 feet currently under
construction, and with several more con-
cepts on the drawing board, the company
promises to push the boundaries of yacht
design for another 50 years.
—fthflfiff �. fts�ts�
CRN, www.crn-yacht.com Ma
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J’ade’s 27-foot Riva Iseo tender can dock directly into the 5,000-gallon tender bay built into the yacht’s 1,100-square-foot beach club.
■ b o at i n g
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Why just be precise When you can be the most precise?
master tourbillon Dualtime.jaeger-lecoultre calibre 978b with patented jumping date.Winner of the first International Timing Competition of the 21st century, held under the auspices of the Geneva observatory, jaeger-lecoultre calibre 978 boasts peerless precision in a new 41.5 mm-diameter pink gold case. its 71-part tourbillon regulator features an ultra-light grade 5 titanium carriage and a large variable-inertia balance beating at a cadence of 28,800 vibrations per hour. yo u De s e rv e a re a l Watc h.
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Eleven Experience debuted its first European ski lodge, Chalet Pelerin (bottom), last February in the French Alps’ Tarentaise Valley.
i am standing in the shadows of the 11,000-foot-high
Tête du Ruitor, staring down a spectacular powder ribbon
along the French Alps’ Invernet Glacier. No one has skied
this slope—a whopping 9-mile-long descent that drops
7,800 vertical feet to a quiet mountain village—all winter,
and Jean-Noël Gaidet, a guide for Eleven Experience, has
elected me to go first. Normally, passing the leader is strictly
verboten in heli-skiing, so I check with Gaidet to confirm
I have his blessing.
“We are told so much in life—don’t do this, don’t do
that,” Gaidet says. “But in the mountains we have freedom.”
After three days with Gaidet and his fellow guides, I have
become accustomed to the freedom—and exhilaration—
that comes with an Eleven Experience journey.
Launched in 2011, the Colorado-based bespoke
adventure company is opening a handful of
intimate luxury lodges and chalets in remote
destinations where its founder, entrepreneur
Chad Pike, has skied and fished for years. From
fly-fishing and mountain biking at the recently
opened Scarp Ridge Lodge in Crested Butte,
Colo., to scuba diving and kitesurfing at the
soon-to-open Bahamas House Inn on Harbour
Island, each of the company’s trips strives to go
a notch beyond other high-end outdoor expe-
riences. Even Eleven’s name—a cheeky refer-
ence to the famous amplifier scene in the cult
movie This is Spinal Tap—emphasizes pushing
the boundaries of adventure travel.
“We want to show people our mountain
lifestyle while embracing their lifestyle,” says
Alan Bernholtz, Eleven’s head of global opera-
tions. “We take them right up to their comfort
level doing the things they love to do, but never
quite like this.”
Comfort is a priority at Chalet Pelerin, a
6,000-square-foot wood-and-stone cottage that
Eleven opened last February in the French
Alps. Located some two hours south of Geneva,
Pelerin sits in the hamlet of Sainte-Foy-
Tarentaise, population 800 or so, surrounded
by three ski resorts and some of Europe’s best
heli-skiing. The chalet includes a private chef, a
heated saltwater pool, a media room, and five
guest rooms stocked with new ski jackets.
(Helmets, custom Wagner skis, and other gear also are avail-
able to guests.) In addition to downhill excursions at nearby
resorts and off-piste slopes, guests can snowshoe, dogsled, or
even take a B3 helicopter for an afternoon of skiing in Italy.
Back on Invernet Glacier, Gaidet assures me I am free to
christen the fresh slope before me. Pushing off, I bounce
through some of the best snow I will find all winter—maybe
ever. Hours later, when I finally collapse beside the chalet’s
fireplace with ice in my nostrils and a glass of bourbon in
my hand, I am convinced Eleven’s volume goes to 12.
—tim neville
Eleven Experience, 970.349.7761, www.elevenexperience.com
Going to ElevenA new adventure outfitter takes thrill-seekers to the next level.
■ s p o r t
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74 robb report september 2013
MAJOR SIX APPEAL.The stunning lines. The mysterious presence. The interior fi lled with exquisite Merino leather.
But the package is not complete until you launch from 0 to 60 in 4.1 seconds* with the BMW M
TwinPower Turbo V-8 engine. To experience unparalleled design and the power of 560 horses,
fi nd your nearest BMW center at bmwusa.com.
THE ALL-NEW BMW M6 GRAN COUPE.
1 Whichever comes fi rst. For complete details on BMW Ultimate Service,® visit bmwusa.com/ultimateservice. *0–60 time based on BMW AG test results. ©2013 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logo are registered trademarks. 36USC220506
NO-COST MAINTENANCE
4 YRS / 50K MILES1
The all-new BMW M6Gran Coupe
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Goats and sheep graze alongside cattle at Belcampo’s Northern California ranch. The “mob grazing” technique can improve pastureland.
in 2009, anya fernald was presented with 10,000 acres
of dry land below Northern California’s Mount Shasta and
issued a challenge by the owner: Make it productive and
profitable. The soil was too poor to cultivate, but Fernald—
at the time a business consultant who had worked with the
Slow Food organization and artisanal-food producers
around the world—had a big, beefy vision. Three years later,
the result was the Belcampo Meat Co., an unprecedented
effort dedicated to organic, naturally raised meat.
Belcampo essentially raises an entire butcher shop on its
property. In addition to cattle, there are sheep, pigs, goats,
rabbits, chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, quail, and more.
Then the company controls every step after that. It pro-
cesses the animals as humanely as possible in its own abattoir,
designed by the livestock activist Temple Grandin, and sells
the meat, bacon, and charcuterie exclusively on its website
and in its shiny butcher shop and restaurant in Larkspur,
Calif. The meat-centric restaurant—which offers dishes
such as the Meat Board, a plank of wood with a changing
selection of grilled steaks, chops, and sausages—is ambitious
enough to have garnered a two-star review from the San
Francisco Chronicle in March.
The ranch raises both conventional breeds and hardy,
heritage animals that are suited to foraging; the pigs, for
example, are a cross between Berkshires and Ossabaws, “a
breed that hunts rattlers,” says Fernald. But more significant
to the quality of the meat, she says, is the careful stewardship
of the land and the animals. “Grass-fed beef is a long capital
turnaround,” says Fernald, now the CEO of Belcampo,
which is owned by Todd Robinson, a founder of LPL
Financial. “Most producers are butchering at 18 months to
survive financially, but the animals are not ready. We’re
slaughtering at 24 to 28 months, and we use extremely sen-
sitive animal-handling techniques.”
After giving cattle more time to fatten in the pasture,
Belcampo dry-ages its beef for 21 days. Both practices make
a remarkable difference. The beef is lean and complex, with
none of the dry toughness of most grass-fed meat. Offerings
on the website include extra-thick rib-eye steaks ($125 for
two steaks that together weigh about 4 pounds) and a full
rack of wagyu beef ($2,000 for 28 pounds).
Fernald seems to have exceeded the initial challenge. The
ranch is more than just sustainable; it is growing. In July,
Belcampo purchased 12,000 acres of nearby pastureland,
and it plans to open five more locations in California this
fall—markets in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Palo Alto,
and markets with restaurants in San Francisco and Santa
Monica. —michalene busico
Belcampo Meat Co., 415.448.5810, www.belcampomeatco.com
From the Ground Up For the Belcampo Meat Co., the artisanal-food movement is a ranch-to-retail proposition.
■ d i n i n G
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76 robb report september 2013
GIRARD-PERREGAUX BOUTIQUE
701 Madison Avenue, New York
Tel. 646-495-9915 | www.girard-perregaux.com
CHRONO HAWKGirard-Perregaux automatic mechanical movement.
Ceramic case, sapphire case back.
Legacy by Angostura showcases the blending talents and extensive cellars of the 189-year-old distillery.
with the lowering of the Union
Jack and the raising of its own red-white-
and-black flag on August 31, 1962, the
twin-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago
signaled its independence from the United
Kingdom and officially became a republic.
Fifty years later, the golden anniversary of this
momentous occasion has been appropriately
recognized with the release of a gold-hued
rum that far surpasses anything previously dis-
tilled in this young yet tradition-steeped Caribbean country.
The elegantly packaged Legacy by Angostura presents sub-
tle reminders of the islands’ past. The sterling-silver neckband
and butterfly stopper that cap this limited release’s lead-free
decanter, for instance, are handcrafted by the Royal Warrant
holder Asprey of London, recalling Trinidad and Tobago’s links
with the monarchy. Angostura, for that matter, is also a Royal
Warrant holder, having for more than a century supplied the
royal household with the aromatic bitters for which the
brand is famous. The company’s meticulously delineated
spirits, on the other hand, are for the most part unknown,
despite the fact that the firm has been distilling premium
rum on Trinidad since 1945. However, with the introduction
of Legacy, Angostura is certain to receive the recognition it
deserves as a long-standing producer of fine rum.
This exceedingly rare blend consists of at least seven dif-
ferent column-distilled rums (the distillery refuses to divulge
exactly how many), all aged in ex-bourbon barrels within
Angostura’s warehouses. The youngest of the components is
17 years old, but some of the others are
very much older—and scarcer. As a result,
the distillery blended a quantity sufficient
to fill only 20 decanters, three of which are
reserved for the United States. Each is
priced at $25,000, making Legacy the most
expensive rum in the world. “It is us showing
off a bit,” says Angostura’s master distiller,
John Georges, “that we have, first of all, a true
sense of style, and secondly, that we’re a very old
and reliable company that has survived 189 years.”
Though Angostura’s style of rum is typically slightly dry
and subdued, Legacy’s flavor profile is anything but subtle.
Initially, marmalade, citrus, and licorice flavors flood the palate,
followed by a cherry-infused nuttiness that becomes slightly
smoky as the spirit lingers in the glass. Part of this muscular
rum’s complexity derives from Angostura’s proprietary yeast;
however, Trinidadian sugarcane, which ceased to be grown on
the island in 2003, also contributes to the spirit’s character.
“When the sugarcane was ripe, the butterflies would fly
into the cane fields,” says Georges, revealing the inspiration
for the sculpted butterfly that surmounts the stopper. “That
was nature saying everything is ready, everything is at its
peak. And we’ve adopted that for the Legacy rum, with a
butterfly alighting on the decanter, thereby signifying that
this rum is at its zenith of perfection. The blend, the age,
everything about it is perfect.” —richard carleton hacker
Angostura, www.legacybyangostura.com
Liberating Elixir Angostura commemorates the independence of its homeland with a revolutionary rum.
■ s P I R I T s
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78 robb report september 2013
For more information please contact:
866 675 2079
P I L O T M O N T R E D ’A E R O N E F T Y P E 2 0 G M T
The Manufacture has consistently accompanied aviation pioneers by offering
them onboard instruments and timepieces on a par with their achievements.
Boasting generous white superluminova-enhanced Arabic numerals, the
Type 20 GMT exalts visibility and ensures precision thanks to a Zenith Elite 693
movement, while a dual-time display sets the crowning touch.
F O L L O W Y O U R O W N S T A R
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Proceeds from the sale of each example of the Inversion Principle will be used to fund the destruction of 1,000 assault rifles.
“from the very beginning, we wanted to create a watch
on our own, without relying on another brand,” says Peter
Thum, a socially concerned entrepreneur whose 4-year-
old enterprise, Fonderie 47, creates fine jewelry—and now
timepieces—to fund a reduction in the number of assault
rifles present and used in conflicts throughout Africa. “The
hard part was biting the bullet to make a new invention.”
Like many neophytes in watchmaking, Thum found the
industry at once fascinating and exasperating; moreover, he
faced the added challenge of being an outsider with an
unusual philanthropic mission. “The industry is sheltered
and cloistered, in that everyone knows each other,” he says.
“We met with most of the small, independent watchmak-
ers, who all understood how difficult it is to do what we are
trying to do.”
Thum, however, had more luck than many parvenus
who, in their efforts to gain entrée to horology’s inner cir-
cles, frequently confront the industry’s tightly closed ranks.
In 2009, many of the potential partners he approached
were coping with diminishing orders as a result of the
global economic downturn; one of them, David Candaux—
who was among the chief talents behind Jaeger-LeCoultre’s
Hybris Mechanica series of super watches—had recently
set up shop on his own. In collaboration with the designer
Adrian Glessing, Candaux agreed to work with Fonderie
47 in realizing its ambition of engineering a watch that
related to the humanitarian mission of the brand.
Equipped with a central three-minute flying tourbillon,
jumping hours, and retrograde minutes, the $350,000
Inversion Principle can easily hold its own with other com-
plicated watches in its class. However, in the context of its
higher purpose—each watch in the 20-piece edition will
fund the destruction of 1,000 assault rifles—the model
assumes a nobler stature. The development team made a
conscious decision to forgo any overt visual references to
firearms, save for a single dot of forged gunmetal fused to
the movement’s baseplate. “The design needed to contra-
vene most people’s idea of a gun-related watch,” says Thum,
who is quite familiar with the technical ingenuity that
informs this timepiece’s mechanical nemeses, the AK-47
and other assault rifles. “The AK-47 is an industrial
weapon intended to span the globe,” he notes. “We wanted
to take that very clever, elegant, but awful device and turn
it into something akin to a Stradivarius—completely the
opposite type of human achievement.”
—james d. malcolmson
Fonderie 47, 347.770.2241, www.fonderie47.com
Opposition MovementFonderie 47’s first complicated timepiece takes aim at an abiding global concern.
■ wat c h e s
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80 robb report september 2013
Silvia Furmanovich’s designs include a turquoise cuff (top, $57,575), opal ring (left, $18,225), and aquamarine bracelet ($35,350).
a woman must be confident to wear jewelry by Silvia
Furmanovich, whose audacious concepts seldom fail to
attract attention. This daring designer might adorn a dia-
mond bracelet with a bright-blue, walnut-size Paraíba tour-
maline or carve a 119-carat aquamarine into a scarab and set
it amid sapphires and diamonds. But then, confidence is pre-
cisely the quality that Furmanovich’s jewels are intended to
conjure: Many of them are modeled on ancient symbols
believed to empower the wearer. “In the past, jewelry served
as amulets that represented strength and power,” she says. “I
like to communicate that in my jewelry designs as well.”
Furmanovich was born to a long line of goldsmiths who
emigrated from Italy to Brazil; her great-grandfather made
sacred adornments for the Vatican, and her father had a
goldsmithing workshop in the family home in São Paulo.
Furmanovich embraced this artistic tradition, establishing
an appointment-only jewelry business in 1997 and opening
her first store in her hometown in 2009. Her extravagant
designs soon began to flash on red carpets the world over,
and in the spring, her collection debuted in the United
States at Bergdorf Goodman, where, from within their glass
cases, her creations continue to spellbind passersby.
Her work is heavily influenced by ancient Egyptian and
Native American iconography. The Egyptian scarab, for
instance, “is a strong symbol of rebirth and death,” says the
designer, who sets large, colorful stones cut to resemble this
hallowed insect into rings, pendants, and bracelets. She also
uses Native American beading techniques to create flexible
cuffs, weaving together porcelain beads coated in 22-karat
gold to form patterns as intricate as those of a tapestry. She
further embellishes these bracelets with precious and semi-
precious stones, including turquoise, which represents the
sky, and coral, which signifies the earth.
Furmanovich’s art is also informed by her travels. She
scouts antiques markets in New York City, Paris, and London,
as well as cities in Asia, to uncover unusual components,
such as netsuke, the miniature sculptures from the Japanese
Edo period, which lasted from the early 17th century to the
mid-19th century. She displays these small figures—whose
facial expressions and garments are intricately articulated—
on simple pendants, bracelets, and rings.
Combining such diverse elements and influences to
develop a single, dramatic, and seamless personal aesthetic
requires as much self-assurance from the designer as from
the wearer. “Jewelry should not only make a statement,”
Furmanovich says, “but it should also make someone feel
confident, expressive, and happy.” —jill newman
Silvia Furmanovich, available at Bergdorf Goodman, 212.872.2578,
www.bergdorfgoodman.com
Bold GoldSilvia Furmanovich refashions ancient symbols into standout jewels.
■ j e w e l ry
■
82 robb report september 2013
Cris
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N e w Yo r k + 1 . 2 1 2 . 7 1 9 . 5 8 8 7
j a c o b a n d c o . c o m
G H O S T
20 Time Zone GMT
Black PVD Stainless Steel, Interchangeable Cage
The Super Bowl XXV ring awarded to Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor sold for an apparent NFL-memorabilia record of $230,401 last year.
though neither ever won a championship at the pro
level, baseball’s Ted Williams and football’s Dan Marino
played brilliantly enough during their careers to become
legendary figures in their respective sports. However, in the
collectibles market they do not enjoy equal status. Williams’s
game-worn jerseys in good condition can fetch six-figure
sums. The helmet that Marino wore while quarterbacking
the Miami Dolphins in their loss to the San Francisco 49ers
in Super Bowl XIX garnered only $33,460 at a Heritage
Auctions sale in 2007.
The gulf between prices for top Williams and Marino
memorabilia exemplifies a curiosity of the sports-collectibles
world: Though the National Football League, as measured by
television ratings and other barometers, is far more popular
than Major League Baseball, its memorabilia apparently is
not nearly as coveted. The list of the top 10 most expensive
sports collectibles sold at auction is dominated by MLB relics;
NFL items are wholly absent. “Football certainly has a broad
fan base, but it doesn’t always translate into the collectibles
market,” says Dan Imler, managing director of SCP Auctions.
Dave Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions—which handles
both baseball and football memorabilia—says a collectibles
market depends more on fans’ passion than a sport’s popu-
larity. “The World Series ratings are a tenth of the Super
Bowl’s, but people are not watching to see the commer-
cials,” he says. “They’re watching to see the game, and see
the team they bleed for.”
Another factor affecting prices for NFL and MLB col-
lectibles is the difference in the sports’ ages, says Chris Ivy,
director of sports auctions at Heritage. The first World
Series was held in 1903. The NFL formed in 1920, but the
first Super Bowl was not played until 1967, after the NFL
agreed to merge with the AFL, the expansion league that
was established seven years earlier. “There’s more history
with baseball. It’s woven into the fabric of society,” says Ivy.
“Ruth, Cobb, and Gehrig are icons, but you can’t name a
football player from that era. That’s not to say that Joe
Namath and Johnny Unitas [stars of the early Super Bowls]
won’t be that way in the future. They’re just not there yet.”
Items associated with football’s elite players can garner
high prices, but nothing like what a comparable baseball
article may command. The apparent auction-price record
for an NFL item belongs to a 1991 Super Bowl XXV ring
awarded to New York Giants Hall of Fame linebacker
Lawrence Taylor. Offered by SCP in May 2012, the well-
worn size-12 ring sold for $230,401. “It’s very rare [to have
a Super Bowl ring] for a player of his caliber,” says Imler. The
same month as that sale, SCP set the current auction-price
record for any piece of sports memorabilia when it sold a
circa-1920 Babe Ruth Yankees road jersey for $4.4 million.
Ivy, Hunt, and Imler agree that the best NFL memorabilia
is undervalued. Bob Swick, editor of the football history and
memorabilia magazine Gridiron Greats and a collector of foot-
ball cards since he was a 7-year-old in 1965, sees opportunities
at all levels. “A program from Super Bowl I sells for $250 to
$600, depending on condition. It’s one of the most important
programs from football history, and it’s a steal,” he says. “I don’t
know how many were printed, or how many were saved, but
let’s say there were 10,000. That’s not a lot, but there are more
than 10,000 collectors who would like to own it. That’s the
perspective for looking at it.” —sheila gibson stoodley
Gridiron Greats, 203.269.8224, www.gridirongreatsmagazine.com;
Heritage Auctions, 214.528.3500, www.ha.com; Hunt Auctions,
610.524.0822, www.huntauctions.com; SCP Auctions,
949.831.3700, www.scpauctions.com
Betting Against the SpreadThe price gap relative to baseball memorabilia could mean NFL items are undervalued.
■ c o l l e c t i B l e S
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84 robb report september 2013
GMT
5N red gold case
Bellusso ∙ Las Vegas
Casino Level • Palazzo® Resort-Hotel-Casino
+1 702 650-2988 • www.bellussojewelers.com
Cellini ∙ New York
Hotel Waldorf-Astoria • 301 Park Avenue
+1 212 751-9824 • www.cellinijewelers.com
Picciones’ ∙ Lyndhurst
Legacy Village • 24659 Cedar Road
+1 216 382-7011 • www.picciones.com
deBoulle Diamond & Jewelry ∙ Dallas
6821 Preston Road • Texas 75205
+1 800 454-GEMS • www.deboulle.com
Users can access the Kaleidescape Store from an iPhone or iPad to purchase digital versions of Blu-ray Disc–quality movies.
late last year, after signing a landmark licensing agree-
ment with Warner Bros., the Sunnyvale, Calif.–based
Kaleidescape announced that it would sell the film studio’s
content through a new online service. Fully launched this
May, the Kaleidescape Store offers users the ability to pur-
chase and download the nearly 3,000 movies and more than
8,000 TV shows in the Warner Bros. collection. Such a service
is nothing new—Apple and other companies have been sell-
ing downloadable video content for years—but Kaleidescape’s
version is the first to allow users to download Blu-ray Disc–
quality content without having to purchase a physical disc.
Kaleidescape, which is working on similar agreements
with other providers, is the leading manufacturer of media-
server-based entertainment systems. The company’s largest-
capacity server can hold as much as 48 terabytes of content,
the equivalent of about 1,300 Blu-ray Discs, which can be
played on multiple screens throughout a home. In July the
company introduced its first off-the-shelf product, the $3,995
Cinema One, which is a server and disc player in a single box
that can store up to 100 Blu-ray-quality movies.
Blu-ray movies available through the Kaleidescape Store
can be as large as 60 gigabytes each, whereas movies from
Apple’s iTunes and similar services are usually just a few giga-
bytes. The result is a crisper picture, with more detail, less
motion blur, and higher-quality sound. Movies downloaded
from the store also benefit from Kaleidescape’s coding, which
integrates the video content into the company’s easy-to-use
library and on-screen interface. Through the interface, users
can implement proprietary features that include the ability to
mark favorite scenes and jump to the beginning of a movie
(rather than waiting the often painfully long startup time of
Blu-ray Discs played in a traditional system).
The considerable size of Blu-ray-quality movies, which
cost anywhere from $7 to $26 through the Kaleidescape
Store, translates to download times that are often as long as
an hour. Kaleidescape alleviates some of this burden by
allowing users to queue up multiple movies so that when
one download is complete, the next begins automatically.
(Through the store, users can also upgrade the DVD-quality
content in their libraries to Blu-ray quality.)
Once purchased, the movies can be downloaded to as
many as five of the user’s Kaleidescape systems, whether in
a primary residence or vacation home, a yacht or private jet.
Most downloads come with a cloud-based UltraViolet ver-
sion of the content so that, through a third-party app such
as Flixster, users can also watch videos purchased from the
Kaleidescape Store on mobile devices—including Apple
iPhones and iPads. —bailey s. barnard
Kaleidescape, www.kaleidescape.com
Skipping the DiscKaleidescape’s new online store offers a direct connection to high-quality movie content.
■ h o m e e l e c t r o n i c S
■
86 robb report september 2013
Aaron Basha Boutique • 685 Madison Avenue • New York • 212.644.1970 • www.aaronbasha.com
Athens • Dubai • Hong Kong • Italy • Kiev • London • Moscow • Qatar • Tokyo • Toronto
Of Note
P R O M O T I O N
From David Arnold, Senior Vice President/Group Publisher of Robb Report
FIpA GROup
www.fipagroup.com | +39 0584.38191
The Fipa Group consists of: Maiora, AB Yachts and CBI Navi.
Today, the Fipa Group can offer a complete range of products
including: fiberglass motoryachts by Maiora, fast open yachts
with waterjet propulsion by AB Yachts, to steel/light alloy cus-
tom motoryachts by CBI Navi. The Aifos by CBI Navi was among
Robb Report’s 2012 Best of the Best – Custom Megayachts.
The Fipa Group also offers complete after-sales service,
refitting and assistance.
Do not miss the opportunity to discover our innovations at: Festival de la Plaisance de
Cannes, September 10th-15th; Monaco Yacht Show, September 25th - 28th; Fort Lauderdale
International Boat Show, October 31st - November 4th
pAul & ShARk
www.paulshark.it | 212.452.9868
The fall/winter 2013 collection by Paul & Shark features apparel and accessories rich
in research and innovation. Technical fabrics and precious yarns are combined with
contemporary silhouettes to create highly performing garments with refined details.
kAlAMAZOO GOuRMET
www.kalamazoogourmet.com I 800.868.1699
Recently named “the best gas grill in the world,” the legendary
Kalamazoo is a hand-built masterpiece in outdoor cooking.
Unrivaled in its performance and versatility, it is truly in a
class all its own. Kalamazoo is the only grill that gives you
the freedom to seamlessly combine gas, charcoal, and wood
cooking techniques. Each Hybrid Fire Grill is built to order
and signed by our skilled team of Michigan artisans. Call
800-868-1699 to learn more.
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The Porsche Panamera Turbo Executive
adds about 6 inches of rear-seat legroom
compared to the standard Panamera.
A new pair of stretched-out Panameras may be the fi rst Porsches that are as
appealing to backseat passengers as they are to drivers. BY RONALD AHRENS
90 robb report september 2013
Privileges
september 2013 robb report 91
he folklore and religious fgures depicted in the
Lüftlmalerei, the murals that decorate the facades of houses throughout
Bavaria, seemed to enviously scrutinize the Porsche Panamera Turbo
Executive as it passed by them. Yes, the fsherman balancing on the gun-
wales of his rowboat while holding up a large trout for all to see appeared to
have his eyes on the Porsche as it crept through one village at the speed limit
(of about 25 mph). It was tempting to excite the Turbo Executive’s 4.8-liter
520 hp twin-turbo V-8, exercise manual control of the 7-speed dual-clutchT92 robb report september 2013
Executive Privileges
automatic transmission, and disrupt the frescoed tranquility
enough to send the fsherman into the drink.
Porsche’s revision of the Panamera sedan for the 2014 model
year includes the addition of the $161,000 Turbo Executive
and the $125,600 4S Executive, two tafy-pulled variants.
Media members had the chance to drive both, plus the much
improved $99,000 S E-Hybrid model that now features plug-
in capability, earlier this summer in southern Bavaria, between
the pyramidal peak of Zugspitze and the shimmering waters
of Lake Kochel and then back north to Munich.
Stretched to nearly 17 feet long—about 6 inches longer
than the standard-length Panamera—the Executives provide
the “optimal experience for those customers who want
[the] Porsche driving experience from the second row,” says
the chief of the Panamera product line, Gernot Döllner. Just
how many people want to experience Porsche driving from
anywhere but behind the steering wheel remains to be seen,
but it certainly is pleasant in the Turbo Executive’s rear com-
partment. The seats are electronically adjustable and heated
and cooled, and the four-zone climate-control system allows
each of the car’s occupants to choose a separate setting.
Power-operated sunshades rise with a second upward tug
on the window switch after the window is sealed, shielding
passengers from prying eyes. With those features plus foot-
well lighting, reading spotlights, and adjustable overhead
lamps, the rear is nearly habitable.
Although the Turbo Executive is long, wide (6.3 feet), and
heavy (4,564 pounds), it still was fun to prod the car along
Bavaria’s undulant byways and occasional twisty roads. The
Turbo Executive appears no taller than a 911, and it seemed
no larger when it was finging through corners and barreling
across the intensely green landscape of open felds and dense
copses. The quick variable-rate steering became tauter during
the turns, and the exhaust gabbled especially bountifully
when the driving mode was set to Sport Plus. The Turbo
Executive may be suitable for limo service, but it is still a
driver’s car, willing and responsive, compliant and composed.
On fast stretches of autobahn during the drive to Munich
from Schloss Elmau, the century-old hotel at the foot of the
Wetterstein mountains that hosted the drivers, the 4S
Executive serenaded travelers with the hum of its V-6. It is a
remarkable car, and if the Turbo Executive did not exist, this
one would satisfy.
Porsche now ofers eight Panamera models in the United
States. For the 2014 version, the company made a number
of key changes to the car in addition to stretching it into
the two Executive models. Foremost among the alterations
was equipping the Panamera S, 4S, and 4S Executive with a
new engine, a smooth-running twin-turbocharged 3-liter
V-6 that produces 420 hp. (A 3.6-liter V-6 still powers the
base Panamera and Panamera 4.) Compared with the natu-
rally aspirated 4.8-liter V-8 that it replaces, the new V-6 is
marginally more powerful and delivers a fuel economy as
Porsche altered the look of the front
end and gave the liftgate a longer fy
line and fatter and wider glass.
september 2013 robb report 93
Executive Privileges
The Executive models’ rear seats are electronically adjustable and heated and cooled, and the cars have a four-zone climate-control system.
much as 18 percent better. The engine enables the 4S to
bolt from zero to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds; top speed is 178
mph. The heavier 4S Executive has the same top speed and
reaches 60 mph in 4.8 seconds. The Turbo Executive has a
zero-to-60-mph time of 4 seconds and a top speed of 190
mph. The optional Sport Chrono package improves the
sprint time of each model. Among the standard equipment
for all 2014 Panameras is an engine stop-start feature, which
saves fuel by automatically shutting down and then refring
the engine at intersections, in lines, or in heavy trafc.
Porsche has restyled the car’s front and rear, giving the
swooping liftgate a longer fy line and fatter and wider
glass. With their 121-inch-long wheelbase, the Executives
look distinguished but retain the menacing sportiness that
characterizes all Porsches.
For some drivers, the revamped S E-Hybrid may be the
most impressive Panamera model. It has a more powerful
electric motor compared to the previous version, and a
rechargeable battery pack, with lithium-ion cells replacing
nickel-metal hydride ones. The electric drive works in tan-
dem with the new 3-liter V-6, but the engine’s forced
induction comes from a supercharger instead of turbos. The
engine system’s total output peaks at 416 hp, and in Sport
mode the car can display a wicked side.
The Turbo Executive may be suit-able for limo service, but it is still a driver’s car, willing and responsive,
compliant and composed.
94 eptt esmpe2 0sm2s1tse 3���
INTRODUCING
LG’s NEW 55” & 65”
ULTRA HDTVs
ULTRA CLARITYWith a resolution of 4X the pixel count of Full HD, every show, movie, game and sport looks clearer, richer and livelier than ever imagined. And, with LG’s Tru-ULTRA HD Engine you can upscale any content to near ULTRA HD so you can have that richer experience today. LG delivers that and a whole lot more with its unique sliding sound bar that boasts a 4.1 channel speaker that can be activated when watching action packed movies and sports or recede for a minimalist design when not in use. With LG, it’s all possible.
*4K/UHD content delivery standards still being developed. Model 65LA9700 is a 65” class (64.5” Diagonal) screen and model 55LA9700
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by product and are subject to change without notice. Visit www.lg.com for details. © 2013 LG Electronics USA, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
LG Design & Life’s Good are trademarks of LG Electronics, Inc. Screen image is simulated.
Executive Privileges
The latest version of the S E-Hybrid has a plug-in feature. Its electric motor and new V-6 engine together produce 416 hp.
During a nearly 44-mile lap through the Bavarian coun-
tryside, traveling in electric mode, the S E-Hybrid’s 8-speed
automatic transmission modulated all output. Instead of
evoking a concrete saw, which is typical of single-ratio
electric mobility, the car ofered a refned experience, glid-
ing along in near silence. It covered the frst 17 miles or so
exclusively on battery power. When the battery was
depleted, the V-6 propelled the car and expedited the
recharging through an E-Charge mode.
The route included the lakeside village of Kochel am See,
home of the Franz Marc Museum. Born just up the road in
Munich, Marc was a leader of the expressionist movement.
“He painted pictures of horses in vivid colors to express his
own spirituality,” says the art historian Lynne Pauls Baron.
Marc volunteered to serve in World War I and at age 36
became one of the hundreds of thousands of casualties of
the fve-month-long Battle of Verdun when he was killed
by artillery shrapnel.
The drive also passed through the village of
Oberammergau, which is associated with another artist:
Franz Seraph Zwinck, the most renowned painter of
Lüftlmalerei. Indeed, the name of the craft apparently comes
from his nickname. Zwinck lived in Oberammergau in the
late 1700s in a house named Zum Lüftl, and so he became
known as der Lüftlmaler, “the Lüftl painter.” Most of his
paintings depict fgures from Christian history, thus serving
as billboards of a sort for the fve-hour-long passion-play
performances that the residents of Oberammergau famously
stage every 10 years.
Villagers frst performed the passion play, which recounts
the fnal days of Jesus Christ’s life, in 1634, believing that the
production would impress their god enough to spare them
96 bepp btsebm 2tsmt0ptb 13��
WWW.CVSTOS.COM
212.463.8898
Executive Privileges
The Turbo Executive is powered by a 4.8-liter, 520 hp twin-turbo V-8, which gives the car a zero-to-60-mph time of 4 seconds.
from the bubonic plague that had struck the region a year
earlier. Now, once a decade, about half of the village’s 5,300
residents participate in the 100 or so performances that are
staged from May through October. Together, the perfor-
mances draw more than 500,000 visitors to Oberammergau
from all over the world.
The passion play may not be responsible for keeping the
village plague free, and it has been labeled anti-Semitic, but
it has helped balance the municipal budget. The locals have
an expression: “Die Passion zahlt,” which means, “The pas-
sion [play] will pay for it.” And indeed, the production’s
proceeds (said to be $20 million from the last production)
have paid for numerous civic improvements, including a
community center and a community swimming pool.
The next performances are in 2020. The last production
was in 2010, a year after the Panamera debuted. As Porsche’s
sales and marketing chief, Bernhard Maier, recalled in Bavaria,
the introduction of the original Panamera was greeted with
“very intense discussion” in the press, which is to say that
the media was skeptical, even critical. The car’s shape was
compared to that of an unleavened loaf, and like the
Cayenne SUV before it, the Panamera prompted questions
about Porsche’s compromising the integrity of its brand, in
this case by producing a sedan. The reception from customers
has been warmer. Porsche produced the 100,000th Panamera
in May, and last year it sold more than 27,000 of the cars
worldwide, making the vehicle the company’s second-
best-selling model in 2012, behind the Cayenne—and
ahead of the 911. So like Oberammergau’s passion play, the
Panamera may have its doubters and detractors, but over
the years the car has proved so successful that its production
is not only enduring, it is expanding.
Porsche, www.porscheusa.com
With their 121-inch-long wheelbase, the Executives look distinguished but retain the menacing sportiness that characterizes all Porsches.
98 robb report september 2013
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YELLOWSTONE CLUB
BIG SKY, MONTANA
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photography
by
david
roemer
styling
by
christopher
campbell
ORIENT
EXPRESSIONS
Striking shades,
sumptuous silk
embroidery,
and intricate
chinoiserie-
style patterns
introduce
elements of
intrigue and
urbanity to
the men’s
collections
this fall.
Versace wool
jacquard coat,
$2,795; Ralph
Lauren cash-
mere turtle-
neck, $1,095;
Kiton wool
pants, $1,170;
Ermenegildo
Zegna leather
boots, $725;
Falke socks,
$24; Cartier
Tank Anglaise
18-karat-rose-
gold watch,
$33,900.
september 2013 robb report 103
Orient Expressions
104 robb report september 2013
seespt�� e���:
Miharayasuhiro
cotton jacket, $2,000,
and wool pants, $610;
Bottega Veneta
cotton-and-wool shirt,
$1,100; Bruno Magli
patent leather
shoes, $545.
��tp e���: Ralph
Lauren leather trench
coat, $6,995, cashmere
turtleneck, $1,095,
and wool pants, $695;
David Yurman mala-
chite beaded bracelet,
$495, black onyx
beaded bracelet, $395,
and woven tile beaded
bracelet, $650.
Orient Expressions
106 robb report september 2013
seespt�� e���:
Brunello Cucinelli
wool suit, $4,375;
Bottega Veneta wool
sweater vest, $530;
Corneliani silk pocket
square, $125; David
Yurman onyx beaded
bracelet, $375.
��tp e���: Lanvin
calfskin jacket, $4,800,
cotton shirt, $635,
wool-and-polyester
pants, $995, and
silk tie, $395.
Corneliani velvet
blazer, $1,495, and
velvet pants, $345;
Dries Van Noten
silk-and-cotton
shirt, $1,063;
Cartier Ballon
Bleu 18-karat-rose-
gold-and-sapphire
watch, $32,200.
Orient Expressions
108 robb report september 2013
�o�e pts�:
Burberry leopard-
print calfskin
topcoat, $8,750, and
silk polo shirt, $795;
Prada kid mohair
jacket, $2,390, and
pants, $735; Berluti
leather belt, $650;
Cartier Ballon Bleu
18-karat-rose-gold-
and-sapphire watch
with leather strap,
$20,700.
�pp�e��� pts�:
Gucci cotton shirt,
$545, and wool
pants, $1,595;
Brunello Cucinelli
silk bow tie, $245;
John Lobb patent
leather shoes with
satin band, $980;
Cartier diamond-
and-jade-nephrite
18-karat-gold cuff
links, $3,900.
Orient Expressions
september 2013 robb report 111
�o�e pts�:
Isaia velvet din-
ner jacket, price
upon request, and
wool pants, $225;
Brunello Cucinelli
cotton tuxedo shirt,
$950, satin cummer-
bund, $315, and wool
pocket square, $165;
Cartier Ballon Bleu
18-karat-rose-gold-
and-sapphire watch,
$32,200; David
Yurman rubber
bracelet, $250.
�pp�e��� pts�:
Etro velvet blazer,
$2,214; Hermès
wool-and-mohair
pants, $7,150;
Berluti cashmere
scarf, $1,170; Louis
Vuitton velvet loaf-
ers, $1,410; Cartier
Ballon Bleu 18-karat-
rose-gold-and-
sapphire watch,
$32,200.
Orient Expressions
september 2013 robb report 113
Orient Expressions
Tom Ford
wool-and-silk
dinner jacket,
$4,390, cotton-
and-silk vest,
$1,390, wool
pants, $1,390,
grosgrain bow tie,
$245, and silk
pocket square,
$180; Belvest
cotton shirt,
$220.
114 robb report september 2013
�o�e pts�:
Louis Vuitton
silk-and-polyester
embroidered
dinner jacket,
$6,175, wool pants,
$1,175, cotton
shirt, $1,175, and
silk bow tie, $625;
Cartier Ballon
Bleu 18-karat-rose-
gold-and-sapphire
watch, $32,200.
�pp�e��� pts�:
Giorgio Armani
cotton shirt,
$845; Bottega
Veneta wool suit,
$4,100; Brunello
Cucinelli wool
pocket square,
$165.
Orient Expressions
september 2013 robb report 117
Tom Ford beaver
fur coat, price upon
request; Ermenegildo
Zegna wool jacket,
$3,495, wool pants,
$1,250, cotton shirt
with tie pin, $435, silk
tie, $195, and silk
cummerbund, $195;
Falke socks, $24; Di
Bianco patent leather
shoes with grosgrain
band, $950.
Orient Expressions
Belvest camel
hair jacket, $2,595,
and cotton-and-wool
tie, $150; Corneliani
cotton shirt, $285, and
silk pocket square,
$125; Angelo Galasso
wool pants, $755;
Falke socks, $24;
Louis Vuitton silk
shoes, $1,350; The
Tie Bar tie clip, $15;
Luxuriator by Franco
sunglasses, $895
september 2013 robb report 119
Stefano Ricci wool
jacket, wool-and-cashmere
pants, cotton shirt, silk
tie, and silk pocket
square, all prices upon
request; Falke socks,
$24; Burberry calfskin
shoes, $750; Cartier
Santos Dumont 18-karat-
rose-gold watch with
leather strap,
$17,300.
Orient Expressions
120 robb report september 2013
Dolce & Gabbana
embroidered jacket,
$8,345, wool vest, $595,
wool pants, $725, and
cotton shirt, $545;
Ralph Lauren silk tie,
$155; Cartier Santos
Dumont 18-karat-rose-
gold watch with leather
strap, $17,300.
RESOURCES
Alexander McQueen 877.220.4587, www.alexandermcqueen.com
Angelo Galasso 212.371.4400, www.angelogalasso.com
Belvest 212.317.0460, www.belvest.com
Berluti 212.439.6400, www.berluti.com
Bottega Veneta 800.845.6790, www.bottegaveneta.com
Brunello Cucinelli 212.813.0900, www.brunellocucinelli.com
Bruno Magli Special Services 800.624.5430, www.brunomagli.com
Burberry 877.217.4085, www.burberry.com
Cartier 800.227.8437, www.cartier.us
Corneliani 800.222.9477, www.corneliani.com
David Yurman 212.752.4255, www.davidyurman.com
Di Bianco 646.415.8925, www.scarpedibianco.com
Dolce & Gabbana 877.703.4872, www.dolcegabbana.it
Dries Van Noten +32.3221.9090, www.driesvannoten.be
Ermenegildo Zegna 212.421.4488, www.zegna.com
Etro 212.247.1200, www.etro.com
Falke, available at Neiman Marcus, 310.550.5900, www.neimanmarcus.com
Giorgio Armani 877.361.1176, www.armani.com
Gucci 877.482.2430, www.gucci.com
Hermès 800.441.4488, www.hermes.com
Isaia 212.245.3733, www.isaia.it
John Lobb 212.888.9797, www.johnlobb.com
Kiton 212.813.0272, www.kiton.it
Lanvin 646.439.0380, www.lanvin.com
Louis Vuitton 866.884.8866, www.louisvuitton.com
Luxuriator by Franco 800.448.2411, www.luxuriatorcollection.com
Miharayasuhiro +81.3.5775.7143, www.miharayasuhiro.jp
Prada 212.664.0010, www.prada.com
Ralph Lauren 888.475.7674, www.ralphlauren.com
Stefano Ricci 212.371.3901, www.stefanoricci.com
The Tie Bar 877.888.8437, www.thetiebar.com
Tom Ford 212.359.0300
Versace 888.721.7219, www.versace.com
location: Dawnridge, the Beverly Hills home of designer
Tony Duquette ■ stylist’s assistant: John Donahue ■ photographer’s
assistants: Mario Sanchez and Hans Eric Olson ■ digital technician: Carl
Novick ■ model: Marios Lekkas, DNA Models ■ groomer: Giovanni Giuliano,
Atelier Management ■ captions: Christina Garofalo, Lauren Schumacher
monkey: Tara, Benay’s Bird and Animal Rentals, 818.881.0053
Alexander McQueen velvet blazer, $2,090,
wool pants, $635, and cotton shirt, price upon
request; Cartier Ballon Bleu 18-karat-rose-
gold-and-sapphire watch, $32,200.
Orient Expressions
122 robb report september 2013
A New Custom Diego Della Valle, president and
CEO of Tod’s leather goods, speaks
with boyish enthusiasm about the
brand’s new project, called JP Tod’s
Sartorial. It represents the first time
Tod’s has dedicated an entire floor to
custom shoes and bags, which are
designed, Della Valle says, to showcase
the brand’s artisanal “secrets,” such as its
distinctive hand-brushing and hand-
polishing. These techniques—and the
mingled scent of leather and dye that
accompanies them—make Della Valle
nostalgic for his many visits to the
workshop with his father, who built
the Italian brand in the 1940s.
The JP Tod’s Sartorial collection was
unveiled in June in a new lounge above
the firm’s Via della Spiga boutique in
Milan. “The Sartorial floor is to become
a meeting point for men of great taste
who come from all parts of the world,”
Della Valle says. Visitors can relax with
a cocktail while getting a shoeshine or
ordering Sartorial pieces, which
include wing-tip and monk-strap shoes
($1,300 to $1,600) and briefcases and
tote bags ($2,000 to $2,500). Custom
pieces can be delivered within a few
months. Tod’s plans to open similar
lounges at its New York and Los
Angeles boutiques next year—a
development that will enable Della
Valle to feel at home the world over.
Tod’s, 212.644.5945, www.tods.com
Spirit in the Material World
Fall’s top fashion finds come in an array of inventive materials. The well-dressed
man can choose from sleek suits of black wool, colorful shoes in handcrafted
leather, and vibrant jackets of velvet, vicuña, and waxed cotton. By Jill NewmaN
september 2013 robb report 125
Spirit in the Material World
Vivid in VelvetFor this season’s jackets, peacoats, and topcoats, Canali has
forsaken the usual subdued shades of velvet in favor of more luminous
hues. Velvet becomes contemporary—even sporty—in saturated shades
of orange, red, violet, and blue. Canali’s smartly tailored velvet jackets
and coats (priced from $1,480) complement classic suits as well as
contemporary sportswear. “We transformed the velvet pieces into
something extremely modern, up-to-date, and wearable,” says
Elisabetta Canali, the brand’s communications director. “While velvet
gives the wearer a dandified look, it never loses its refinement and
elegance.” Canali, 212.752.3131, www.canali.com
the wilD Vicuña—a rare
breed from the high alpine
forests of the Andes, cloaked in
the world’s finest and softest
wool—is, figuratively speaking,
the rich cousin of the alpaca.
The rarity of this animal’s wool
is the result of the Peruvian
and Argentinean governments’
rigid control of their vicuña
populations and the fact that,
because its coat grows slowly, it
can only be shorn every two
years. To ensure a steady supply
of this prized material, the
Italian fashion house Loro
Piana staked an important
claim in the small market
by acquiring the
majority interest in
Sanin SA, a breeder
that owns the rights to
shear thousands of wild
vicuñas on its property in the
Catamarca province of
Argentina. This investment
pays a dividend in the form of
Loro Piana’s expanded vicuña
collection for fall, a line of
outerwear and sweaters
($10,000 to $25,000) that are
supple, lightweight, and
irresistibly plush. Loro Piana,
www.loropiana.com
A Vicuña Coup
126 �see �pts�m bptmprep� 2013
Regent Collection
WWW.BACKESANDSTRAUSS.COM
212.463.8898
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: P
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Spirit in the Material World
Full-Throttle Jacketwhile motorcycle-inspireD styles are in high gear for fall,
the best jackets and accessories come from a classic source. Belstafi,
which was established in 1924 as a maker of waxed-cotton
motorcycle jackets, delivered a range of leather and waxed jackets
($850 to $3,995) that recall those worn by the tough guys in
popular fllms of the 1950s and 1960s. The standout design is an
updated version of Belstafi ’s signature Trialmaster, a four-pocket
belted jacket with reinforcements on the shoulders and elbows as
well as an adjustable neck strap for protection from the wind. These
practical features, which make good defenses against the elements,
also make the wearer of this eye-catching outerwear something of a
bad boy on the street. Belstaf, 866.925.3563, www.belstaf.com
Super Power Suitthis season, Dior homme
�awlessly pared down the
black suit, producing a series
of slim silhouettes with
constructed shoulders, nipped
waists, and distinctly athletic
lines. The collection ($3,000
to $4,600), which is both
versatile and slightly futuristic,
includes suits with jackets that
zip up rather than button, as
well as ones that have belts at
the waist. “This is a confldent,
self-made man in a multiplicity
of ways,” says Dior Homme’s
creative director, Kris Van
Assche, of the collection’s
target customer. “He’s a
self-made superhero.”
Dior Homme, 212.421.6009,
www.diorhomme.com
128 eptt embper 2mbrm0tme 13o�
THE KALAMAZOO ARTISAN FIRE PIZZA OVEN
From eighteenth-century Naples, by way of Kalamazoo. The Artisan
Fire Pizza Oven replicates the heat patterns and airf ow of traditional
Old-World forni. Its ingenious design and gas-f red simplicity mean
that Neapolitan-style pizza is never more than a few minutes away.
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Adventure of a Lifetime After a half century of elevating the safari experience, Geoffrey Kent
is planning what may be his most extravagant expeditions yet.
b y j a c k s m i t h
T he year was 1974, and a small party
of safari goers led by the flamboyant
Geoffrey Kent had just crossed the moon-
lit border from Kenya into what is now South
Sudan. Kent was the chairman and CEO of
Abercrombie & Kent, a young outfitter gaining
renown for its luxury safaris. His client was a
friend, Heath Manning, a polo player and devel-
oper from North Carolina, who was taking his
bride, Bootsie, on her first safari for their hon-
eymoon. Besides the Mannings and Kent, the
travelers included Kent’s then wife and business
partner, Jorie; Liam Lynn, a professional hunter;
and a support staff. The trip was intended to
relive old times and celebrate the traditions
of the safari. An ambush by some two dozen
Turkana warriors was not part of the plan.
The warriors—members of a nomadic peo-
ple who inhabit stretches of arid desert around
northwestern Kenya—were an eerie sight in
the glare of the headlights, naked but for arm-
lets, legs painted white from knee to thigh, and
armed with spears, machetes, and knives. Kent
ordered his three safari vehicles to stop and,
during a seemingly cordial moment, made small
talk with the Turkana chief in Swahili, the lingua
franca of the bush. When Kent indicated that
his party was lost, the chief told him to fol-
low his lead. To do otherwise would have been
an insult, so the drivers reluctantly lined up in
single file. For more than an hour the three
vehicles lumbered over the dark savanna until,
Abercrombie & Kent is offering two safaris by private jet in 2014, with stops including Zambia, Uganda, Namibia, and South Africa.
j o u r n e y s
september 2013 robb report 131
The 14-tent Sanctuary Olonana is a popular stop for A&K clients in Kenya’s Maasai Mara reserve.
much to their passengers’ surprise, they
found themselves on the path they had
been looking for.
Kent thanked the chief and expressed
his gratitude with a tin of tobacco—
highly coveted in the bush—and with
that the Turkana moved o� into the
darkness. Their departure, however, was
a ruse; before the trucks could get up
to speed, the warriors had circled back,
beating on the vehicles’ windows and
swarming over the fenders and roofs in
an attempt to break in. The passengers
beat them back with riye butts while
the drivers mashed the gas pedals to
the yoor, sending the vehicles lurching
back and forth until they �nally plowed
through the Turkana’s scrum and accel-
erated far down the trail, a hail of spears
and war clubs following in their wake.
Four decades later, apparently
unscathed by the incident, the dapper
Kent remembers Bootsie’s words before
she and her husband, �nally a safe dis-
tance from their assailants, turned in for
the night. “She said, ‘Hot dog!’ ” he recalls.
“ ‘This sure is some honeymoon!’ ”
This gets a big laugh from his audience.
As they are all aware—that hair-raising
incident aside—no one has done more
to make the modern-day safari a worry-
free experience than Geo�rey Kent.
Since 1962, when Kent’s parents
founded Abercrombie & Kent, the
company has enjoyed a loyal following,
some �ve score of whom have gathered
here at Kenya’s posh Muthaiga Country
Club to join the charismatic tour opera-
tor for a celebratory 50th-anniversary
luncheon. The celebration will con-
tinue the next day with Kent and me,
along with two of his guests, taking the
hour-long yight from Nairobi to the
Laikipia Plateau, where we will search
for Big Five game and inspect the latest
in mobile safari accommodations. From
Laikipia we will head to Sanctuary
Olonana, a camp of 14 spacious tents
with wooden yoors, four-poster beds,
and private verandas overlooking
Kenya’s Mara River.
The ultimate Abercrombie & Kent
safaris, however, are scheduled for next
year, when two parties of 40 guests will
Sanctuary Olonana’s tents feature
wooden foors, four-poster beds, and private
verandas overlooking the Mara River.
j o u r n e y s
132 ���� �sm��� tsm�s��s� er�
WW1 RÉGULATEUR Pink Gold · Limited Edition to 99 piecesBell & Ross Inc. +1.888.307.7887 · [email protected] · e-Boutique: www.bellross.com
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Kent, who will personally lead an around-the-world trip by private jet next year, started A&K with his parents in Kenya in 1962.
explore the African continent by pri-
vate jet. From March 2 to March 20,
and March 20 to April 7, the groups
will visit seven countries, coming face-
to-face with rare mountain gorillas in
Uganda and marveling at the Great
Migration in Tanzania, where Kent will
personally host the travelers for three
days. They will explore the 700-foot
sand dunes along Namibia’s Skeleton
Coast and, in Zambia, witness the spec-
tacle of the Zambezi from a deck hang-
ing over the river and take the “�ight of
the angels” helicopter tour over Victoria
Falls. The two once-in-a-lifetime tours
will, respectively, commence and con-
clude with the epicurean delights of
the Cape Winelands in South Africa.
“Traveling by private jet brings an
entirely new level of comfort and
convenience to an African safari,”
says Kent, now 71, who is also host-
ing an around-the-world journey next
October (see “The Planet by Private
Jet,” page 136). “Roomy business-class
seats allow guests the opportunity to
stretch out and relax between destina-
tions, and a bar stocked with premium
brands, along with a well-chosen wine
list, provides the ynishing touch.”
A dedicated �ight crew will travel
along with the guests, learning their
preferences and helping to make the
journeys yrst-class a�airs from start
to ynish. One person who will not
be making the trips is Abercrombie.
“People always ask about Abercrombie,”
Kent says as we climb into a bush plane
for the �ight to Laikipia. “The truth is,
there is no Abercrombie. I thought the
company’s name sounded more upper-
crusty with two names instead of one.
I picked a yrst name that started with
A so prospective clients would spot us
right away in the phone book. Also, if
people complained about something I
could say, ‘That’s Abercrombie’s depart-
ment. He’s out right now.’ ”
It was not just the company’s name
that distinguished A&K from the com-
petition. From his earliest days as gen-
eral manager, Kent o�ered amenities
never before seen in the bush. “I’d tell
safari goers, ‘Why deprive yourself of
j o u r n e y s
134 ���� �sm��� tsm�s��s� er�
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the luxuries when I o�er ice cream,
caviar, and a bar with top-shelf liquor?’ ”
When A&K started in the safari busi-
ness, there was no way to preserve food
or keep ice cold in the bush. So Kent
commissioned an army pal to devise
one, based on the old Bedford trucks
he had used in the military. “For the
yrst time, safari clients could have ice
in their gin and tonic,” he says.
Despite his emphasis on luxury—he
also served Champagne and gourmet
cuisine in stemware and china he had
expropriated from his mother—Kent
never lost his focus on adventure.
Indeed, he was born to explore, the
son of landowners in Kenya who at
the time of his birth were on safari in
Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia).
He grew up on the family farm in the
Aberdare Highlands of Kenya, where
he was as much at home in the bush
as his Kikuyu and Maasai contempo-
raries were. He spoke Swahili before he
learned English, and at 16 he became
the yrst person to make a solo trek
from Nairobi to Cape Town—a two-
month-long journey by motorcycle
that covered 5,000 miles.
It seemed foreordained that Kent
would follow in his father’s footsteps,
serving with distinction in the British
military in far-off territories, then
returning to Kenya to captain the
country’s polo team and take over the
family estate. But following the Mau
Mau Uprising of the 1950s and Kenya’s
subsequent independence, the Kents’
property was repatriated to Kikuyu
ownership. Bereft of their estate, the
family founded a small safari agency
and made Kent—recently returned from
service as a tank commander in Malta,
Bahrain, and Kuwait—its chief guide.
In the early days of A&K, some of
the company’s safaris were of the shoot-
ing variety. “Americans are sometimes
shocked to hear that I went on shoot-
ing safaris, but we all did,” says Kent as
our plane touches down and comes to a
stop next to a waiting Land Cruiser. “It
was part of our culture, and the most
admired men of that time were the pro-
fessional hunters. Those were the great
white hunters of legend; Hollywood
stars idolized them, tycoons were in
awe of them, and poachers trespassed
on their hunting grounds at their peril.”
Indeed, a strict code of ethics pre-
vailed among the hunters, who trained
for four years under licensed profes-
sionals, then spent another three years
as interns before being subjected to a
rigid test. Once licensed, the hunters
were expected to maintain their con-
cessions, often building hospitals and
schools for the local peoples. They
knew every pride of lions, every herd
of zebras and elephants, and every
watering hole where they hunted.
“More than trophies, what the white
hunters o�ered was a taste of a life like
no other,” says Kent.
But with increasing numbers of ani-
mals populating endangered-species
lists, it was clear that the day of the
big-game hunt and the white hunters
was coming to an end. Even the ritual
lion hunts that had deyned indigenous
cultures for centuries were now being
legislated out of existence. “When I
led that safari into the Sudan, I knew
it probably would be my last shooting
hunt,” says Kent as our Land Cruiser
rolls into the company’s Lewa Wildlife
Conservancy camp on the Laikipia
Plateau, where we will spend the next
two nights. “By 1975 I had given up
the hunting end of the safari business
altogether, forsaking ri�es for cameras
and adopting the slogan, ‘Go hunting
with a camera, not with a ri�e.’ ”
in addition to its private-jet safaris through Africa in March and April, Abercrombie & Kent
has announced an around-the-world journey hosted by Geofrey Kent himself. Scheduled
for October 2014, the 26-day trip (reserved for 50 guests, priced from $105,000 per person)
begins on the Amazon, in the two most stylish cruisers on the river. A subsequent visit to
Easter Island includes a demonstration of haka pei (downhill sledding) and a walk among
the moai, the island’s famous statues. After a relaxing stop in Samoa comes an anthropo-
logical interlude with the Huli people in Papua New Guinea followed by three nights in
Bali, during which guests can see Komodo dragons and take in the kecak fre dance. In Sri
Lanka, a stay at the Amangalla resort includes shopping for some of the country’s famed
blue sapphires. Madagascar brings lemurs and a ylang-ylang distillery before the journey
heads for a mobile tented camp in Kenya’s Maasai Mara. A fnal fete in Monaco sends
guests back to their homes from Geofrey Kent’s adopted one. Travel throughout is via
a chartered Boeing 757 jet. Abercrombie & Kent, www.abercrombiekent.com —jeff anderson
Tac Pksmci th P�ersic Jci
“When I led that
safari into the
Sudan, I knew it
probably would be my
last shooting hunt.”
—�c��� ch pcmi, 2ase 0sm
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j o u r n e y s
136 �tt co� i �coic0tc �n�g
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Designed by Antonio Citterio
A&K’s mobile camp at the Lewa
Wildlife Conservancy highlights another
of Kent’s in�uences on the modern-day
safari. For decades, traditional safari tents,
known as manyaras, were awkward ayairs,
with as many as 100 poles bristling like a
thicket for support and tarpaulins spread
on the ground to keep occupants dry.
Setting them up could take hours, and
the result was a rustic shelter with spin-
dly cots draped with mosquito netting
and para�n lamps for light.aIn the morn-
ing, safari goers made do with a basin of
hot water set on a table just outside the
tent’s entrance. Guests would share one
toilet—a seat mounted on a box over a
pit lined with lime—and a “shower tree,”
or a sturdy branch at just the right height
to hang a 3-gallon canvas bucket �lled
with water.
A&K’s modern “mobile camping” tents
bear little resemblance to those that once
dotted East Africa. The spacious, veranda-
fronted tents at the Lewa outpost are made
of heavy-duty canvas, with waterproof
�oors and large arched windows made
from netting.aEach tent is furnished with
two full-size single beds with side tables, a
dressing table with a mirror and washbasin,
and an en suite shower and toilet.
More extravagant are permanent camps
including Sanctuary Olonana, with its
canvas-walled apartments, spa, and spa-
cious restaurant and bar—where Kent
and I watch hippopotamuses splash and
bellow in the river below. Such luxuries
have become commonplace through-
out African game reserves, from Kenya’s
Maasai Mara to South Africa’s Kruger
National Park. Indeed, A&K today is cer-
tainly not alone in oyering an upscale
experience in the bush. But the company’s
leader, after more than a half century of
safaris, is still pioneering new frontiers.
Kent’s clients will see the majesty of
the modern-day safari reach new heights
during A&K’s private-jet trips through
Africa next year. Guests on the excur-
sions will undoubtedly enjoy hassle-free
journeys, but on the oy chance something
does go wrong, Kent has this advice: “The
only thing you can do is keep your wits
about you,” he says, “and act as if, what-
ever is happening, you saw it coming all
along.”
“The truth is, there is no
Abercrombie. I thought
the company’s name
sounded more
upper-crusty with two
names instead of one.”
—ksmiitsh ser
j o u r n e y s
Of Note
P R O M O T I O N
From David Arnold, Senior Vice President/Group Publisher of Robb Report
Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong constitute the
three major Chinese metropolises that likely lie at
the heart of our shared global future. This eight-
day tour not only features the most impressive cultural
treasures of these remarkable cosmopolitan cities but
also introduces the daily life of their inhabitants. In
Hong Kong the grandiose colonial history of Central
is contrasted with the everyday ambitions of ordinary
locals as expressed to the fortune-tellers at Wong Tai
Xin temple. Similarly, the communist and imperial
architectural splendors of Beijing’s Tiananmen Square
and Forbidden City are contrasted with a pedicab ride
through the residential districts of the lower-middle and
affluent classes in the traditional hutong or alleyways
of the city’s historic center. In Shanghai, you will spend
time in the three historic divisions of the city—wandering
along the charming mansion-lined streets of the famed
French Concession, investigating the handsome
early-20th-century institutions along the Bund in the
International Settlement, and finally pressing close
along the narrow lanes of the old Chinese quarter. These
remnants of a colonial past are in turn contrasted by
the proud futuristic sentinels of Shanghai’s riverside
business district, an ever-developing skyline boasting
some of the world’s most magnificent contemporary
architecture. Welcome to China.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
on Imperial Tours, please contact FROSCH at
888.682.1544 or [email protected]
Of Note
P R O M O T I O N
From David Arnold, Senior Vice President/Group Publisher of Robb Report
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Modern Sound, Midcentury VibeTwo audio stalwarts deliver cutting-edge performance and enduring design.
b y r o b e r t r o s s p h o t o g r a p h y b y c o r d e r o s t u d i o s
Audiophiles can also be slaves to fash-
ion, and one seeking a music system to
complement a postwar modern interior
will find that most contemporary components are
jarringly out of sync with the classic furnishings of
Eames, Nelson, Noguchi, and other midcentury
designers. So what’s a hepcat hi-fi enthusiast to do?
JBL and Luxman may provide solutions.
The two audio-component companies share
the common goals of achieving excellence in
sound and creating timeless design. Combined,
they claim more than 150 years of experience
advancing the audio arts. JBL, an American
company, is renowned in the United States and
Japan, while Japan’s Luxman is almost unknown
in this country. The two brands may seem
The JBL Synthesis S4700 speaker (right)
is a perfect visual and aural match to the
Luxman electronics and turntable.
h o M e e n t e r t A i n M e n t
september 2013 robb report 143
A window exposes the glowing valve—
a warm reminder of the time when vacuum
tubes ruled the audio world.
These Luxman components feature refned tube topology and a retro style that complements this 1955 painting by the artist Hans Laabs.
unlikely bedfellows, but the musical—
and visual—synergy realized by pairing
their components can be brilliant.
Luxman—which was founded in
1925 in Osaka as a radio-equipment
importer and is now a subsidiary of the
International Audio Group—designs,
assembles, and tests its products in Japan.
On a Higher Note, a company in San
Juan Capistrano, Calif., serves as the
Luxman distributor for North America.
Most current Luxman gear is solid
state, but the company tips its hat to
the vacuum tube by continuing to ofer
its longest-lived product, the SQ-38u
integrated amplifer ($6,000). Though
it has evolved through 11 iterations
since its debut in 1964, the amp retains
the classic look of the original with
an exquisitely machined aluminum
faceplate, velvet-smooth controls, and
a wood cabinet. The SQ-38u’s sound is
anything but retro. The 44-pound com-
ponent employs a quartet of EL-34 out-
put tubes and massive, custom-wound
transformers to deliver 30 watts per
channel into 6 ohms. This is potent
vacuum-tube power and, as the amp
demonstrated during a test session at
the Harman Luxury Audio Group
headquarters in Northridge, Calif., is
sufcient to drive a pair of JBL’s top-of-
the-line speakers to earsplitting levels.
Luxman makes exceptional digital
playback equipment, including the
D-38u CD player ($4,000). It com-
plements the look and sound of the
SQ-38u amp and features a unique
front-panel switch that allows the lis-
tener to select vacuum-tube or solid-state
output. Vocals and acoustic instruments
sound warmer and more open with
the tube circuit, but some listeners
may prefer the speed and bandwidth
of transistors for amplifed music with
wide dynamic range. A window on
the front panel exposes the glowing
valve—a warm reminder of the time
when vacuum tubes ruled the audio
world. A wood-tr immed remote
control enables Eames-lounge-chair
h o M e e n t e r t A i n M e n t
144 oett ospeo� �sp�s�tso ����
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Uncanny realism is achieved when analog tapes from the Tape Project are played on the Sonorus Audio ATR10 recorder.
potatoes to take command of the
D-38u without budging.
Responding to the resurgence of
vinyl, Luxman has returned to the
turntable market after a hiatus of nearly
three decades with an impressive deck
called the PD-171 ($6,400 with the
tonearm). The belt-drive turntable
weighs more than 50 pounds and
has a wood trim that matches that of
Luxman’s tube electronics. The massive
aluminum platter is speed-regulated
by a precision-controlled synchronous
a.c. motor and a novel strobe that can
be adjusted by silky plinth-mounted
knobs. The static-balance tonearm
is suitable for even the sumptuous
Ortofon SPU and other high-mass
phono cartridges, as long as they are
accompanied by a heavier counter-
weight. The SQ-38u amp is equipped
with a superb phono stage that accom-
modates moving-magnet and high- and
low-output moving-coil cartridges. The
Brinkmann Pi ($2,700, distributed by
On a Higher Note), a low-output
moving-coil cartridge, was the choice
for our listening test involving the
Luxman components and JBL speakers.
b�� oet stpe��ht�sa in 1946 in
Los Angeles by James B. Lansing, who
had been designing and producing
loudspeakers since the 1920s. Now
owned by Harman, JBL has been
bringing sound to professional studios,
concert halls, and living rooms since
its founding. JBL’s high-end compo-
nents, including its cagship $75,000,
630-pounds-a-pair Everest DD67000
loudspeakers, are sold under the JBL
Synthesis brand.
Like the Everest, the S4700 speaker
($20,000 a pair and 120 pounds apiece),
which the company introduced last
year, employs JBL’s most sophisticated
technology. With 94 dB efficiency
and 6-ohm impedance, the S4700 is
the perfect mate for the Luxman rig.
It achieves realistic volume on massed
orchestral passages, high-powered jazz,
and amplided rock music.
For the listening test, two S4700
speakers were placed about 8 feet apart
in a moderately damped, 500-square-
foot room. The playlist included CDs,
LPs, and analog tape with an emphasis
on unamplided classical, jazz, and vocals.
(The analog tape—from the Tape Project,
which produces and sells copies of studio
master tapes—was played on a $13,000
Sonorus Audio ATR10 recorder.)
Blue Note Records classics such
as Wayne Shorter’s Speak No Evil,
remastered on a 45 rpm LP, rendered
Shorter’s tenor sax with body, timbre,
and explosive dynamics that placed
the horn right in the room. Bach’s Art
of the Fugue, performed on organ by
Charles Krigbaum and pressed on a
rare 45 rpm Mark Levinson LP from
1976, plumbed the depths; one could
hoM e e n t e r t A i nM e n t
146 ���� �s ��p ts ps��s� ��m2
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Voices—the true measure of
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captured with dynamic
realism, corporeal sub-
stance, and plenty of air.
A JBL Synthesis S4700 speaker delivers high effciency and extreme accuracy and pairs well with this 1959 serigraph by Auguste Herbin.
feel the pipes moving the air in a large,
reverberant hall. A CD by the O-Zone
Percussion Group reproduced cymbals,
snare drums, and gut-wrenching kick
drums with frightening attack and no
overhang. Voices—the true measure
of a speaker’s mettle—were captured
with dynamic realism, corporeal sub-
stance, and plenty of air. From bawdy
Renaissance songs to Mose Allison’s
“If You Live” on master tape, the JBLs
placed the singer precisely, on stage or
in the jazz club. And with low-level,
near-beld listening, the speakers ren-
dered detail with electrostatic-like pre-
cision. The S4700 is suited to smaller
rooms as well as the expansive, open-
plan rooms favored by post-and-beam
and Case Study abcionados.
Key to the speaker’s sound is JBL’s
proprietary driver technology. Two
compression drivers firing through
a single-piece SonoGlass dual-horn
assembly reproduce mid and high
frequencies. A 2-inch driver with a
titanium diaphragm handles midrange
frequencies from 800 Hz on up. Atop
the 2-inch driver is a 0.75-inch driver
that crosses over at 12,000 Hz and goes
to an inaudible 40,000 Hz. Positioned
on the front ba�e, below both drivers,
is a cast-frame 15-inch woofer with a
dual 3-inch voice coil and a neodym-
ium motor structure porting through a
single rear opening. Dual binding posts
allow biwiring or biamping. The S4700
speaker’s furniture-grade cabinet is
veneered in cherry on all sides, so that
it will not display an unbnished back-
side regardless of where it is placed in a
room. The speaker’s color is an uncanny
match to the Luxman veneers.
While showcasing the JBL speakers,
our listening session also demonstrated
that the Luxman electronics deliver far
more than their modest power—and
price—suggests. Like the legendary
Marantz and McIntosh gear of the 1960s,
these are heirloom components. Likewise,
JBL speakers are worthy of being passed
down to the children’s children. With
their style, substance, and impeccable
sound, the Luxman and JBL components
form a system for the ages.
JBL Synthesis, www.jblsynthesis.com;
Luxman, www.luxman.com; On a Higher
Note, www.onahighernote.com; Sonorus
Audio, www.sonorusaudio.com; The Tape
Project, www.tapeproject.com
h o M e e n t e r t A i n M e n t
148 roee rtsorp �tspt�etr ����
This custom home inculdes a large great room, de-
luxe master suite, inviting family room, offi ce, exercise
room, large indoor spa and therapy room, wine room
and breakfast nook. In addition, it features two laundry
rooms and separate ski and mud rooms, which makes
coming home easy and convenient, no matter which
outdoor pursuit may have caught your interest.
Located within Yellowstone Club, a private ski and gold
resort in Big Sky, Montana. Built on 2.10 acres of pris-
tine pine-treed land, this home freatures reclaimed logs
and trusses from an original homestead in Jackson,
Wyoming. The golden wood and log accents nicely
complement the vaulted ceilings and stone fi replaces,
providing an open yet comfortable feel within this
home’s intuitive mountain layout. With classic alpine ar-
chitecture creating just the right ambiance, 310 Andes-
ite Ridge Road is the defi nition of a fi rst-class log home.
For a tour of this property visit robbreport.com/ychome or contact
Melody Larsen [email protected], (310) 589.7712.
150 robb report september 2013
Register of Advertisers
Robb Report© ISSN - 0279-1447 is published monthly by CurtCo Robb Media, LLC, 29160 Heathercliff Road, Malibu, CA 90265. Subscription rates $65 U.S. per year, Canada $75 U.S. per year, International $105 U.S. per year. Canadian GST 125220368. For change of address, send both old and new addresses to: ROBB REPORT SUBSCRIPTION DEPARTMENT, P.O. Box 422554, Palm Coast, FL 32142-2555. Allow six weeks for changes. Periodicals postage paid at Malibu, Calif., and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ROBB REPORT SUBSCRIPTION DEPARTMENT, P.O. Box 422554, Palm Coast, FL 32142-2555. Back issues are available for $14.99 each. Call (800) 947-7472 to order. Occasionally we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would interest our readers. If you do not want to receive these offers, please advise us at P.O. Box 422554, Palm Coast, FL 32142-2555. Please include your exact name and address.
Aaron Basha, page 87
Backes & Strauss, page 127
Barneys New York, page 57
Bell & Ross, page 133
BMW of North America, page 75
Brioni, page 33
British Virgin Islands, page 60
Brunello Cucinelli, pages 14-15
Buben & Zorweg, page 44
BurgerFi, page 69
Carl F. Bucherer, pages 22-23, Cover 3
Cesare Attolini, page 24
Christopher Designs, page 31
Clerc, page 59
Corneliani, pages 12-13
Crystals at CityCenter, page 37
Cvstos, page 97
Dior, page 26
Domus Design Collection, page 145
Ermenegildo Zegna, pages 8-9
Fig Restaurant, Santa Monica, page 130
Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, page 141
Franck Muller, page 70
Frosch, page 139
GIA - Gemological Institute of America, page 34
Girard-Perregaux, page 77
Greubel Forsey, page 85
Harrison K-9 Security Services, page 147
Hermès, pages 4-5
HondaJet, page 67
Inspirato, pages 20-21
Isaia, page 35
Jacob & Co., page 83
Jaeger-LeCoultre, page 73
Jaquet Droz, page 28
Johnnie Walker Platinum, page 65
Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet, page 129
Kiton, pages 10-11
LG Electronics, page 95
Lugano Diamonds, pages 18-19
Maiora, page 138
Martin Katz, page 99
Maserati, page 46
Molina, page 39
NetJets, page 55
Oceanco, page 63
Patek Philippe, Cover 4
Poliform USA, page 124
PrivatSea, page 36
Ralph Lauren, Cover 2-page 3
Richard Mille, pages 16-17, 52
Scotch Malt Whisky Society, page 142
Silhouette, page 45
St. Regis New York, page 30
Stefano Ricci, page 49
Technogym, page 137
The Virginian Golf Club, page 38
Todd Reed, page 81
Tom Ford, pages 6-7
Ulysse Nardin, page 51
Wesco, page 135
Yellowstone Club, pages 100-101
Yellowstone Club Custom Home, page 149
Zenith Watches, page 79
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Roberto BolleA conversation with a primo ballerino given to spectacular leaps—on stage and off.
When did you become interested in fashion?
I became a principal dancer with La Scala when I was 21,
and Milano is a city of fashion. From the beginning, design-
ers would ask me to come to their shows, and I got to know
Mr. Armani, then Dolce and Gabbana, and actually became
friends with all of these fashion designers in Milano. It was
a very natural process, and it was the first time I had worn
designer clothes.
Are you particular about the details of your
wardrobe?
Yes. I don’t wear a lot of color; it’s too extravagant, in a way.
I like blue or gray and white. I don’t like when there is the
name [a logo] on the shirt—also too extravagant. I like
quality—in the material, how it drapes, how it’s cut, a nice
fit on the body. And I don’t like short trousers. I like them
quite long, actually. I have big feet, and if the trousers are
short my feet look even bigger.
Do you wear jewelry?
I don’t have much jewelry. I have to take it off before
training and after a while I lose it. So I decided not to put
it on anymore. Now, I just have watches. When I go out in
the evening, I have a Rolex that doesn’t look like a
Rolex—a Cellini—because Rolex, they are usually too
much. I also have a [Cartier] Santos 100; it’s a little bigger
and very masculine. And I have a few Longines watches,
because I have done advertisements for Longines.
How do you relax?
Being in water is really regenerating for me. Every year I
charter a boat for a week, and I think it’s the best way to
spend my free time. I have the boat, I have my friends, we
are free to choose where to go, and there are no crowds. We
go to different places in the Mediterranean, Greece, or
Turkey, or around Italy. Last year, we rented a catamarano and
went to Croatia. It’s a beautiful place with beautiful water.
We hear you got your advanced diving certificate
last year in the Maldives.
I love diving and swimming. First, for the feeling of the
water. Then, in diving, you’re actually entering another
world. You leave this world and go into another dimension.
You float, you’re down 20 or 30 meters, and everything is
so quiet, so calm, so different.
You have also skied sand dunes in Dubai and
jumped from a waterfall in the Philippines.
I’ve jumped from a lot of waterfalls. In the Philippines, it was
quite high—20 meters, maybe—and I would try many, many
more things like that if I weren’t dancing. But I understand it’s
risky and I cannot do it. If you even twist an ankle, you can be
off for weeks. In Hong Kong, when I was there with ABT on
tour, I went to the amusement park and there were a lot of—
how do you call it? Montagne russe?—roller coasters, where
you go very fast, upside down, things like that. So for now I
am doing roller coasters, not jumping from waterfalls.
D iscovered as a teenager in Italy by Rudolf Nureyev,
Roberto Bolle is a principal dancer at both La Scala in
Milan and the American Ballet Theatre in New York. His
athletic, 6-foot-2-inch frame has helped make him a powerful
presence on stage as well as in the fashion world—as a model for
Salvatore Ferragamo and other brands, and as the subject of a
book by photographer Bruce Weber. Robb Report caught up with
Bolle, 38, after a day of practice for Sylvia, the Sir Frederick
Ashton ballet that marked the end of the ABT’s season. The
dancer would then return home to Milan for two days before
beginning a tour of his dance showcase, Roberto Bolle and Friends,
through Korea, Italy, and New York, where the show will
have its American premiere on September 17. “I’m always with
suitcases,” he says. —michalene busico
Lu
cia
no
R
om
an
o
■ The Robb Reader
■
152 robb report september 2013
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10Show Business
A number of aircraft manufacturers introduced new models at this year’s European Business
Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Geneva, showing signs that the industry is looking up—and giving
customers a glimpse into aviation’s not-so-distant future. BY MARY GRADY
14 The Fathers of Modern Private Flight
When the world’s fi rst business jets took fl ight 50 years ago, the two geniuses behind these
revolutionary aircraft—Bill Lear in Wichita, Kan., and Marcel Dassault in France—paved the way for
private aviation as it is known today. BY MICHELLE D. SEATON
25 Above and Beyond
With its new super-midsize G280 and large-cabin, ultralong-range G650, Gulfstream shows
why it is an industry leader. BY BAILEY S. BARNARD
30Two Sides to the Story
Members of Robb Report’s Private Aviation Advisory Board discuss a possible downside of the economic
upturn and one benefi t of the recession. BY LARRY BEAN | ILLUSTRATION BY UMBERTO MISCHI
38High Wired Act
Wireless Internet access on a business aircraft is no longer an option; it is a necessity. But retrofi tting a plane with
this now-standard feature can be a costly endeavor. BY MICHELLE D. SEATON | ILLUSTRATION BY GREG BETZA
44Flight Plans
Leading fl ight-service providers have made multibillion-dollar investments in their fl eets and refi ned
their programs, giving customers new aircraft to look forward to and more options than
ever when fl ying privately. BY BAILEY S. BARNARD
50Pilot Delights
Owner-operators have waited a long time for personal jets from Honda, Eclipse, and Cirrus, and are continuing
to hold their positions in line as deliveries grow near. Meanwhile, Icon Aircraft prepares its amphibious sport plane,
as the world holds its breath for Terrafugia’s fl ying car. BY BAILEY S. BARNARD AND MARY GRADY
ON THE COVER // The Dassault Falcon 2000LXS; photograph by Katsuhiko Tokunaga
From the publishers of Robb Report (www.robbreport.com)
For advertising inquiries, please contact Daniel Curtis, [email protected], 212.230.0253.
44 14 10
contents
fall 2013 robb report private aviation sourcebook 7
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KENN RICCI, a 30-year veteran of
the private-aviation industry who
founded Flight Options and is the
principal of its parent company,
Directional Aviation Capital,
agrees with the widely held view
that the industry’s recovery has
been modest but nevertheless
encouraging. “I think everybody
hoped f ve years ago that 2013
would be signif cantly better than
it is,” he says. “But it’s now the
new normal, and we’ve gotten
accustomed to it. And as new
normals go, we’re seeing very
good growth.”
Ricci has reason to be
conf dent about the future of
business aviation. In the last 18
months, service providers have
signed purchase deals with aircraft
manufacturers totaling tens of
billions of dollars. NetJets, Flexjet,
Flight Options, and Europe’s
VistaJet are among the companies
pumping enormous amounts of
investment capital into their f eets
(see “Flight Plans,” page 44).
These aircraft orders, along with
the strong demand for
Gulfstream’s new business jets (see
“Above and Beyond,” page 25),
should keep manufacturers’
assembly lines rolling for the
foreseeable future.
Though the Great Recession
has presumedly passed, it
continues to claim casualties. The
Wichita, Kan.–based aircraft
manufacturer Hawker Beechcraft
shuttered its jet business (and the
Hawker name with it); Cessna is
closing the doors on its
CitationAir fractional-share and
jet-card programs; and the future
of the fractional-share provider
Avantair appears uncertain.
The exits of these businesses
from the industry and the
imminent departures of
experienced pilots and other
essential aviation personnel—who,
thanks to the economic recovery,
now may be able to af ord to
retire—could present concerns for
f ight-service customers and
aircraft owners as they continue to
invest in private travel. (See “Two
Sides to the Story,” page 30.)
The f rst jet-powered private
aircraft, from Lear Jet and
Dassault, made their maiden
f ights 50 years ago (see “The
Fathers of Modern Private Flight,”
page 14), but the time may not be
right to uncork the Champagne
and celebrate the golden
anniversary. And instead of
rejoicing in a full-blown recovery,
in this—our fourth annual Private
Aviation Sourcebook—Robb
Report’s writers, editors, and Private
Aviation Advisory Board members
are keeping seat belts fastened
while the industry continues to
normalize. We can, however,
recline our seat backs, because the
cruising altitude may not be as
high as it once was, but the f ight
is smoother than it has been.
—the editors
The New Normal
K‘‘’’
AS NEW NORMALS
GO, WE’RE SEEING
VERY GOOD
GROWTH.
—KENN RICCI,FLIGHT OPTIONS’FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN
editors’ letter
fall 2013 robb report private aviation sourcebook 9
THe NeXT JeT ✪ Nextant
Aerospace has introduced a major
upgrade to the 400XT, a remanu-
factured jet based on the Hawker
Beechjet 400A/XP airframe that
Cleveland-based Nextant has been
selling since 2011. The new
remanufactured jet, the Nextant
400XTi (216.261.9000, www
.nextantaerospace.com), is equipped
with the same powerful Williams
engines and Rockwell Collins Pro
Line avionics as its predecessor, and
the same updated engine nacelles
and pylons that extend the aircraft’s
range to about 2,300 miles.
The 400XTi features a new
composite cabin shell that leaves
additional headroom and shoulder
room, making the most of the
aircraft’s squared-oval cabin
design. This shell also provides
extra insulation for a quieter
fl ight. In the cockpit, a new
THE ANNUAL EUROPEAN
Business Aviation
Convention & Exhibition
(EBACE), held in May in
Geneva, served as the stage
for Bombardier to present
a new super-midsize jet
and for Pilatus, a company
that has been producing
planes for more than seven
decades, to announce that
it was building its fi rst jet.
Also during the three-day
event, which is Europe’s
largest business-aviation
trade show, Nextant
announced that it was
upgrading its remanufac-
tured jet, and Eurocopter
unveiled its new helicopter
and the premium interiors
that are available with it.
Show BusinessNew jets from Bombardier and Pilatus starred at this year’s EBACE. // By Mary Grady
TGeTTING ITs wINGLeTs
THE RAKED WINGLETS
OF NEXTANT’S NEW
400XTi ADD TO THE
JET’S EFFICIENCY.
◗
‘‘’’THe 400XTi
FeaTUres a New
COmpOsITe
CaBIN sHeLL
THaT maKes THe
mOsT OF THe
aIrCraFT’s
sQUared-OVaL
CaBIN desIGN.
show business
10 robb report private aviation sourcebook fall 2013
auto-throttle reduces pilot
workload while saving fuel. The
wings feature raked wingl ets that
add to the jet’s efl ciency.
Nextant will deliver the $4.95
million 400XTi as a new aircraft
with all of its major components
refurbished or replaced and a full
two-year warranty.fiFractional-share
and membership provider Flight
Options, which is owned by the
same investment group that owns
Nextant, plans to take delivery of
as many as two dozen of the jets
over the next three years.
meeTING THe CHaLLeNGe
✪ Recognizing that an aircraft’s
cabin amenities can be as big a
selling point as its performance,
the Canadian manufacturer
Bombardier gave the cabin of its
popular super-midsize Challenger
300 a thorough makeover for the
new Challenger 350 (514.861.9481,
www.businessaircraft.bombardier.com).
The 350’s cabin is more than 7
feet wide, and its windows are two
inches larger than the 300’s. It
features new in-� ight entertain-
ment and cabin-management
systems, a new modular galley,
leather seats, wood � nishes, and
metal trim.
Fractional-aircraft-share
provider NetJets has ordered 75
of the $25.9 million jets and will
take delivery of the � rst ones
produced. Bombardier expects
deliveries to begin toward the
middle of next year. The company
will continue to o� er the 300, so
the new model will expand the
Challenger line to four jets.
Two new Honeywell engines
boost the Challenger 350’s power
by about 15 percent compared to
the 300’s. Canted winglets increase
the wingspan, helping make the
350 the quickest climber in
Bombardier’s � eet; the aircraft takes
just 18 minutes to reach a cruise
altitude of 41,000 feet. It cruises at
speeds as fast as 541 mph and can
carry as many as eight passengers
for 3,682 miles.
Op
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OR
Ma
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sUper-mId maKeOVer
THE NEW $25.9 MILLION
CHALLENGER 350 OFFERS
NUMEROUS UPGRADES OVER
THE CHALLENGER 300.
◗
show business
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headquartered in Stans,
Switzerland. The aircraft, which
can be flown by a single pilot, has
a range of 2,200 miles, and it
cruises at 489 mph. That is more
than 150 mph faster than the
cruise speed of the company’s
popular PC-12 NG turboprop.
Deliveries of the PC-24 are on
track to begin in 2017. Pilatus
will start taking orders for the
$8.9 million jet early next year.
The 500-cubic-foot cabin of
the PC-24 is the roomiest in the
light-jet category and the only
one with a flat floor. It carries as
many as 10 passengers in seats that
can be added or removed in just a
few minutes. The cabin’s aft
partition is easy to move, so
travelers can choose how much
space to allocate for cargo, which
they can access during flights.
The jet is agile enough to land
on runways as short as 2,525 feet,
which gives it access to small
airports that may be closer to
travelers’ destinations.
Very ImpressIVe ✪
Available in VIP and executive
versions, the new medium-class
twin-engine Eurocopter EC175
(800.873.0001, www.eurocopterusa
.com) features a 434-cubic-foot
cabin, a cruise speed in excess of
170 mph, and a range just beyond
690 miles.
The VIP version, which seats six
to eight passengers, is ofiered with
a choice of three interior-design
motifs created by Pegasus Design,
the London-based completions
�rm that specializes in interiors
for yachts and private jets. The
look of the Rhapsody cabin is
inspired by modern sports cars;
the Symphony has a contempo-
rary French flair; and the Allegory
is intended to evoke a European
villa. The executive version of the
EC175 accommodates nine to 12
passengers. Both iterations of the
aircraft have big, square windows
that allow natural light to flood
the cabin. Both versions will be
priced at about $22.5 million.
Eurocopter began designing
this model from the ground up
eight years ago; the �rst prototype
flew in 2009. Certi�cation of the
EC175 in the United States and
Europe is expected in early 2014,
and the company plans to begin
initial deliveries soon thereafter.
The �rst VIP delivery is sched-
uled for 2015.
swIss made ✪ With twin-jet
performance and reliability, a
roomy cabin, a huge cargo door,
and the ability to take ofi from
and land on short runways or
even packed-dirt landing strips,
the new Pilatus PC-24 (877.578.
8583, www.pilatus-aircraft.com) is
the Swiss Army knife of aircraft.
This is the �rst jet from Pilatus,
the 74-year-old manufacturer
eLBOw rOOm
WITH A 500-CUBIC-
FOOT CABIN, THE PC-24
IS THE ROOMIEST JET
IN ITS CATEGORY.
◗
CHeery CHOpper
THE EC175 FEATURES
LARGE WINDOWS THAT
ALLOW NATURAL LIGHT
TO FLOOD THE CABIN.
◗
show business
12 obee optboi tovanip navnivbs ubcokpebb� l�22 013�
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When the business jet was born 50 years ago, Bill Lear and Marcel Dassault—
two very disparate geniuses—both could claim paternity. // By Michelle D. Seaton
LEAR JET 23
THE FIRST LEAR JET BORROWED FROM THE P-16 JET FIGHTER (FRONT).
E
MYSTÈRE 20
THE FIRST FALCON INCLUDED ELEMENTS OF THE MYSTÈRE IV JET FIGHTER.
LEARJET 85
BOMBARDIER’S
NEW MIDSIZE JET
WILL REACH A SPEED
OF 541 MPH.
EVEN IF BILL LEAR’S name had not become synonymous with private
jets, he still would be an aviation-industry legend. Lear may have started out
as just another high-school dropout with a passion for making radio receiv-
ers, but he had an unusually high IQ and could be monomaniacal about his
tinkering, working so many hours that he often forgot to eat. In the 1920s,
Lear invented one of the f rst car radios. (He also invented the 8-track tape,
in 1964.) Then he fell in love with f ying. He built a biplane in his backyard
(but he could not get it to f y). Later he bought a plane and paid a commer-
cial pilot to teach him to f y it. He got lost on his f rst cross-country f ight,
which led him and his company, Lear Developments, to improve the signal
receivers inside airplanes so that it would be easier to f nd beacons at airports.
Then he created the Learoscope, a direction f nder that enabled pilots to
navigate using radio signals. He continued to invent instruments for f ying,
including the autopilot, which drew the interest of the U.S. military. ➞E
FALCON 2000LXS
DASSAULT’S LATEST
SUPER-MIDSIZE JET
HAS A RANGE OF
4,600 MILES.
fall 2013 robb report private aviation sourcebook 15
In 1960, at age 58, Lear was very
wealthy and equally restless. Like
everyone else in the aviation indus-
try, Lear looked at Boeing’s 707, the
f rst successful passenger jet, and
saw the future of air travel. Already,
airports were building longer and
more durable runways to accom-
modate the airliners. Already, a new
generation of air traf c controllers
had to be trained to track them.
Lear should have been thinking
about how to build instruments for
these jets. Instead, he wanted to
build one of his own. He wondered
why a smaller jet would not sell to
businesses and private owners that
could af ord one. Weren’t they in a
hurry to get to their destinations?
Didn’t they want to f y above the
clouds on their own schedules?
There was only one problem: Lear
had never designed an aircraft.
He had loved tinkering with his
old Lockheed Lodestar, a World
War II–era troop transport that the
Air Force had given him so that he
could design new autopilot sys-
tems. But Lear wanted to see how
fast the plane could go, so during
the mid 1950s, he replaced the
engines to give it more power.
He also had his engineers remove
the door handles and f le down
the rivets to reduce drag. Then he
tore out the seats in the back and
‘‘’’I HAVE SPENT
MY WHOLE LIFE
DISCOVERING
NEEDS AND THEN
FINDING WAYS TO
FULFILL THEM.
—BILL LEAR
LEAR JET 23
THE AIRCRAFT MADE
ITS MAIDEN FLIGHT IN
OCTOBER OF 1963.
◗
The Fathers of Modern Private Flight
16 robb report private aviation sourcebook fall 2013
installed carpeting, a divan, and a
small bathroom. He added a bar
and lined the walls with paneling.
Lear sold the aircraft for $200,000
and bought two new Lodestars for a
fraction of that price. He had found
a new passion, and he was deter-
mined to modify the plane until he
could get its airspeed above 300
mph and its range to 3,800 miles.
He would rename it the Learstar
and sell it as a private plane. Lear
hoped to sell hundreds of Learstars,
at a price of about $650,000 each.
In the end he sold at least 60, but
the project required huge amounts
of capital, man-hours, and spare
parts. Lear Incorporated (Lear had
changed the company name from
Lear Developments) continued to
lose money on each aircraft it sold
until Lear gave in and sold the aero-
nautics division in the late 1950s.
But he remained convinced that a
market for fast and luxurious air-
craft existed.
LEARJET 85
THE 10-PASSENGER
CABIN IS THE
LARGEST IN THE
LEARJET FLEET.
The Fathers of Modern Private Flight
fall 2013 robb report private aviation sourcebook 17
So here was Lear at the end of
the decade, dreaming of making
another Learstar, but one with jet
engines.
Creating a jet that would appeal
to airlines, charter companies, and
corporate titans was a task on the
to-do list of every aircraft manufac-
turer. In the United States, Lockheed
was going forward with its JetStar.
In England, De Havilland had one
on the drawing board, called the
Jet Dragon (also known as the DH
125, which after many iterations
was renamed the Hawker 800).
And in France, a jet was conceived
by Dassault Aviation founder and
CEO Marcel Dassault, a genius
much like Lear but made from a
very dif erent mold.
DASSAULT WAS BORN in 1892
as Marcel Bloch. After World War
II, he changed his last name to
FALCON 2000LXS
THE JET CAN LAND
ON AND TAKE OFF
FROM RELATIVELY
SHORT RUNWAYS.
The Fathers of Modern Private Flight
18 robb report private aviation sourcebook fall 2013
ONE OF THE
GOLDEN RULES
OF AVIATION
IS THAT HIGH
PERFORMANCE
ALWAYS PAYS OFF.
—MARCEL DASSAULT
‘‘’’Dassault, the nickname his brother, Paul, had earned during the war while f ghting for the French resistance. Paul had a preference for battle tanks, called char d’assault
in French. Not only did Marcel Dassault
f nish high school, he earned diplo-mas from engineering school and the prestigious École Supérieure de l’Aéronautique, where he was well schooled in the physics of f ight. After graduation, Dassault designed the Éclair propeller, which was used on numerous airplanes. From there he designed f ghter planes, and after World War I he created an aviation company that designed military and civil aircraft, including troop transports.
Although Dassault never learned to f y, he loved to be in the air. He loved the sensation of f ight and became renowned for his ability to create airplanes that were agile and easy to f y. By 1935 Dassault’s company was one of the largest aviation businesses in France. As war loomed, he joined the resis-tance, and in due time he was detained by the Vichy government and asked to design troop transport planes for Germany. When he refused, he was sent to Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany, where he nearly died of diphtheria.
In 1945, within months of his release from Buchenwald, Dassault was working on a twin-engine commuter prop plane called the Flamant. It went into service in 1947 and became famous for its durability. Some were still in ser-vice 30 years later. Dassault also designed several f ghter jets, each one faster than the last.
In 1960, when Lear was still hoping to build a small private jet,
LE
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Dassault signed a contract with the French government to help design the prototype for a supersonic jet. The goal was to create a passenger jet that could f y at Mach 2.2, have a range of 4,500 miles, and carry as many as 50 people. Dassault’s early design specs borrowed heavily from his own delta-wing f ghter jets, and they ultimately inspired the f nal design for the Concorde.
BY 1960, Lear had moved to Switzerland, formed the Swiss American Aviation Company (Lear Incorporated board members and investors had urged him not to put his name on the business because of the failed Learstar venture), opened a plant, and hired a raft of engineers to study various transport planes and f ghter jets in the hope of merging the two platforms into a successful 10-seat jet.
The company started with the FFA P-16, a Swiss-made jet f ghter with a thin, unswept wing design that aided its runway performance. The Swiss military had given up on the design after a couple of accidents, but Lear f ew the plane and loved it. He asked Hans Studer, an engineer who worked for him, to design an airplane around the P-16 wing design.
Lear planned to build the air-frame in Switzerland and then bring his own avionics and landing gear from the United States to complete the aircraft.
However, Lear did not care for the pace of the workday in Switzerland. He was used to boss-ing people around, bullying them into working 60-hour workweeks, if not 20-hour days. He had no patience for workers’ rights or holidays or breaks of any kind.
MYSTÈRE 20
THE JET IMPRESSED
THE PAN AM DELEGATES,
INCLUDING LINDBERGH.
◗
The Fathers of Modern Private Flight
fall 2013 robb report private aviation sourcebook 19
LEAR JET 23
ON ITS MAIDEN FLIGHT
THE JET CRUISED
AT A REMARKABLE
500 MPH.
engineer on the project but did so
from his of ce in Paris, while the
prototype was being built at the
Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport in
the South of France. Every night,
photographs of the prototype would
be sent by train from the airport to
Paris, where Dassault would make
notes on them with his red pen and
send them back by train the next
morning. He made adjustments to
everything from the height of the
tail f n to the design of the staircase
to the logo on the fuselage.
In 1962, Lear closed his plant in
Switzerland, f red everyone, and
moved his operation to Wichita,
Kan., where he boasted to the
CEOs of the city’s other aircraft
makers—which at the time included
Cessna, Beechcraft, and Boeing—
that he would build and certify a
business jet in record time. He
practically lived inside the hangar
and had engineers working a pun-
ishing schedule.
That summer Dassault’s son,
Serge, attended the annual meeting
of the National Business Aviation
Association in Pittsburgh, where
he showed a one-f ftieth scale
When progress stalled on the proto-
type throughout 1961, Lear became
increasingly frustrated.
Meanwhile, Dassault had turned
his attention to the idea of a busi-
ness jet. He closed a company meet-
ing in November of that year by
announcing that Dassault Aviation
would soon launch its f rst busi-
ness jet. He even had a name for it:
the Mystère 20. Two days later,
Dassault sketched a design of the
aircraft, which would hold as many
as eight passengers and be equipped
with twin jet engines positioned
at the rear of the aircraft, above
and slightly behind each wing. He
wanted the aircraft to have a range
of 2,000 miles and a speed approach-
ing Mach 0.9. Dassault used ele-
ments of his Mystère IV f ghter jet
and the fuselage from his Flamant.
It would be an elegant and power-
ful jet.
By this time Dassault was nearly
70 years old. He worked as an
model of the Mystère 20. It was a
huge hit: Nearly 150 business-
aircraft professionals signed up to
receive more information. One
regional carrier of ered to buy a
half dozen of the jets.
The Lear and Dassault proto-
types rolled out within months of
each other. The f rst-ever Mystère
20, equipped with two Pratt &
Whitney engines, left the hangar
in southern France on April 1,
1963. Dassault employees gathered
around it for a simple group photo.
A month later, on May 4, the jet
had its f rst f ight. In attendance
was a group of Pan American
World Airways executives, includ-
ing Charles Lindbergh, then a
technical advisor to the company’s
president. Lindbergh loved the
plane, calling the interior roomy.
Given that he was 6 foot 3, this
was quite a statement. Ten days
later, Pan Am ordered 40 of the
aircraft, the f rst of which was to
be delivered early in 1965.
The Lear Jet 23 also had its f rst
f ight in 1963, in early October,
from an airf eld in Wichita. Few
if any of Lear’s employees fully
LEARJET 70
THE NEW LIGHT
JET CAN REACH
535 MPH AND FLY
AT 51,000 FEET.
The Fathers of Modern Private Flight
20 robb report private aviation sourcebook fall 2013
Charter flights in the USA are operated by Jet Aviation Flight Services, Inc. or other FAR Part 135 certified air carriers.
BE ABOVE
IT ALL
JETAVIATION.COM/BEABOVEITALL
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MYSTÈRE 20
THE 6-FOOT-3
LINDBERGH WAS
IMPRESSED WITH THE
CABIN’S SPACIOUSNESS.
The plane featured a pusher con-
f guration in which the propeller
was positioned at the rear of the
aircraft, behind the two engines.
The f rst prototype of the Lear Fan
2100 made its maiden f ight on
Jan. 1, 1981, but the aircraft failed
to earn FAA certif cation and never
went into production.
In 1990, Bombardier acquired
the Learjet brand (the name is now
one word), which is still def ned by
luxury and speed. Within a year,
Bombardier plans to begin deliver-
ing the Learjet 85, a midsize jet
with a fuselage and wings con-
structed primarily of a carbon-
f ber composite. The 10-passenger,
$20 million aircraft will travel as
fast as 541 mph and have a range
beyond 3,400 miles.
The Mystère 20 had a fate dif-
ferent from that of the Lear Jet 23.
As planned, Pan Am took delivery
of the f rst examples in 1965;
in the United States, the aircraft
was known as the Fan Jet Falcon 20.
It became a ubiquitous regional
commuter airplane, used by corpo-
rations and small airlines in many
believed the plane would f y. When
it landed safely, many wept, includ-
ing the test pilot. But he and other
pilots would remark that the Lear
Jet 23 was faster on takeof than
any plane they had ever f own. It
cruised at 500 mph, an unheard of
speed, even for Dassault.
Only about 100 examples of the
Lear Jet 23 sold before production
ceased in 1966, but Lear had
achieved his goal of creating and
producing a business jet. He made
successive improvements to the
design before selling his share of
the company to Gates Rubber
Company in 1969. Lear then went
of on another venture, to invent a
steam-powered car. He died in
1978 at age 75.
At the time of his death, Lear
was developing the Lear Fan 2100,
a seven-passenger turboprop made
of lightweight composite materials
and designed to f y at 41,000 feet.
countries. The company built more
than 500 of them.
Dassault continued to have a
hand in the operation of Dassault
Aviation until his death, in 1986 at
age 94. Serge Dassault inherited
the business from his father and, at
88, remains the chairman and CEO
of the Dassault Group, the parent
company of Dassault Aviation.
The company’s latest jet is the
Falcon 2000LXS. Deliveries of the
aircraft are expected to begin next
year. With enough agility to land
on and take of from relatively short
runways and a 10-passenger cabin
spacious enough that it would
please Charles Lindbergh, the $32.9
million super-midsize jet is a true
descendent of the Mystère 20.
The Learjet 85 and the Falcon
2000LXS are the type of aircraft
that Bill Lear envisioned and Marcel
Dassault continued to pursue—
and which both men ultimately
made possible.
BOMBARDIER LEARJET, WWW
.LEARJET.COM; DASSAULT FALCON,
WWW.DASSAULTFALCON.COM
FALCON 2000LXS
CABIN AMENITIES INCLUDE
HIGH-DEFINITION VIDEO
SCREENS AS LARGE
AS 22 INCHES.
The Fathers of Modern Private Flight
22 robb report private aviation sourcebook fall 2013
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The latest aircraft from Gulfstream should keep
the company at the top of the business-jet world.
// By Bailey S. Barnard
WHEN IT COMES to aircraft design, the crystal ball is not always
clear. Creating a business jet requires about 10 years from initial
concept to entry into service and tens—if not hundreds—of millions
of dollars to research, develop, build, and certify. So a misread fortune
can cost, well, a fortune. This is why manufacturers do not take the
development of new models lightly. They use every resource at their
disposal to ensure that their aircraft are well received by the market.
Perhaps no business-jet manufacturer is better at removing the
guesswork from the process than Gulfstream Aerospace, which is
based in Savannah, Ga., and has been in operation since 1958. (The
company was originally named Grumman Aerospace.) Gulfstream’s
fi rst business jet entered service in 1968. Its two newest business jets,
the super-midsize G280 and the large-cabin, ultralong-range G650,
both of which entered service late last year, demonstrate the
company’s ability to see the future clearly. ➞
Well CoNNeCted
WITh ITS G280 anD
G650 JeTS, GULFSTReaM
LaUncheD ITS caBIn
cOnTROL aPP, WhIch
enaBLeS iPhOne anD
iPaD cOnTROL OF
caBIn FUncTIOnS.
◗
fall 2013 robb report private aviation sourcebook 25
G280 and G150 use smaller
Honeywell power plants.
At the G650’s service ceiling of
51,000 feet, passengers feel as
though they are fiying at less than
5,000 feet, which is considerably
lower than the cabin altitude of
most airliners and signi�cantly
reduces passenger fatigue.
Gulfstream claims that the
G650 and G280 have the quietest
cabins of any of its aircraft, and
that they are likely the quietest
Gulfstream currently has some
200 orders on the books for the
$64 million G650, and production
is backlogged until 2017. The
G650 will remain alone in its
market segment until Bombardier
delivers its two forthcoming
large-cabin, ultralong-range jets,
the Global 7000 and Global 8000,
which are expected to enter service
in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
According to Gulfstream, the
G650 has been the most successful
launch in the company’s 55-year
history and one of the entire
industry’s most successful.
Gulfstream worked to ensure this
result from the time it began
developing the aircraft, in 2003.
That year, as the company was
preparing deliveries of the G650’s
smaller sibling, the ultralong-range
G550—which replaced the GV, a
model that had come to represent
the pinnacle of private aviation—
Gulfstream’s R & D department,
consisting of some 1,300
engineers, began asking, “What’s
next?” And so began a several-
years-long dialogue with
customers, speci�cally members of
Gulfstream’s Advance Technology
Customer Advisory Team, or
ATCAT. This group, whose
members rotate out regularly to
keep the collective perspective
fresh, comprises Gulfstream jet
owners and operators and other
individuals active in the industry
who are familiar with Gulfstream’s
current lineup. (In addition to the
G280, G550, and G650, the
company also o�ers the midsize
G150 and the large-cabin G450.)
During the early development
of the G650, Gulfstream found
that its customers wanted a jet that
traveled even farther than the
G550’s globe-hopping range, and
they wanted the new jet to go
faster. The ATCAT members also
expressed a strong desire for a
larger cabin with more natural
light, lower noise levels, and
improved pressurization, so that
passengers would feel as though
they were fiying at lower altitudes.
When completed, the jet that
Gulfstream had begun developing
would address all of those requests.
✪ ✪ ✪ ✪
The G650 can travel more than
8,000 miles without refueling,
which is farther than any other
business aircraft, except for private
versions of jetliners from Boeing
and Airbus. With a top speed of
610 mph, the G650 is also the
world’s fastest business jet
currently in production. (The
G550 has a maximum cruise
speed of about 584 mph and a
range of 6,900 miles.) Like all
Gulfstream jets except the G280
and G150, the G650 is powered
by Rolls-Royce engines. The
approximate SpeCiFiCatioNS maximum raNge 8,050 miles maximum
CruiSe Speed 610 mph (Mach 0.925) ServiCe CeiliNg 51,000 feet
CabiN dimeNSioNS 6 ft. 5 in. (h), 8 ft. 6 in. (W), 46 ft. 10 in. (L)
maximum SeatiNg 18 passengers baggage CapaCity 195 cubic feet
StartiNg priCe $64.5 million
g650 ◗
above and beyond
26 ���� �����r ��ober� eboero�p t�i�v����n fall 2013
cabins in the industry. The cabins
benefi t from the R & D
performed at Gulfstream’s
acoustics lab. The facility is run by
technicians who previously
developed submarines for
Gulfstream’s parent company,
General Dynamics, which, among
other interests, is the country’s
sixth largest defense contractor.
Lab workers can test the acoustic
properties of cabin insulation
materials in temperatures as low
as negative-60 degrees Celsius,
which is how cold it can be at the
jets’ operating altitudes.
The G650 and G550 are
certifi ed to seat the same number
of passengers, 18, but G650
passengers have more space. At
6 feet 5 inches tall, 8 feet 6 inches
wide, and 46 feet 10 inches long,
the cabin of the G650 is a few
inches taller, more than a foot
wider, and about 3 feet longer
than that of the G550. The G650
vieW From tHe top
The LaRGe-caBIn,
ULTRaLOnG-RanGe
G65O IS cURRenTLY The
OnLY JeT ITS caTeGORY.
➞
fall 2013 robb report private aviation sourcebook 27
may choose to work with the
Gulfstream completions team and
design their own layout. Available
options include a private ofice and
bedroom, lavatories both forward
and aft, and a full shower.
Gulfstream will work with buyers
to accommodate more outlandish
requests, as long as they pass
muster with the FAA. At the
company’s sales-and-design centers
in Savannah, Dallas, and London,
customers can see and touch the
has slightly less room for baggage
than the G550—195 cubic feet
compared to 226 cubic feet—but
the newer jet has two more of
Gulfstream’s trademark round
windows than the G550 (the new
windows are also 16 percent
larger) and more options for
interior con�gurations.
Gulfstream completes all of its
interiors in-house. For the G650,
the company o�ers 12 di�erent
standard con�gurations. Buyers also
iN WitH tHe NeW
GULFSTReaM
DeVeLOPeD The G280
TO RePLace ITS
SUcceSSFUL G200.
◗
28 ���� �����r ��ober� eboero�p t�i�v����n fall 2013
approximate SpeCiFiCatioNS maximum raNge 4,140 miles
maximum CruiSe Speed 561 mph (Mach 0.85)
ServiCe CeiliNg 45,000 feet CabiN dimeNSioNS 6 ft. 3 in. (h),
7 ft. 2 in. (W), 25 ft. 10 in. (L) maximum SeatiNg 10 passengers
baggage CapaCity 154 cubic feet StartiNg priCe $24 million
options for upholstery, carpeting,
and metal and wood trim.
The combination of ATCAT
members’ wanting more cabin
conveniences and the advents of
the smartphone and tablet
computer led Gulfstream to equip
the cabins of the G650 and G280
with touchscreen controls and
launch its Cabin Control app.
When installed on their iPhone or
iPad, passengers can use the app to
adjust the temperature at their seat,
open and close the nearest window
shade, and select what to watch on
the cabin’s video monitors.
✪ ✪ ✪ ✪
WhILe The G650 is a brand-new
aircraft, the G280 is an
evolutionary model, developed to
replace Gulfstream’s successful
G200. The new jet exceeds all of
its predecessor’s performance
capabilities. Indeed, with a range
beyond 4,000 miles, a top speed
of about 561 mph, and a
10-passenger cabin that is more
than 6 feet tall, more than 7 feet
wide, and nearly 26 feet long, the
G280 is among the best-
performing and most spacious
super-midsize jets on the market.
Gulfstream has not released sales
numbers for the G280, which has a
starting price of $24 million, but it
says demand for the jet is strong
and that the global interest for all
of its jets has increased in recent
years. For example, the number of
Gulfstream jets in China has grown
from about 10 to well over 70 in
the past six years. (Gulfstream used
the model designate G280 because
in Mandarin slang 250 is an insult
meaning fool or simpleton.)
The company continues to
service its customers around the
globe with more than 3,700
workers assigned to product
support. It also has over $1.4 billion
worth of parts located around the
world. For those reasons and
because of such services as Airborne
Product Support, through which
Gulfstream will send a G150 with
a technician and parts directly to
an aircraft in need of urgent repair,
Gulfstream is consistently named
the top manufacturer for service
and support by Aviation International
News and other publications.
Despite its industry-leading
aircraft and stellar service
programs, Gulfstream has been
absent from the multibillion-
dollar orders placed in recent
years by NetJets and other large
service providers. While NetJets
does operate a number of G200,
GIV, G450, GV, and G550 aircraft,
Gulfstream says that it prefers to
sell its jets directly to individual
customers. And why not? With a
four-year, $12.8 billion backlog
for the G650 alone, Gulfstream’s
sales numbers seem just f ne.
Now that Gulfstream’s two
newest jets have entered service,
the company says that it has
begun the lengthy process of
determining what new models to
put on the drawing board. In
other words, the folks in Savannah
are again asking, what’s next?
Maybe a G50 light jet or a G750
jumbo jet. Whatever it decides,
Gulfstream certainly will not have
relied on a crystal ball.
GULFSTReaM aeROSPace,
WWW.GULFSTReaM.cOM
◗
g280
above and beyond
fall 2013 robb report private aviation sourcebook 29
to// Illustration By Umberto Mischi
According to members of the Robb Report Private Aviation Advisory Board, something good
came out of the recession, and some bad may come from the recovery. // By Larry Bean
30 robb report private aviation sourcebook fall 2013
Two Sidesthe Story
WELCOME AS THE
economic recovery has been by the
companies that supply private-
aviation products and services—
the aircraft makers, fractional-share
and jet-card providers, and charter
operators—the news may not be
all good for customers. It certainly
is not good for the clients of a pair
of fractional-share providers that
appear to have ultimately
succumbed to the recession. And,
needless to say, it is not good for
those two companies. But even
companies that have survived the
recession and now appear to be
thriving may be faced with labor
issues that concern at least one
member of Robb Report’s Private
Aviation Advisory Board and, he
believes, should concern travelers
who f y privately. At the same
time, other board members are
touting the potential benef ts to
clients of a relatively new private-
aviation option, one that sprung
from the recession. ➞
���� ��a� succ sk�us� �s��p�k p��p��u� �u�s�kcuu� 31
PETER AGUR
IS CONCERNED ABOUT
THE EXPERIENCE
LEVEL OF THE PRIVATE-
AVIATION WORKFORCE.
ILL
US
TR
AT
ION
BY
GÉ
RA
RD
DU
BO
IS
expensive to hire. Agur fears that
some charter operators will not be
able to cover the expense or be
unwilling to raise their fees for
fear of pricing themselves out of
the market. “The experienced
pilots will be hired by the major
airlines and the large private-
aviation businesses because they
can af ord the cost,” he says.
Or, in the case of large private-
aviation businesses at least, they can
af ord to pass on those costs to their
clients. “If you pay $50 million to
$60 million for your aviation assets,
the operating costs might be a
couple million per year,” says Agur.
“The labor cost is just a small
fraction of that annual cost. And
for high-net-worth individuals and
major corporations, that cost is
consistent with their objectives
and will f t within their budgets.”
THE LEASE YOU CAN DO
AS EXPERIENCED PILOTS become
more valuable, fractional-share
providers NetJets and Flexjet
should be among the private-
aviation companies able to af ord
them. NetJets is owned by Warren
Buf ett’s Berkshire Hathaway, and
Bombardier owns Flexjet. This
f nancial backing also enabled the
two companies to become the
f rst to of er fractional leasing, a
concept that emerged from the
recession, when fractional-share
providers and other private-
aviation companies were
introducing various new programs
in order to remain solvent.
“NetJets and Flexjet can af ord
not to have owners make the whole
PRODUCTION UP,
EXPERIENCE DOWN
ON THE POSITIVE side, aircraft
manufacturers seem to be
conf dent enough in the
economy to ramp up production
of existing models and roll out a
slew of new ones.
However, Peter Agur, the
chairman and founder of the
VanAllen Group aviation
consulting f rm and a member of
the Robb Report Private Aviation
Advisory Board (see page 36 for a
full list of the members and their
credentials) is worried that the
ramped-up production could lead
to inferior products—meaning jets.
“When manufacturers cut back
during the recession, they let go of
their most expensive workers, who
were their most experienced
workers,” says Agur. “When things
tune back up, when demand for
production increases, they hire at
the entry level of the labor pool.
Quality control suf ers dramatically
when the products are built by
neophytes and inspected by
people who are stretched.”
Agur is quick to add that he is
referring to reliability issues, not
safety issues—jet owners do not
have to worry about their aircraft
crashing because it was assembled
by inexperienced workers.
Rather, a jet may not be available
to f y when an owner wants it.
“You won’t be able to complete
your trip, and that will be
frustrating, because that’s not why
you bought an aircraft.”
THE PRICE OF PILOTS
ACCORDING TO AGUR, if the
economy continues to improve,
lack of experience also may
become an issue with pilots. “The
standards are going to have to go
down for pilots and crew in order
to draw from the available
workforce,” he says, referring to
the minimum number of f ight
hours pilots will be required to
accrue before they can be hired.
Agur says that depleted
retirement accounts and other
economic stresses have kept
people—including pilots—in the
workforce longer than they
intended. “But as the economy
makes a positive swing, you’ll see
a f urry of pilot retirements, and
there is a lack of incoming new
talent. There is not the type of
supply coming from the military
that you saw during and after the
Vietnam War. So as the economy
improves, and more people are
f ying privately and commercially,
the demand for pilots will go up,
but the supply will go down.”
Agur does not envision the
pilot shortages that some aviation-
industry observers have forecast,
but he does see experienced
pilots—those with 5,000 or more
f ight hours—becoming more
valuable and therefore more
◗
two sides to the story
32 ptii pvatpn apsucnv cuscnstk �t�p�vitt� 1�33 ����
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ILL
US
TR
AT
ION
S B
Y G
ÉR
AR
D D
UB
OIS
laying out a large sum when you
buy the share.”
In terms of overall cost, leasing
fractional shares can be more
expensive than purchasing a f ight
card, but, as Butler notes, it of ers
other benef ts. “As with fractional-
share ownership, you may be able
to negotiate concessions into the
lease contract, which you can’t do
with f ight cards,” he says. Those
concessions may include short-leg
waivers or shorter call-in times to
arrange f ights.
Butler also points out that
annual cost increases are f xed in a
lease contract. “But when a card
runs out, it’s a new day,” he says.
“There are no limits on the cost
of a new card.”
Leasing also may be more
pleasing to a corporation’s
shareholders. “Some companies
don’t like showing a private-jet
asset on the books,” says Butler.
“With a lease, it’s easier to present
the jet as a travel expense, which
may be less controversial with
shareholders.”
FAIR SHARE
CITATIONAIR AND Avantair
apparently never recovered from
the recession or its lingering
ef ects. Last year, CitationAir,
which is owned by Cessna,
stopped selling fractional shares
and jet cards. It now of ers only
charter and aircraft-management
services. In June, Avantair
grounded its f eet of 56 twin-
engine Piaggio P.180 Avanti
turboprops and furloughed its
pilots and other employees. In July,
the company, which was founded
10 years ago in Clearwater, Fla.,
was on the verge of bankruptcy.
Rohde says that owners of
purchase and compensate the
companies up-front,” says Private
Aviation Advisory Board member
James Butler, the CEO of
Shaircraft Solutions, which, among
other services, negotiates fractional-
share contracts for its clients.
Leasing a fractional share is
similar to leasing a car: You make
f xed monthly payments but no
large up-front payment, and at the
end of the lease agreement—
which with NetJets can run from
two to f ve years—you do not own
anything and therefore do not have
to worry about residual values.
“Leasing started after clients had
taken signif cant hits on their
capital investments in fractional
shares,” says Private Aviation
Advisory Board member Lee
Rohde, president of the aviation-
consulting f rm Aviation
Management Systems. “The
benef t is that there is no capital
exposure. You don’t have to worry
about the buy-back rate when
you’re ready to sell your share or
CitationAir shares can expect to
see low residual values when they
sell back their shares at the
conclusion of their contracts, but
until then, they will not
experience any loss in f ight
service—though they may not
always be f ying on CitationAir
jets. “Citation has to retain enough
lift to support the program, but it
can’t continue to hemorrhage
money with its aircraft and
pilots,” says Rohde. “Look for the
company to make an arrangement
with a large charter provider. So
share owners and card holders
can expect to be f ying chartered
planes provided by a third party.
It will be the same plane model
they’ve been f ying, but it won’t
necessarily be outf tted the same.”
Rohde says clients opposed to
such an arrangement do not have
any real recourse, because the
fractional-share and f ight-card
contracts allow CitationAir to use
third-party chartered aircraft.
“The clients can execute their
option to have their share
repurchased, but they’re going to
lose money because of the loss of
the share’s residual value,” says
Rohde. “They’re better of just
f ying out the hours.”
CitationAir clients are in a
much better situation than
Avantair clients will be if the
company does f le for bankruptcy.
“Avantair contracts do not
include a guaranteed buy back, so
clients are not going to get their
capital back,” says Rohde. “If the
company goes into bankruptcy,
its assets will be sold of , and the
money will be divided among
debtors and owners. Owners
probably will be lucky to get f ve
cents on the dollar.”
JAMES BUTLER (TOP)
AND LEE ROHDE
BOTH TOUT THE
BENEFITS OF
FRACTIONAL-
SHARE LEASING.
◗
two sides to the story
34 ptii pvatpn apsucnv cuscnstk �t�p�vitt� 1�33 ����
Peter V. Agur Jr.
Chairman and Founder,
The VanAllen Group
770.507.5001
www.vanallen.com
Peter Agur has been a
management consultant
since 1985. His firm
provides consulting
services for large public
and private corporations,
high-net-worth
individuals, and royal
families. Agur began his
career as an army aviator
and went on to work for
several major airframe
manufacturers. He has a
bachelor’s degree in
aeronautical sciences
from the Metropolitan
State College of Denver
and a master of business
administration from
Georgia State University.
James D. Butler
CEO, Shaircraft Solutions
301.652.9885
www.shaircraft.com
James Butler is an
attorney and CEO. He
negotiates private-air-
travel investments for
individuals and
businesses, including
fractional ownership,
jet-card programs, and
charter. Butler also
specializes in fractional-
share valuation disputes.
His clients include the
professional golfers Scott
Verplank and Scott Hoch
and the NFL Hall of
Famer Howie Long. He
authors Inside Private Air
Travel, a blog devoted to
private air travel (blog
.shaircraft.com).
Edward H. Kammerer
Partner, Hinckley,
Allen & Snyder
401.274.2000
www.haslaw.com
Ed Kammerer advises the
business-aviation
community on a range of
transactions and issues.
He has more than 30
years of experience in
aircraft and equipment
acquisitions and finance.
Kammerer’s strategic
solutions enable his clients
to achieve their business-
aircraft ownership and
operating objectives.
Walter Kraujalis
President, AeronomX
727.233.3429
www.aeronomx.com
Walter Kraujalis is an
aviation consultant and
attorney, with expertise in
safety and flight-operation
audits, jet and helicopter
acquisitions, business
development, and due
diligence. He is an
airline-transport-rated
pilot with more than
10,000 hours of flight
time. Kraujalis is also a
speaker and instructor at
industry functions, and he
has published many
articles in aviation
publications.
Kevin O’Leary
President and CEO, Jet
Advisors
617.600.6868
www.jetadvisors.com
Kevin O’Leary heads Jet
Advisors, a full-service
private-jet acquisition
and brokerage firm that
has negotiated,
contracted, delivered,
exported, and placed into
service more than 600
aircraft. Its Private Jet
Index gives buyers an
advanced analytical tool
for selecting the optimum
private jet based on
nearly 50 parameters.
Prior to founding Jet
Advisors, O’Leary was a
sales manager at Hawker
Beechcraft. He holds an
MBA and is pursuing his
doctorate in aviation at
Embry-Riddle
Aeronautical University.
William J. Quinn Jr.
Managing Director,
Charleston Aviation
Partners
843.886.3313
www.charlestonaviation
.com
Bill Quinn has been
involved in aviation for
nearly 40 years. He has
served as a helicopter
crew chief in the United
States Navy, worked for
several aircraft
manufacturers, founded
successful aviation
businesses, and served as
the director of aviation
for a Fortune 500
company. He holds an
airline-transport pilot
license with type ratings
in both business jets and
helicopters and is a
certified aircraft appraiser.
H. Lee Rohde III
President, Aviation
Management Systems
603.431.3362
www.amsinc.aero
Lee Rohde is the president
of Aviation Management
Systems, a Portsmouth,
N.H., company that
provides management,
technical, operational, and
asset-based consulting
services to the aviation,
financial, insurance, and
legal communities. He
joined the firm in 2005.
Rohde is also a pilot and
holds a bachelor’s degree
in economics and an MBA
from the University of
New Hampshire’s
Whittemore School of
Business and Economics.
Keith G. Swirsky
President, GKG Law, P.C.;
Chairman, Business
Aircraft and Tax Groups
202.342.5200
www.aviationtaxlawyer
.com
Keith Swirsky is an
attorney and tax specialist
focusing on corporate
aircraft transactions and
aviation taxation. He has
practiced law for nearly 30
years and has planned and
structured more than
4,000 aircraft transactions.
His firm provides tax and
regulatory planning and
counseling services to
corporate-aircraft owners,
operators, and managers.
Swirsky counsels on an
array of aviation matters,
including tax-efficient
structures, business terms
and documentation
pertinent to purchases
and sales of both new and
preowned aircraft, and
external management
arrangements.
the Robb RepoRt pRivate aviation advisoRy boaRd
36 robb report private aviation sourcebook fall 2013
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HIGH WIRED
ACT
// Illustration By Greg Betza
◗
Onboard Internet service is becoming a
necessity for charter and secondary-market jets.
// By Michelle D. Seaton
Wwhen tony hsIeh, the CEO of online retailer Zappos.com, joined the
board of directors for JetSuite in 2011, he wondered aloud why the Irvine,
Calif.–based private-aviation company’s fl eet of Phenom 100 entry-level jets had
no Wi-Fi service. He urged JetSuite CEO Alex Wilcox to spend the money to
upgrade the aircraft. Netjets had added Wi-Fi to its fl eet, and some airlines
were adding it to theirs. Hsieh argued that customers would love the service,
and that it would make JetSuite more competitive.
Wilcox was skeptical, and not just because the upgrade would cost about
$100,000 per airplane, not including the monthly service charges. He was
looking at a $2 million capital investment. And for what? Wilcox
aff ectionately refers to Hsieh as “an Internet maniac who processes a
thousand emails a day.” At the time, JetSuite specialized in discount-priced
38 robb report private aviation sourcebook fall 2013
fall 2013 tivv tanits ntuc�sa �cu�suik �i�t�avii� 39
the Portsmouth, N.H.–based
private-aviation consulting flrm
Aviation Management Systems
and a member of the Robb Report
Private Aviation Advisory Board,
tells of a client who owns a
Gulfstream GIV-SP. During a
recent conference call the client’s
charter-management company said
that not having Wi-Fi is a deal-
breaker, that corporations will not
lease a jet if it means having their
executives off-line for hours at a
time. Rohde’s client relented and
paid close to $200,000 to install a
system on his jet. “I wouldn’t say
that you are increasing the value of
the jet by doing that. It’s more that
you are bringing it up to the
standard of other jets that are
available,” says Rohde.
He says that for jet owners
seeking to sell their aircraft on the
secondary market, the need to
install Internet service is not yet
so urgent. “It’s a positive for the
airplane, but it doesn’t make or
break the airplane,” says Rohde.
Over time, however, Internet
service will become nearly as
common on secondary-market
jets as it is on new ones, and it
will be increasingly di�cult to sell
a plane that is not equipped with
such capabilities.
ViaSat, a satellite and wireless-
communication company based in
Carlsbad, Calif., provides Internet
service for JetBlue and other
airlines through its own network,
and it has equipped more than 200
large-cabin business jets, including
Gulfstreams and Bombardiers,
with voice and data connectivity.
“We also get requests from private
owners of Boeing 747s and the
Airbus 320,” says Steven Sivitz,
who heads business development
short-haul �ights for people who,
Wilcox believed, probably could
go an hour or two without
tweeting or checking their emails.
Finally, last fall Wilcox decided
to upgrade JetSuite’s Phenom
100s. The company expects that,
by September, all of the aircraft
will have Wi-Fi. Wilcox made the
decision at about the same time
JetSuite took delivery of its flrst
new Citation CJ3, a jet that is
larger and has a longer range than
the Phenom 100. The custom-
ordered Citation had Wi-Fi
installed. Then a strange thing
happened. The JetSuite clients
who �ew on the Citation raved
about the plane, but they raved
more about the speed of its
Internet service. Some requested
the Citation over the Phenom,
even if they did not need its
additional seats or extended
distance. A few customers paid
extra to have the Citation �own
to them in the Midwest because
they wanted the Wi-Fi.
Wilcox feels confldent that
having a �eet of Phenom 100s
wired for Internet service will
change the company’s position in
the market. “It sets us apart from
other providers in this category of
aircraft. Very few of them have it
now,” he says.
Wilcox’s deliberation about
whether and when to upgrade
cabin technologies is playing out
across the private-jet industry,
particularly in the charter and
secondary-sales markets. The
growing demand for in-�ight
connectivity is being driven by
the technology on the jets that
have rolled off the assembly line
in the past two years. Many of
those aircraft have top-of-the-line
‘‘’’In these larger-
cabIn aIrcraft,
... you mIght be
In the aIr for sIx
or eIght hours.
PeoPle have
anxIety attacks
If they are out
of touch for
that long.
—steven sivitz
of viasat
wireless capabilities, enabling
passengers to link seamlessly to
broadband networks, and in some
cases, to synch smartphones and
computer tablets for entertainment
and cabin-management purposes.
(See “Above and Beyond,” page
25.) Jets older than two years
were not produced with these
capabilities, so their owners have
to decide which upgrades are
prudent, given that any are likely
to be expensive.
For owners who rely on charter
revenues to offset some ownership
costs, experts advise that Internet
connectivity is no longer an
option—it is a necessity. This is
particularly true for larger jets that
would be chartered by corporate
clients. Lee Rohde, president of
high wired act
40 bepp btiebv ibansvt snasvaeu cekb�tpee� 2�00 13��
Own the day.
Not just a few hours of it.
Say goodbye to by-the-hour fractional ownership and hello to keeping your aircraft with you all
day with Executive AirShare. Our intentionally regional program means no swapping out aircraft
between flights. Just your jet and familiar crew ready and waiting for your departure. Or even a
departure from the planned schedule.
Elevate your air travel. Call 866.946.4900 to learn what’s possible with Executive AirShare.
ExecAirShare.com
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$150,000. “In general, there is
some interior work [required for
the installation], but it tends to be
minimal—a few days only—and
it can easily be done alongside
other maintenance,” says Wade.
Monthly charges to connect to
the network range from a few
hundred dollars to about $2,000.
While no in-flight Internet
service is likely to be as fast as the
service available in an offce or
home, and while none of Aircell’s
systems yet support streaming
video or movies, the data transfer
speeds are fast enough for business
needs and browsing, says Wade.
“The service has been described as
completely addictive,” says Wade.
JetSuite installed the Aircell
system to upgrade its fleet of
Phenom 100s. (It also uses the
system for its Citation CJ3s.)
Wilcox says his company
scheduled the upgrades alongside
other work that included deep-
cleaning the headliner, re-dying
the seats, retouching some paint,
and installing new carpeting.
“They’re going to have that
new-plane smell,” says Wilcox.
The jets may indeed look, feel,
and even smell new, but the
question is whether any
passengers—addicted to the Wi-Fi
service—will look up from their
smartphones, tablets, or laptops
long enough to notice.
aIrcell, www.aircell.com;
avIatIon management system,
www.amsinc.aero;
JetsuIte, www.jetsuite.com;
vIasat, www.viasat.com
for the company’s business-
aviation branch.
Sivitz notes that the cabin of a
jet is becoming as complex as an
offce in terms of IT requirements,
because more and more passengers
want to be able to conduct video
conferences and use Skype and
other technologies that they use
at work. “In these larger-cabin
aircraft with transoceanic
capabilities, you might be in the
air for six or eight hours,” he says.
“People have anxiety attacks if
they are out of touch for that
long.” He notes that even on
shorter flights, the data usage is
constant. “With our service, you
get on, and you turn on. We have
global coverage, with a couple of
‘‘’’It sets us aPart
from other
ProvIders In thIs
category of
aIrcraft. very
few of them
have It now.
—jetsuite ceo
alex wilcox on
equipping his
company’s phenom
100s with wi-fi
exceptions, including China
and Russia, but we’re working
on those areas.”
With ViaSat’s network service
for business aviation, called
Yonder, passengers can browse,
call, and conference, usually
without worrying about losing
connectivity as they fly from
one country to another.
But installing this type of
system involves visiting a
completion center for a retro�t
that will have the jet out of
service for days or weeks,
and the cost can be nearly
$1 million. Often, owners will
wait and try to piggyback such
an upgrade onto regular
maintenance service or other
cabin upgrades.
Owners of smaller jets and
owners of larger jets who do not
need a global service can turn to
Aircell’s Gogo Biz, a domestic
Internet service for business jets.
The company also provides
Internet service for several
airlines, including American
Airlines, and it is the choice for
Cessna, Dassault, and other
business-jet manufacturers.
Aircell owns a network of
wireless ground stations that
provide coverage for the
continental United States, and
it plans to expand into Canada
next year. Aircell general
manager and executive vice
president John Wade notes that
the most common installation
for Gogo Biz is the company’s
ATG 5000 system, which
usually costs from $110,000 to
high wired act
42 obee optboi tovanip navnivbs ubcokpebb� l�22 013�
Private-aviation companies are investing in the future
of their fleets and refining the programs they offer. // By Bailey S. Barnard
44 robb report private aviation sourcebook fall 2013
FEW, IF ANY, fl ight-service
providers have come out of the
recession unscathed. Indeed, a
number of once-thriving
companies have shut down or
minimized their operations
(See “Two Sides to the Story,”
page 30). But the good news
for clients and prospective
clients is that the companies
that have survived are investing
heavily in new aircraft and
have added programs or
refi ned their existing programs
to make them more appealing.
Here we spotlight some of the
infl uential companies—
fractional-share, charter, and
other service providers—that
are updating, upgrading, or
right-sizing their aircraft fl eets
or programs to better serve
travelers now and in the years
to come. ➞
LeADING LeAR
europe’s vistajet
offers the learjet
60Xr for regional
Charter travel.
◗
WeLL APPOINteD
Custom global 6000
jets are among the
airCraft in vistajet’s
groWing fleet.
◗
NetJets ✪ If a willingness to
invest in the future is an indication
of financial stability, then Berkshire
Hathaway–owned NetJets is doing
just fine. Through a $17.6 billion
investment, the fractional-share
provider plans to add up to 670
new aircraft to its fleet over the
next 10 years.
In May, NetJets revealed that it
would be the launch partner for
Bombardier’s recently announced
Challenger 350 super-midsize jet
(see “Show Business,” page 10). In
June of last year, NetJets ordered as
many as 200 of the aircraft, which
is expected to enter service by mid
next year. The company also
placed an order for up to 75
Challenger 605 large-cabin jets
from Bombardier and as many as
150 of Cessna’s forthcoming
Citation Latitude midsize jets.
Those deals followed NetJets’ 2011
order for 120 of Bombardier’s
ultralong-range Global jets and its
2010 order for 125 of Embraer’s
Phenom 300 light jets, which have
begun entering NetJets’ fractional
fleet of Signature Series aircraft.
The manufacturers tailor the
Signature Series aircraft for NetJets
by including customized cabin
layouts and amenities, entertainment
systems, and avionics.
In addition to offering
fractional-ownership and
fractional-leasing options, NetJets
provides on-demand charter and
aircraft-management services
through its Executive Jet
Management subsidiary, and it
provides private air travel through
its 25-hour jet cards.
Last year, NetJets announced the
launch of NetJets China, which
recently began offering 25-hour
jet cards for Chinese clients
◗
JOIN tHe CLUB
embraer’s phenom 300
light jets have begun
entering netjets’ fleet.
46 robb report private aviation sourcebook fall 2013
RIG
HT
: P
AU
L B
OW
EN
At press time, the company also
had plans to add an unspecifl ed
super-midsize jet to the program
in the near future.
Ricci notes that the new aircraft
are among several perks of the
program. “The document to enter
the program is one page,” he says.
“It’s so simple, especially when all
you want is the convenience of
private travel.” Ricci also notes
that pricing for membership takes
into account the up-front capital
that members would be spending
on an aircraft or fractional share
and the depreciating values of
those products, among other
considerations.
“I always tell people in our
industry to put your toe in the
water,” says Ricci. “Make a small
investment and see if it works for
you. A product like [the Jet
Membership Club] allows you to
put your toe in the water while still
getting all the benefl ts of owning
an aircraft or a fractional share.”
877.703.2348,
WWW.flightoptions.Com
traveling in the United States and
Europe, and is expected to begin
providing on-demand charter and
aircraft-management services
within China by early next year.
Here in the U.S., the company
planned to open a private FBO in
Palm Beach, Fla., in August, similar
to NetJets facilities at airports in
Atlanta and Van Nuys, Calif.
NetJets also has existing private
facilities in White Plains, N.Y., and
Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio.
866.538.6996, WWW.netjets.Com
FLIGHt OPtIONs � Flight
Options has remained viable by
giving its clients more choices,
according to company founder
and chairman Kenn Ricci. He
says that prior to the recession,
private � iers would make a sizable
investment in one product—a
whole aircraft, a fractional share, a
� ight card, or on-demand
charter—that suited most of their
needs. “But today’s buying public
has become smarter,” says Ricci.
“They might have a fractional
share, and they might charter. Or
they might charter and participate
in a card program.”
In addition to its longstanding
fractional-share and Jet Pass
� ight-card programs, the company
now has its Jet Membership Club,
which launched in June 2011 and
has more than 100 participants.
The program requires a one-time
up-front fee, ranging from
$70,000 to $270,000, depending
on aircraft type and hourly
commitment, which guarantees a
base hourly rate for the three-year
membership period. In 25- or
50-hour blocks, the program
gives members access to the
Embraer Phenom 300 and
Nextant 400XT light jets in the
company’s � eet. Both of these
aircraft o� er the comfort of larger
jets but with lower operational
costs. (Nextant is owned by the
same investment group that owns
Flight Options.)
Flight Options ordered 100
Phenom 300 jets in 2007 and has
received 19; it ordered 40 400XT
jets in 2010 and has received 12;
and it plans to add Nextant’s
recently announced 400XTi jets
(see “Show Business,” page 10) to
its � eet over the next three years.
GLOBe tROtteR
netjets’ signature
series fleet inCluDes
the ultralong-range
global 6000.
✪
eLIte ACCess
flight options’ jet
membership Club
offers aCCess to
the phenom 300.
✪
fl ight plans
fall 2013 ivaa insviu sickrun rkcrucv� �v�i�navv� 47
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vistaJet ✪ Like NetJets,
Europe’s leading charter provider
is making a sizeable investment in
its feet. Last fall, to help meet
higher-than-expected demand
from charter customers in Brazil,
India, China, Russia, and other
European countries, the Swiss
company placed a $7.8 billion
order with Bombardier, whose
aircraft make up the entirety of
VistaJet’s feet.
The deal includes frm orders
for 25 Global 5000 and 25 Global
6000 ultralong-range jets and six
Global 8000 jets. The order also
includes options for 86 additional
Global aircraft. The new Global
5000 and 6000 jets are expected
to enter the VistaJet feet next
year; Bombardier expects the
Global 8000 to enter service in
2017. The performance and
design goals for the Global 8000
include a range of approximately
9,000 miles, a top speed
approaching 600 mph, and a
capacity of 19 passengers. In June,
VistaJet placed another order with
Bombardier, worth roughly
$1 billion, for 20 of its forthcoming
Challenger 350 jets (with options
for 20 more). Bombardier expects
to begin delivering these jets by
the middle of next year. The new
Challenger and Global jets will
signifcantly increase the size and
capabilities of VistaJet’s current
feet of 50 aircraft, which includes
Bombardier’s Challenger 605 and
Challenger 850 large-cabin jets as
well as Global 6000s.
While VistaJet does not ofer
point-to-point charter fights
within the Unites States, it does
ofer on-demand charter to this
country from just about anywhere
in the world. VistaJet is also
Flexjet’s partner for when Flexjet
clients travel globally.
+44.207.0605.700,
www.vistajet.com
flexJet ✪ The Bombardier-
owned provider of fractional
shares, jet cards, whole aircraft
ownership and management, and
on-demand charter will be the
launch customer for the midsize
Learjet 85, which is expected to
enter service next summer. Flexjet
will also be the launch customer
for the light-midsize Learjet 75,
and it plans to add the light-
category Learjet 70 to its feet;
Learjet expects both of those
models to enter service this year.
Flexjet, which reported an 83
percent growth in business this
year, recently placed an order for
two Bombardier Challenger 350
super-midsize jets. The company
currently has nearly 80 aircraft in
its feet.
888.275.8204, www.flexjet.com
set to lauNCh
flexjet will Be tHe
laUNcH cUstomeR
foR tHe miDsiZe
leaRjet 85.
◗
DoubliNg up
jetsUite’s fleet Now
iNclUDes tHe emBRaeR
pHeNom 100 aND
cessNa citatioN cj3.
◗
48 tivv tanits ntucksa kcuksui� �i�t�avii� 3��� ����
Last summer, the Kansas City, Mo.–based fractional-share and jet-card provider
executive Airshare (www.execairshare.com) added a fractional-leasing option
for its fl eet of Embraer Phenom 100 entry-level jets, Phenom 300 light jets, and
Beechcraft King Air twin-engine turboprops.…
sentient Jet (www.sentient.com)—the Braintree, Mass.–based charter
provider owned by Directional Aviation Capital, which also owns Flight
Options and Nextant Aerospace—updated its jet-card program late last year.
In 25-hour increments, the program o� ers pricing with hourly and fuel rates
that are fi xed for a one-year period.…
Last December, the charter provider and aircraft management fi rm excelAire
(www.excelaire.com), which operates FBOs in Chicago, New Orleans, and at its
headquarters in Long Island, N.Y., began o� ering a private-jet-transfer service
for commercial passengers traveling in the United States after landing at the
John F. Kennedy International and Newark Liberty International airports.…
Switzerland-based Jet Aviation (www.jetaviation.com) manages and
operates an international fl eet of more than 200 aircraft. In May, the company
announced that it had added three new aircraft that are available for charter: a
Europe-based Dassault Falcon 900EX large-cabin jet and United States–based
large-cabin, long-range Bombardier Challenger 604 and Global 5000 jets.…
Delta Private Jets (www.deltaprivatejets.com), a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines
that was founded in 1984, introduced a fractional jet card last year, adding to
the company’s traditional jet-card and charter services. For a minimum
up-front purchase price of $25,000 and a $2,500 annual surcharge, fractional-
card owners are guaranteed fi xed rates for one year with no fuel charges or
other fees, and they can use their cards’ funds for Delta commercial fl ights.…
This summer, Quincy, Mass.–based charter broker and jet-card provider
Magellan Jets (www.magellanjets.com) began o� ering helicopter fl ights to
and from New York and the Hamptons. Also, the company recently acquired
California-based broker SkyBridge Private Air, thus giving Magellan’s charter
clients access to an additional 2,000 aircraft.…
The Van Nuys, Calif.–based charter broker Jet edge International
(www.fl yjetedge.com) has added a handful of jets to the 70-plus aircraft that
its clients could already access, including Gulfstream GIV and GV ultralong-
range jets. In May of last year, the company entered XOJet’s Premier Partner
Network, and it has become the exclusive U.S. operator for the aircraft of
Hong Kong–based charter provider Asia Jet.…
Launched last summer, Clear Jet (www.clearjet.net) is an online network of
top-safety-rated charter operators, which allows travelers to view quotes
from multiple operators and book fl ights directly—and anonymously. Clear
Jet members pay a fl at fee of $499 per booking in addition to the cost of the
fl ight, which is paid to the aircraft operator.
altituDe
aDjustments
Irvine, Calif.–based jetsuite
(www.jetsuite.com), which launched
in 2009, o� ers on-demand charter
and a membership program. JetSuite
initially limited its service area to the
western United States and later added
Texas, an approach that helped keep
its prices competitive when coupled
with its fl eet of fuel-e� cient four-
passenger Embraer Phenom 100 jets.
Last November, JetSuite expanded its
services to the East Coast, o� ering
fl ights aboard its new six-passenger
Cessna Citation CJ3 light jets. JetSuite
provides complimentary wireless
Internet access aboard all 28 aircraft
in its fl eet.…
According to members of Robb
Report’s Private Aviation Advisory
Board, bias against single-engine
turboprops has diminished in recent
years. This shift has helped bolster
planesense (www.planesense.com), a
fractional-share provider operating a
fl eet of 30 Pilatus PC-12 single-
engine turboprops out of
Portsmouth, N.H. Last July, the
company began o� ering fractional
shares in 50- or 70-hour annual
blocks of time. Also, through its new
Residual Value Assurance program,
PlaneSense now gives its customers
a safety net on the share value after
fi ve, seven, or 10 years from the start
of the contract, should the owner
wish to sell at those times.…
Xojet (www.xojet.com), a San
Francisco–based provider of
on-demand and membership-based
charter, has partnered with Travel
Management Corporation (TMC). The
deal grants XOJet customers access
to the 36 Hawker 400XP light jets
and 31 Hawker 800XP midsize jets in
the TMC fl eet. XOJet, which owns
and operates its fl eet of 28 Cessna
Citation X and 16 Bombardier
Challenger 300 super-midsize jets, is
adding new programs, including
fi xed-price options for holiday and
summer travel.
aCross the airWaves
fl ight plans
fall 2013 eptt eivpea vens�ai �sn�anpu cpke�itpp� 49
ON THE APPROACH
THE LONG-AwAITED
$4.5 MILLION HONDAJET
IS EXPECTED TO ENTER
SERVICE IN LATE 2014.
◗
Three new personal jets, a prop plane that can
be towed by an SUV, and another that can be driven
like a car are nearing—or nearer to—arrival.
NUMBER OF HIGHLY anticipated personal aircraft appear
to have survived the recession and are moving through their
certi� cation processes and toward production. Two personal
jets (formerly known as very light jets), the HondaJet and the
Eclipse 550, are almost ready to enter service. A third, Cirrus’
Vision SF50, has been revived by the company’s new
Chinese owner. And as Southern California’s Icon Aircraft
readies its A5, a towable recreational airplane with folding
wings, across the country, in Massachusetts, another start-
up company prepares to produce what has long been
only a science-� ction fantasy: a fi ying car. ➞
�faa l201 �roo �ber�p e�ti�pb �it�ptrv nrs�uborrc 51
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
THE HONDA AIRCRAFT
COMPANY HAS BUILT
SIX FAA-CONFORMING
HONDAJETS TO DATE.
◗
pilot delights
HONdAJET ◗ The HondaJet is
the shining hope of the personal-
jet industry. It has been in the
works since 1997, and with the
backing of one of the world’s
largest carmakers, the $4.5 million
aircraft has steadily progressed
through development, prototype
production, and certifi cation.
The plane’s manufacturer,
Honda Aircraft Company, a
subsidiary of the Japanese
automotive giant, was founded in
2006—though Honda’s research
and development into aerospace
began as early as the mid 1980s.
The company is headquartered in
Greensboro, N.C., where it
employs more than 800 workers.
Honda has produced six FAA-
conforming examples of the
aircraft for the purpose of fl ight
and structural testing. In May, the
latest HondaJet, which is outfi tted
with the same cabin appointments
as future production aircraft,
completed its fi rst fl ight.
About this time last year, Honda
was expecting to begin deliveries
as early as this fall. However,
during recent 150-hour block
endurance testing of the GE
Honda HF120 turbofan engine
that powers the aircraft, an
unspecifi ed issue occurred with a
bolted joint within the engine’s
accessory gearbox. The engine’s
manufacturer, GE Honda Aero—
a partnership between Honda and
General Electric’s aviation
branch—modifi ed the engine
slightly and successfully completed
the 150-hour block endurance
test in April. GE Honda Aero
anticipates engine type certifi cation
by the end of this year. This
setback will delay the aircraft’s
FAA certifi cation until late next
year; deliveries are expected to
follow shortly thereafter.
The HondaJet is equipped with
two of the powerful GE Honda
HF120 engines, which are
mounted above the wings. (The jet
has a nearly 40-foot wingspan.)
Together, the engines produce
4,100 pounds of thrust that takes
the aircraft to its 43,000-foot fl ight
ceiling—2,000 feet higher than
that of the Cessna Citation
Mustang and Embraer Phenom
100 entry-level jets, and at a
considerably faster climb rate.
Honda says that the jet has 15 to
20 percent better fuel e� ciency
than other aircraft in the category.
It cruises at 483 mph and has a
range of approximately 1,350 miles.
In the standard confi guration, the
HondaJet seats four passengers in
a cabin that is 5 feet wide, 4.8 feet
tall, and 12.1 feet long; an
optional side-facing seat can be
added. The two-seat cockpit can
be operated by a single pilot,
thanks to the Garmin G3000
touchscreen avionics suite.
Perhaps the most notable amenity
of the jet’s interior is its standard
lavatory, which has a sink, a
vanity, and a solid pocket door,
and can be serviced from outside
the cabin.
While the jet’s certifi cation
process continues, Honda has
begun building a $20 million
customer-service facility at its
headquarters at North Carolina’s
Piedmont Triad International
Airport. The company has
received more than 100 orders for
the aircraft. —�al��� �. �ar�arb
HONDA AIRCRAFT COMPANY,
336.662.0246, HONDAJET.HONDA.COM
COzy CABIN
THE HONDAJET SEATS
FOUR PASSENGERS IN A
CLUB CONFIGURATION.
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pilot delights
�a22 ���� rs�� r�usrc ur�kac� ak�ac�so �s�r���ss� 53
TAKING CONTROL
THE FOUR-SEAT CABIN’S
ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM
CAN BE CONTROLLED
USING AN IPAD.
◗
UP THE JET STREAM
THE ECLIPSE 550 IS AN
ENHANCED VERSION
OF THE ORIGINAL
ECLIPSE 500 JET.
◗
pilot delights
‘‘’’THE ECLIPSE JET
FITS EXACTLY
WHAT I NEEd. [IT
LETS ME] BE IN
SOUTH FLORIdA,
NEW YORK, OR
CHICAGO VERY
RAPIdLY.
—MarK tate,eclipse 500 pilot
ECLIPSE 550 ◗ Eclipse
Aerospace plans to deliver the
fi rst Eclipse 550 this fall. The
Albuquerque, N.M.–based
manufacturer has spent the last
several years servicing the fl eet of
260 Eclipse 500 jets that were
delivered before the original
company, Eclipse Aviation,
declared bankruptcy in 2008.
The Eclipse 550 is an enhanced
version of the 500. It features
auto-throttle (which conserves
fuel and reduces pilot workload),
an iPad-compatible entertainment
system for the cabin, more choices
for avionics (including synthetic
vision), and an extended three-
year warranty. The 550 has a range
of 1,300 miles while cruising at
430 mph and burning less than 60
gallons of fuel per hour. It seats as
many as four passengers in the
cabin and has two seats in the
cockpit, including one for the pilot.
Eclipse Aerospace CEO Mason
Holland, who brought the original
company out of bankruptcy with
a group of investors in 2009, says
he expects to deliver 30 to 40 jets
by the end of 2014. According to
Holland, the Eclipse jets in service
have proven popular with business
owners, who use them for both
work-related and personal travel.
Mark Tate, who owns a law
fi rm in Savannah, Ga., fl ies an
Eclipse 500 jet from the original
fl eet and has placed an order for a
new 550, which has a starting
price of $2.9 million. “The
Eclipse jet really was the absolute
right jet for me and my law fi rm’s
needs,” says Tate. “This plane
makes it so I can be in south
Florida, Washington, D.C., New
York, or Chicago very rapidly.”
In addition to enjoying the
convenience of fl ying on their
own schedules, Tate and other
Eclipse jet owner-operators have
access to smaller airports that
often are closer to their destinations
than the larger airports that
accommodate commercial fl ights.
Tate says that wasting time on
travel is wasting money, especially
for a lawyer. “I think I’m far more
e� cient in terms of servicing our
clients,” he says. “The Eclipse jet
fi ts exactly what I need.” The 550’s
upgrades and new warranty
convinced Tate to trade up.
Holland says the Federal
Aviation Administration recently
upgraded the service life of the
Eclipse 500’s engine to 20,000
cycles (a takeo� and landing is one
cycle), giving it an average lifespan
of 50 years. “That shows a lot of
confi dence in the structure of the
aircraft,” notes Holland, whose
company is building the new jets
with a patented process called
“friction stir welding,” which
eliminates the use of rivets to fasten
the components of the airframe
and thus enhances the plane’s
structural strength.a —l��� ���r�
ECLIPSE AEROSPACE, 877.375.7978,
WWW.ECLIPSEAEROSPACE.NETOP
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UNIQUE VISION
THE VISION SF50
FEATURES A V-SHAPED
TAIL AND A SINGLE
REAR-FACING ENGINE.
◗
CIrrUS VISION SF50 ✪ For
pilots, the leap from propeller
airplanes to jets can be daunting.
The single-engine Vision SF50,
the debut jet from Cirrus Aircraft,
is designed to make that move
more manageable. “We designed
the airplane to be a step up for
our SR22 owners,” says Dale
Klapmeier, Cirrus’ cofounder and
CEO. “It goes faster, flies higher,
flies farther, and carries more than
our current airplane.”
The Vision SF50 seats five
people including a pilot (two
additional seats are available for
children or small adults) and will
cruise at about 345 mph for as far
as 1,150 miles. The placement of
the engine aft on top of the
fuselage creates space for a large
luggage compartment and a
roomy cabin. The design also
allows for engine noise to be
carried back and away from the
passenger area, making for a very
quiet jet.
“We didn’t try to compete with
all the other jets out there,” says
Klapmeier. “We wanted to create
what will be the next airplane
that our customers want.” The
company has received more than
550 orders for the $2 million
A FAMILY AFFAIr
THE JET’S CABIN CAN
BE EQUIPPED WITH
TWO ADDITIONAL
SEATS FOR CHILDREN.
◗
pilot delights
56 robb report private aviation sourcebook fall 2013
aircraft. Many of the orders have
come from current Cirrus
owners, and the � rst were
received as early as 2006. “So
they’ve [Cirrus owners] been
patiently holding on to the
dream,” says Klapmeier.
The aircraft’s progress stalled
during the recession and did not
resume in earnest until April,
when CAIGA, the Chinese
aviation company that acquired
Cirrus in 2011, agreed to cover all
the costs for the Vision jet
through certi� cation and initial
production. Since then, Cirrus,
which is based in Duluth, Minn.,
has been moving forward at a
steady pace, setting up the
production line and developing a
training program for pilots.
Klapmeier says he now expects to
deliver the � rst Vision jets to
customers by the end of 2015.fi
One of those in line is Michael
Marto, a business owner based in
Atlanta who currently fl ies a
� fth-generation SR22 up and
down the East Coast for work.
He owns a fractional share in the
SR22, which is professionally
managed, but he is looking
forward to taking delivery of his
own Vision jet sometime in 2016.
Marto says that he considered
other options, from turboprops to
small twin-engine jets, but
ultimately decided that the cost
and performance of the Vision jet
would best suit his needs. His
long-term relationship with
Cirrus also was an infl uence. “I
love the culture at Cirrus. They’re
passionate about aviation,” says
Marto, also noting Cirrus’ record
for innovation and safety. “I felt
like they were the solid bet.”
—�.�.
CIRRUS AIRCRAFT, 800.279.4322,
WWW.CIRRUSAIRCRAFT.COM
al22 013� obee optboi tovn�ip �nv�ivbs ubcokpebb� 57
The A5 is relatively easy to �y.
The pilot seat and copilot seat are
each equipped with a joystick that
controls pitch and roll, and rudder
pedals that control the yaw.
Analog gauges on the uncluttered
instrument panel in the pilot-side
dash display airspeed, angle of
attack, and fuel level, among other
readings. The center dash houses a
removable GPS display, digital
displays for the radio and
transponder, knobs for cabin
heating, and switches for adjusting
the trim, raising and lowering the
landing gear, and other functions.
Obtaining the sport-pilot license
required to operate the A5 takes
only 20 hours of �ight training
compared to 40 hours for a
private-pilot license. Sport pilots
are limited to �ying at sub-10,000-
foot altitudes (or within 2,000 feet
of the ground above 10,000 feet),
during the day, in clear weather,
and in uncongested airspace.
For safety, the A5 is available
with an optional airframe
parachute. Also for safety, the A5’s
ICON A5 ✪ Icon Aircraft’s debut
model is primed to jump-start a
new segment of the recreational-
aircraft industry. The 23-foot-long,
7.1-foot-tall amphibious light-
sport aircraft (LSA)—a category
that the Federal Aviation
Administration created in 2004—
features wings that tilt vertically
and fold �at against the side of the
fuselage, reducing the plane’s
width from 34 feet to 8.5 feet.
The aircraft can then be towed
behind an SUV or a pickup truck
on a specially designed towing
trailer, much like those used to
tow ski boats.
With a range of 345 miles and
room for 60 pounds of luggage,
the two-seat A5 is ideal for
weekend getaways. The 100 hp
piston engine, which is mounted
to the rear of the carbon-flber
airframe and faces backward, takes
aviation or automotive fuel. The
engine enables a top speed of 120
mph. Equipped with retractable
landing gear, the A5 can operate
from Lake Tahoe, Calif.; Flathead
Lake, Mont.; and other bodies of
water where seaplanes are allowed.
Icon has received nearly 1,000
orders for the A5, which has a base
price of $139,000. Those orders
have created a production backlog
of about three years. To help with
production, Icon, which is
headquartered in Los Angeles, has
partnered with Cirrus Aircraft,
calling on its composite
manufacturing expertise to produce
the A5’s airframe components at
Cirrus’ North Dakota factory.
And in June, Icon announced that
it had raised about $60 million in
investment capital, which,
according to the company, will take
it through full-scale production.
wing is designed with a cu�ed
leading edge and other
aerodynamic features that can help
the pilot maintain control of the
plane during an unintentional
engine stall and prevent the aircraft
from entering a spin. This spin-
resistant wing design is a recent
alteration to the A5, and it
increases the plane’s weight to 250
pounds over the FAA’s 1,430-
pound limit for LSAs. Icon CEO
Kirk Hawkins says he is confldent
that the FAA will grant the
company’s request for a weight
exception, but as of July, the agency
had yet to respond. Consequently,
though Icon has a plan in place for
either outcome, deliveries of the
aircraft have been delayed until at
least spring of next year. —�.a.�.
ICON AIRCRAFT, 424.201.3500,
WWW.ICONAIRCRAFT.COM
WATER WINGS
WITH RETRACTABLE
LANDING GEAR, THE A5
CAN OPERATE FROM
LAND OR WATER.
◗
pilot delights
58 ���� �����r ��ober� eboero�p a�t�i����v fall 2013
Featuring
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TERRAfUGIA TRANSITION
◗ Like the jetpack, the fiying car
is part of a future that was
supposed to have arrived already.
At Terrafugia, that future is now.
The company’s prototype
Transition achieves 35 mpg on the
road and fiies with a cruising
speed of about 100 mph and a
range of about 400 miles. It is
equipped with wings that unfold
automatically and has a separate
steering wheel and control stick.
Terrafugia, a company that was
founded in 2006 and is based in
Woburn, Mass., has been inching
the vehicle through a double-
certiflcation process that requires it
to meet the Federal Aviation
Administration’s aircraft regulations
and the National Highway Tra�c
Safety Administration’s motor
vehicle safety standards.�
Terrafugia is currently test-
fiying the second Transition
prototype and has begun designing
a third. The company also has
plans to build fuselage structures
for NHTSA crash testing. CEO
Carl Dietrich says that, depending
on how the testing goes, deliver-
ies of the Transition could begin
as early as 2015.
Terrafugia has received more
than 100 orders for the $279,000
Transition. Orders require a
$10,000 refundable deposit. “As
we’ve gotten further into the details
of what’s required to bring this
product to market, our customers
have stuck with us, and so have our
investors,” says Dietrich. “Despite
the challenges we’ve had along the
way, we really are getting close.”
Butch Weaver, of Pagosa Springs,
Colo., has placed a deposit on a
Transition, and he has invested in
Terrafugia. “I have several aircraft,
and what appeals to me about the
Transition is the gee-whiz factor,”
he says. “That idea of being able to
both fiy and drive is just
completely fascinating to me.”
Weaver says he looks forward to
using the airplane for weekend
trips, to fiy into small airports and
then drive oa to explore the local
areas. For longer fiights, he says, he
looks forward to having the option
of landing and driving if faced
with bad weather, instead of
having to land and wait out the
storms. “I think that makes a huge
safety diaerence,” he says.
Terrafugia recently released a
design concept for its next-
generation fiying car, the TF-X,
which, Dietrich says, will feature
highly automated capabilities that
could dramatically improve safety
for personal aviation. “If we can
say fiying this airplane is safer
than driving your car, that’s huge.”
—l.�.
TERRAFUGIA, 781.491.0812,
www.TERRAFUGIA.COM
‘‘’’wHAT APPEALS TO
ME ABOUT THE
TRANSITION IS
THE GEE-wHIz
fACTOR. THAT
IdEA Of BEING
ABLE TO BOTH fLy
ANd dRIvE IS JUST
fASCINATING.
—butch weaver,future transition
owner-pilot
LOOKING AHEAd
DELIVERIES OF THE
TRANSITION COULD
BEGIN AS EARLY AS 2015.
�
pilot delights
60 ��rr �ob��e b�ptieo itpiep�v n�s�uor��c fall 2013
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• Innovative auto throttles that reduce pilot workload
• Advanced aerodynamic winglets for increased ef ciency
• Five-year tip-to-tail all-inclusive maintenance package that delivers the lowest
operating cost in its class
© 2013 XOJET is a registered trademark of XOJET Inc.
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