Top 5 private jets owned by Chinese billionaires
The luxury aircraft, costing from 30 million yuan to 500 million yuan, offer facilities including conference and dining rooms, lounges, showers and ‘VIP’ bedrooms
Some 297 business jets were registered in mainland China at the end of last year, up 16 per cent from a year ago, according to Asian Sky Group, the Hong Kong-based aviation consultants.
The growth, though slower than the 26.7 per cent surge in 2013, underscores the unbridled enthusiasm of mainland billionaires for status symbols, despite President Xi Jinping’s ongoing anti-corruption and austerity drive.
The most recent ‘Business Jets and Hurun China Rich List’, published by Hurun Report this month, said 28 of the top 100 wealthiest people on the mainland owned a total of 41 private jets. The jets cost between 30 million yuan (HK$38 million) and 500 million yuan.
Here are the five most popular:
1. GULFSTREAM 550 (pictured above)
Owned by: Li Hejun, chairman of Hanergy; Wang Jianlin, chairman of Dalian Wanda; Jack Ma Yun, chairman of Alibaba and Li Yanhong, chairman and chief executive of Baidu.
Features: Two BMW/Rolls-Royce engines that provide 15,385lbs of thrust each. Accommodates 19 passengers. Full lavatory with shower, conference/dining room, multiple work stations, and a crew rest area. Cabin space: 43 feet long, 6.2 feet high, 7.3 feet wide.
2. GULFSTREAM 450
Owned by: Luo Shaoyu, chairman of Chongqing Doyen Industry Holdings; He Xiangjian, founder of Midea and Xu Jiayin, chairman of Evergrande Real Estate.
Features: Rolls-Royce engines that provide 13,850 lbs of thrust each. Flies 14 to 18 passengers. Cabin space: 45 feet long, 6.2 feet high, 7.3 feet wide.
3. BOMBARDIER GLOBAL EXPRESS XRS
Owned by: Liang Wengen, chairman of Sany Heavy Industry; Song Zuowen, president of Nanshan, and his family.
Features: Two Rolls-Royce engines, 14,750 lbs of thrust each. Cabin space: 48 feet long, 6 feet high, 8 feet wide.
4. DASSAULT FALCON 7X
Owned by: Guo Guangchang, chairman of Fosun International; Yuan Yafei, chairman of Sanpower.
Features: Three Pratt & Whitney Canada 307A engines, 6,400 lbs of thrust each. Four large-format LCD screens and integrated navigation functions. Cabin space: 39.1 feet long, 6.2 feet high, 7.8 feet wide.
5. BOEING BBJ
Owned by: Xu Jiayin, chairman of Evergrande Real Estate; Song Zuowen, president of Nanshan, and his family.
Features: Two CFM International turbofan engines, 27,300 lbs of thrust each. Board room, lounge, VIP bedroom, business office, and two lavatories with showers. Cabin space: 79.2 feet long, 7.1 feet high, 11.6 feet wide.
