HAWKER BEECHCRAFT PREMIER I IA

• Passengers 6

The Hawker Beechcraft Premier I and IA offer a unique stand-up cabin and one of the most spacious interiors in the light jet market.

About this aircraft

• The original Premier I was first announced in 1995 and delivered in 2001, while the upgraded Premier IA was introduced in 2006.
• Both aircraft are typically laid out to accommodate up to six passengers, with an additional seat in the enclosed lavatory if required. One passenger can be seated in the cockpit with a single pilot if the aircraft is owned, but not with a charter.
• With two passengers, the Premier I and IA can fly around 2,222 kilometres. At full capacity, they can fly non-stop from London to Ibiza.
• The baggage hold on both aircraft is large enough for four suitcases and can also carry golf and ski equipment.
• Deliveries of the Premier I ceased in 2005, while production of the IA ended in 2011.

The Beechcraft Premier I and IA are comfortable and efficient business jets, offering superior cruise speeds and one of the largest cabins in their class.

Interior design

The Hawker Beechcraft Premier I and IA’s spacious cabin measures 5.5 ft wide, 5.4 ft tall and 13.6 ft long. The interior is usually configured with four seats in a club formation separated by fold-away tables, plus two forward-facing seats at the rear. There’s a small galley for cold refreshments at the front and a rear enclosed lavatory.

Below is an example of a typical configuration found onboard the Hawker Beechcraft Premier I and IA:

Interesting facts to learn before you fly

• The Premier I and IA’s composite construction yields a fuselage with 15% more interior volume that’s 20% lighter and up to three times stronger than comparable aluminium structures.
• The cabin is substantially wider and taller than anything else in this class.
• The Premier I and IA can fly from London to Nice in about 1 hour and 40 minutes.
• According to Beechcraft, the I and IA’s direct operating cost is 11% per nautical mile lower than a Cessna Citation CJ2+.
• Their baggage hold is large enough for several golf bags.

Technological features

All Premiers feature Rockwell Collins ProLine 21 glass-panel avionics. Williams International high-efficiency FJ44-2A turbofan engines propel the aircraft to 41,000 feet in just 23 minutes, burning around 130 gallons an hour in total while cruising at 518 mph.

History

The Premier I was the first business jet designed from the wheels up by Raytheon/Hawker Beechcraft. Announced in 1995, the aircraft made its inaugural flight in 1998 and deliveries started in 2001. The upgraded IA was introduced in 2006.

The I and the IA look virtually identical from the outside and are fitted with the same engines. However, the IA ironed out minor internal issues with the original, as well as introducing newer interior amenities and technology. Production of the Premier IA ended in 2011.

Manufacturer

British aircraft manufacturer Hawker was co-founded by aviation pioneer Harry Hawker in 1920, later merging with engineering group Armstrong Siddeley to form Hawker Siddeley. The company’s famous Hawker Hurricane fighter plane formed a key part of Britain's front-line defence in the Battle of Britain during the Second World War.

The brand’s 125 series is among the most successful British commercial aircraft ever built. Initially developed by de Havilland as the DH.125 Jet Dragon, it entered production as the Hawker Siddeley HS.125 in 1964 and underwent several more reincarnations over the years; such as the Beechcraft Hawker BH.125 and the BAe 125, when Hawker Siddeley merged with the British Aircraft Corporation to form British Aerospace. Later variants included the Hawker 700 and Hawker 800.

British Aerospace sold its business jets division to Raytheon in 1993, which went on to sell its aircraft manufacturing business to Hawker Beechcraft, a company formed and controlled by GS Capital Partners and Onex Partners of Canada. Hawker Beechcraft went bankrupt in 2012 and relaunched as Beechcraft, now owned by Textron Aviation, which discontinued production of Hawker aircraft but continues to offer parts and engineering for existing planes.

Cost

A Hawker Beechcraft Premier I can cost as little as $1.5 million (USD), while the average price of a used Premier IA is around $2.6 million.

Charter rates

Charter rates for the Hawker Beechcraft Premier I and IA vary depending on the length of your journey and the airports you’re flying in and out of.

If you’d like to charter a Hawker Beechcraft Premier I or IA, contact our team for a quote today. For information on other charter options, browse our list of available private aircraft.

Wet lease rates

ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) wet lease rates for the Hawker Beechcraft Premier I and IA vary depending on the age of the aircraft, lease term length, number of guaranteed block hours and average cycle ratio. Contact us for a personalised quote.