[cmeisenzahl]

The superrich are increasingly buying widebody planes, remodeled to their own preferences for luxurious living aloft.






"Think a luxuriously appointed private Gulfstream or Lear jet is the ultimate way to fly? Not any more. Increasingly, the world's superrich are buying big, big planes -- the same kind of widebody Boeing (BA) and Airbus jets the airlines use on long-haul flights -- and outfitting them with everything from his-and-hers bathrooms to onboard movie theaters. "Private jets are becoming flying apartments," says Jacques Pierrejean, a French designer who specializes in aircraft interiors.

These airborne penthouses cost plenty. New widebodies, such as the Airbus A340 and the Boeing 777, list for well over $100 million. Even the oldest secondhand widebodies cost at least $10 million. A customized interior adds $25 million to $30 million, says Edése Doret, a New York-based designer who has outfitted several big planes for private use."

Penthouses at 30,000 Feet

[turtle777]

Penthouse ? I see no bunnies.

No, wait, nevermind.

-t

[Peter]

Pierrejean has done preliminary designs for a wealthy Middle Eastern client who wants to buy an A380 for personal use

Dude.

[imitchellg5]

That is pretty dumb. I can't imagine spending that much money on anything, much less an airplane to fly around in. I could imagine a Lear or Gulfstream, but a 777?!

[Nicko]

Originally Posted by imitchellg5 

That is pretty dumb. I can't imagine spending that much money on anything, much less an airplane to fly around in. I could imagine a Lear or Gulfstream, but a 777?!

But see, if you're that rich, nothing you do is dumb.

[kick52]

super nice!

[rickey939]

Impressive.

[SpaceMonkey]

You totally don't even need to spend that much for a groovy custom widebody:



Do I make you horny, baby?

[]

And here I thought my uncle's Lear 25 was nice.

[Doofy]

That first pic is proof that money can't buy taste.

[analogika]

As always, the real problem is that individual parts of it are actually quite nice. It's the mixture of throwing together everything that's expensive that betrays a complete lack of taste.

A common problem among people with too much money, from what I've seen.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by analogika 

As always, the real problem is that individual parts of it are actually quite nice. It's the mixture of throwing together everything that's expensive that betrays a complete lack of taste.

A common problem among people with too much money, from what I've seen.

I actually don't even like any of the individual pieces in the first pic - not my cup of tea but I can see how they'd be OK for someone who liked that kind of thing. But yep, I completely concur with your observation. It's like how rich Swiss women get ready for a night out: Just fill the bath with all the available jewellery, dive in and go out in whatever sticks.

[analogika]

I rather like the chairs. And they'd go okay with the TV, which is somewhat overbearing, though - especially in combination with everything else, which is also somewhat overbearing, and *doesn't* go with the chairs.

I also kind of like the golden ceiling. Just not in combination with anything else in there.

[The Godfather]

Good thing there's inheritance tax, or else her children would get the same stuff.

[JoshuaZ]

Ewwww... I mean. Seriously. "Hey, lets have a party on my pimped out plane." That does not sound fun. What if your friends have a fear of flying?

[turtle777]

All those rooms definitely need more hamster wheels

-t

[ShortcutToMoncton]

Originally Posted by The Godfather 

Good thing there's inheritance tax, or else her children would get the same stuff.

Is there an inheritance tax in the States/where you're from? I don't think there is in Canada. Of course, using trusts is the rage to get out of that situation now anyway....

greg

[d4nth3m4n]

Originally Posted by what_the_heck 

Penthouse ? I see no bunnies.

No, wait, nevermind.

-t

not bunnies, pets.

[Sky Captain]

Originally Posted by The Godfather 

Good thing there's inheritance tax, or else her children would get the same stuff.

There are ways around the inheritance tax BTW.

[tooki]

Originally Posted by Doofy 

It's like how rich Swiss women get ready for a night out: Just fill the bath with all the available jewellery, dive in and go out in whatever sticks.

Not at all. The Swiss -- especially the rich -- have fantastic taste. What you described is a nouveau-riche American.

(I'm in Switzerland right now visiting family, so my comment is very a propos!)

tooki

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by tooki 

Not at all. The Swiss -- especially the rich -- have fantastic taste. What you described is a nouveau-riche American.

I have to agree. I lived in Switzerland for a year. The people are in general very well dressed and have good taste. It was almost unreal for me in contrast, considering that I lived 10 years in Berlin before that. Like day and night.

-t

[shabbasuraj]

Rich people.

[Rumor]

Originally Posted by JoshuaZ 

Ewwww... I mean. Seriously. "Hey, lets have a party on my pimped out plane." That does not sound fun. What if your friends have a fear of flying?

What if someone slipped the pilot a mickey?

[Rumor]

I'd much rather spend $100 million + on a ship.

[Seattle]

If you buy one of these big jets Doesn’t it limit the number of airports you can go to? Why buy such a big plane if it cannot get you very close to where you want to go.

[laieboy]

That's what the smaller jets are for.

[tooki]

Originally Posted by Seattle 

If you buy one of these big jets Doesn’t it limit the number of airports you can go to? Why buy such a big plane if it cannot get you very close to where you want to go.

Umm, last time I checked, large airplanes landed all over the world.

Moreover, most jumbo jets don't need that much runway length. Much longer than a puddle jumper, for sure, but still most regional and local airports can handle them, since large jets are also used for cargo, and the fact that small airports are essentially the backup airports for emergency landings.

tooki

[marden]

To those commenting on the lack of good taste exhibited in the decor in the photos. consider this: It MIGHT be a ploy to get the little woman (or the little woman in each of us) energized to make the decor tasteful. Engaging people on that level is like assuming the sale, I'd guess. Once they start telling the sales rep about the ugly decor that indicates they are beginning to care about it. To take a mental ownership stake.

The sale might be then just be a formality.

But then again it might appeal to Arab tastes.

Who knows?

It reminds me of early 1970's styling that they used in illustrating what 747's would be like with the sky lounges and hostesses tending bar and ascot wearing gents looking suave as they drank their cocktail while amiably chatting with the Afro-American chap with the dashiki or would that have been the Indian fellow wearing the Nehru suit?

[Gamoe]

All this luxury, but we still haven't got our affordable, personal, 4-person seater hovercrafts. For shame!!

[macroy]

Originally Posted by Seattle 

If you buy one of these big jets Doesn’t it limit the number of airports you can go to? Why buy such a big plane if it cannot get you very close to where you want to go.

From Boeing:

The 777 and the 767-400ER share the same wheels, tires and brakes. The Longer-range 777s share a new and improved gear. Because of its longer length, the 777-300ER uses a new semi-levered gear, which allows it to take off from fields with a limited runway length

I've no clue how a gear will allow you take off faster....

nontheless - I think the smaller airports limitations is more on accompanying the passergers ... and not the planes (to a certain extent of course). But I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong.

Also - if you're that rich, the only place you'd go would be the big cities . Otherwise, you'd have your helicopter waiting for you for the other destinations.

[Sky Captain]

It's takeoff run has to do with it's GTW or gross takeoff weight.
The lighter the plane, the less runway it will need.
But a 777 will still need better than 4000' and 100' wide to operate.

Affordabe personal hovercraft?
They're called helicopters.
And an affordabel one is $300,000.
People can't even change the oil in their car, much less maintain a flying machine.
Flying should be left to pilots and not the average Joe.

[Gamoe]

Originally Posted by Sky Captain 

Affordabe personal hovercraft?
They're called helicopters.
And an affordabel one is $300,000.
People can't even change the oil in their car, much less maintain a flying machine.
Flying should be left to pilots and not the average Joe.

$300,000 is not affordable. Though some hovercrafts can fly, others merely hover above ground a few inches. Also, computer automation could handle complex hovercraft "skyways". And I don't see why maintaining one would be much more difficult than a car.

[Sparkletron]

Originally Posted by The Godfather 

Good thing there's inheritance tax, or else her children would get the same stuff.

You're using archaic terminology; the Republicans renamed it the "death tax" so that poor and middle class folks wouldn't object to Republican efforts to repeal it.

-S

[Sky Captain]

Originally Posted by Gabriel Morales 

$300,000 is not affordable. Though some hovercrafts can fly, others merely hover above ground a few inches. Also, computer automation could handle complex hovercraft "skyways". And I don't see why maintaining one would be much more difficult than a car.

An computer cannot compensate for a catostrophic failure.
I've had an AP disengage for no reason before.

And people won't maintain their cars now. What's gonna make them maintain a flying machine?
Unless they're governed under the rules of the FAA.

And a wheeled automobile is much more efficent than a propeller driven hovering machine.


Also, define affordable?
A new basic Cessna 172 is $175,000.

[Dakar²]

Originally Posted by Sky Captain 

A\And people won't maintain their cars now. What's gonna make them maintain a flying machine?

Bingo. If you're dumb and let your car run out of oil now, your engine seizes, you pull over and walk for help.

If you're in a poorly maintained flying machine and the engine fails... good luck.

[Rumor]

Originally Posted by Dakar² 

Bingo. If you're dumb and let your car run out of oil now, your engine seizes, you pull over and walk for help.

If you're in a poorly maintained flying machine and the engine fails... good luck.

Umm...

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally Posted by Gabriel Morales 

$300,000 is not affordable. Though some hovercrafts can fly, others merely hover above ground a few inches. Also, computer automation could handle complex hovercraft "skyways". And I don't see why maintaining one would be much more difficult than a car.

Maybe you should read up on hovercrafts. They are not exactly what you'd call maneuverable. Great for going in straight lines I guess :/

[Sky Captain]

Originally Posted by Rumor 

Umm...

And the falling missle that was once a flying machine? Where is it going?
And that parachute is only effective above a certain altitude.
Nothing like an engine failure at takeoff.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by Sky Captain 

And that parachute is only effective above a certain altitude.
Nothing like an angine failure at takeoff.

...And that's why I'm sticking to boats, thanks.

[zwiebel_]

Why not settle for a Lifelong Sam's Membership instead (Cessna Citation Mustang Light Jet included). They cut the price by $1 million. Good deal