One effect of the economic recovery has been a growing number of new choices for private-jet buyers. However slow the pace of that recovery, many aircraft makers are optimistic enough to bring brand-new models into their pipelines, and Canadian manufacturer Bombardier appears to be among the most sanguine members of the industry. It plans to begin deliveries of the ultralong-range Global 7000 and 8000 jets as early as 2016 and the super midsize Learjet 85 in 2013. Most recently, Bombardier introduced a pair of new light jets, the Learjet 70 and 75, which it expects to begin delivering as early as the first half of next year. [Read More]

Eclipse Aerospace has officially begun production of new versions of its Eclipse 550 ($TBA) personal jet. It features new computer systems, auto-throttles, and integrated avionics that offer synthetic vision, redundant flight-management systems, and terrain-proximity warnings, in addition to iPad compatibility. The approximately $2.7 million, twin-engine jet accommodates six people, can reach speeds up to 430 mph, and has a range of nearly 1,300 miles. Deliveries are scheduled for mid-2013, and Eclipse Aerospace plans to produce between 50 and 100 of the aircraft annually starting in 2014. [See More]

The Cessna Citation CJ4 entered service in late 2010 as an addition to the Wichita, Kansas, manufacturer’s Citation CJ line. At nearly $9 million, the CJ4 is about $1 million more expensive than its predecessor, but its improvements are dramatic. Cessna added nearly 2 feet to the length of the cabin to make room for an extra occupant. (The CJ4 seats as many as nine passengers.) It also increased the baggage capacity to 77 cubic feet and the payload to 2,010 pounds. Cessna equipped the CJ4 with a pair of more powerful Williams FJ44 engines, increasing the aircraft’s range to about 2,220 miles and the cruise speed to 520 mph. (316.517.6056, www.cessna.com) [Watch More]

On a recent sunny spring day in Los Angeles, I flew aboard one of the industry’s most innovative new aircraft, the P.180 Avanti II from Italian manufacturer Piaggio Aero, departing from Elite Aviation FBO (fixed-base operator) at Van Nuys Airport. The twin-engine turboprop, priced at roughly $7.5 million, is strikingly different in appearance to its counterparts.

Most immediately noticeable is its small forward wing at the nose, the rounded fuselage, and the rear-facing propellers, but each design component serves a specific purpose in improving the aircraft’s performance and passenger experience. [See & Read More]

There's no question that Michael Jordan's personalized plane—which was recently spotted on the tarmac at an airport in San Diego—is fly.

It's got a Carolina blue stripe, the numbers "6" and "23" inscribed onto the side of it, and the Jumpman logo featured prominently on the tail fin. [Read More]

When you're Donald Trump, you need to have a plane to match your larger-than-life personality. In this case, that plane is a 757. His new ride sits 43, has a 16-hour flying range and is powered by Rolls Royce engines. To give a bit of a comparison, a typical 757 seats 186 to 289 passengers and the seatbelts and other accessories are not 24k gold plated. (Shocker, we know.) Other notable features?

A 57" TV in the "media room", a DVD storage system of 1,000 movies, Trump's personal DVR, a private master suite for Trump and a guest suite with a full bed, bathroom and more. According to BTJ Online, Trump selected the aircraft because he "always felt the [Boeing] 757 was the best looking of all the commercial planes."

The plane is about twice the size of his 727 and, although he's not disclosing price, rumor is the plane was bought for around $100 million from Microsoft's Paul Allen.