American company Nextant describes itself as "the world's only business jet remanufacturer". For lack of a better business allegory, let's say the company is to the business jet market what the neighbourhood mechanic is to an automobile aficionado. It replaces the innards of business jets that have run their course to produce, or rather reproduce, a new jet. Out come those well-worn engines and instruments and in go spick-and-span replacements. Put simply, Nextant restores worn-out jets.
Importantly for the customer, the fruits of its labour are attractive from a cost perspective. At $4.5 million, the "remanufactured" jets are roughly half the price of comparable new jets, according to the company. However, Nextant works only on one brand of jets - the Hawker Beechjet 400A/XPs.
The company is preparing "a massive push" into the Indian market where, it says, its Nextant 400XTs (as the jets are known) could have a strong impact on the region's business aviation market because not only are these a cheaper alternative to new planes, but they also improve operating costs by 30%.
17/03/12 Binoy Prabhakar/Economic Times
