Almost all business jets have rear-mounted engines, because the wing (mounted low for performance reasons) is too near the ground for engines to be slung underneath it.

Airliners are sometimes converted into luxury business jets. Such converted aircraft are often used by celebrities with a large entourage or press corps, or by sports teams, but airliners often face operational restrictions based on runway length or local noise restrictions. Private Boeing 737-800 lands at London Luton Airport, England Cessna 525 CitationJet

A focus of development is at the low end of the market with small models, many far cheaper than existing business jets. Many of these fall into the very light jet (VLJ) category and are used by the air taxi industry. Cessna has developed the Mustang, a six-place twinjet (2 crew + 4 passengers) available for $2.55 million USD. A number of smaller manufacturers have planned even cheaper jets; the first is the Eclipse 500 which has become available at around 1.5 million USD. It remains to be seen whether the new jet manufacturers will complete their designs, or find the market required to sell their jets at the low prices planned.

There are approximately 11,000 business jets in the worldwide fleet with the vast majority of them based in the United States or owned by US companies. The European market is the next largest, with growing activity in Asia and Central America. There is a pre-owned marketplace in which aircraft are bought and sold based on their immediate deliverability because new aircraft orders often take two to three years for delivery.

Since 1996 the term "fractional jet" has been used in connection with business aircraft owned by a consortium of companies. Costly overheads such as flight crew, hangarage and maintenance can be shared through such arrangements.

LISTING OF CHARTER JET COMPANIES

* Active Premier Transportation Management - Transportation management solutions for passengers and freight.

* Air Brokerage International, LLC. - Offers worldwide aircraft charter and leasing.

* Air Charter Bahamas - Air charter flights to the Bahamas Islands.

* Air Jasper - Charter flights hot shots and air freight services in Jasper Hinton, Edmonton, Calgary British Columbia.

* Aircraft Charter World - Brokers chartering of aircraft and helicopters worldwide.

* Aircraft Chartering Services - Air charter brokers for passenger charter flights, subcharters and wet leases. Aircraft brokers for aircargo and AOG spares worldwide.

* Airporter - Provides shuttle service for transportation to and from Newark International Airport and JFK (John F. Kennedy) International Airport.

* American Jet International - Offers first class charter and aircraft management.

* American Jets, Inc. - Provides air ambulance, executive charter, air cargo, aircraft management services worldwide.

* Amsair - UK company provides both private business jets and executive aircraft for charter trips to worldwide destinations.

* Associated Aircraft Group, Inc. - Helicopter management, maintenance and charter helicopter company.

* Blue Star Jets - Private and executive jet charter flights, luxury private jet and jet charter flight services worldwide.

* Bombardier SkyJet - Provides private and business jet charter services. * Celebrity Jet: Empty Legs - Provides private charter jet service for business and recreation.

* Champion Air - Operates a fleet of sixteen Boeing 727-200 aircraft and serving major tour wholesalers, professional and college sports teams, the Department of Defense, and corporate incentive groups.

* Clintondale Aviation - Provides air transportation services including: air charters, aviation management, dedicated aviation project support and medical evacuation.

* Corporate Flight International - Serving private and corporate accounts with aircraft charter and aircraft management operations.

* Eagle Aviation - A full service fixed base operator centrally located on the eastern seaboard, providing convenient, quality service to the general aviation industry.

* East Coast Flight Services - Domestic and international jet charters using King Air, Gulfstream, Falcon and Lear.

* Exclusive Charter Service, Inc - Specializing in private jets and yachts worldwide for personal and corporate travel.

* Executive Jet Management, Inc. - Private jet charter, aircraft management and corporate travel services.

* Flightexec - Offering corporate and private aircraft charters, air ambulance and aircraft management and acquisition services.

* FlightTime - Private jet charter and jet charter flight services with security, safety and luxury on 4 hours notice without fractional ownership requirements.

* Francille Corp. - Serves private and corporate accounts with aircraft charter services in the Memphis and mid-south regions.

* International Jet Aviation Services - Private jet air charter services, aircraft acquisitions, sales and management.

* Jetexpress - Private and group air charters using only Falcon jets.

* JetOne Jets - Offers private jet and jet charter services for corporations and executives. Includes full charter flight services with security, safety and luxury.

* Kazair West - Kazakhstan air charter, VIP charters, aviation management. Services include fixed and rotary wing corporate charters, aviation project management and both domestic and international medical evacuation.

* London Executive Aviation - Aircraft charter, leasing, management and sales.

* Luxury Air Jets - Providing corporate jet flights for executives and personal private air jet rentals.

* Maine Aviation Corporation - Aviation services including aircraft charter, aircraft sales and management, aircraft maintenance and parts, and flight training.

* National Air Transport - Charter services for all types of air travel including corporate, executive and private flights.

* National Jets Inc - Providing private jet charters, our FBO, national air ambulance medevacs, aircraft maintenance, aircraft management and sales.

* NWI Jet Ltd - Business jet charters in Canada. Departures from Edmonton, Alberta and Vancouver, British Columbia.

* Premier Jets - FAA certified for worldwide operations and can assist arranging for helicopter and any other charter aircraft anywhere.

* PrivatAir - Privater charters, private airline services, aircraft sales and magement and ground services.

* Private Jet Services Group, Inc. - Private and business charter services, corporate jet services, charter air travel, business jet services, group jet travel, corporate shuttle programs.

* Privatejets.com - Provides a list of available jets, prices and instant online quotes for private jet travelers.

* Revolution Air - Personalized services for private air travel from corporate private jets seating 6-15 passengers to large vip-configured business jets accommodating 15 to 150+ passengers.

* Seattle Seaplanes - Flight instruction, scenic and charter flights.

* Skyline Jets, LLC. - On-demand jet charter offers access to a global network of executive jet aircraft providing executive jet service to and from over 5,000 airports domestically.

* Stratos Jet Charters - Private luxury jet charter and executive charter flights.

* Studio Jet - Offers air charter services and executive private jets for business or leisure travel.

* Trade Air - Long-term contract charter, ad hoc or casual charter, providing both 'wet' and 'dry' aircraft leasing.

* Vintage Props & Jets - Offers a scheduled commuter service, private charter services, charters to and from the Bahamas and the Continental United States.

* Windward Express Airways - Charters, passenger and cargo services.

* World Airways, Inc. - Global provider of long-range passenger and cargo air transportation services to the U. S. Air force, major international airlines and freight forwarders, international leisure tour operators and cruise ship companies.