Selecting the right aircraft for an airline operation is a vastly complex process, involving a multitude of skills and considerable knowledge of the business. Buying The Big Jets was first published in 2001 to provide guidance to those involved in aircraft selection strategies. This Second Edition brings the picture fully up to date, incorporating new discussion on the strategies of low-cost carriers, and the significance of the aircraft cabin for long-haul operations. Latest developments in aircraft products are covered and there are fresh examples of best practice in airline fleet planning techniques.

The book is essential reading for airline planners with fleet planning responsibility, consultancy groups, analysts studying aircraft performance and economics, airline operational personnel, students of air transport, leasing companies, aircraft value appraisers, and all who manage commercial aircraft acquisition programmes and provide strategic advice to decision-makers. This book is also a valuable tool for the banking community where insights into aircraft acquisition decisions are vital.

Buying The Big Jets is an industry-specific example of strategic planning and is therefore a vital text for students engaged in graduate or post-graduate studies either in aeronautics or business administration.

Contents

Preface to the second edition: The big picture:The fleet selection process: The market evaluation: The aircraft and airline product: Aircraft performance: Aircraft economics: The investment appraisal: Conclusion: Index.

Reviews

This well organized book fills a huge gap in aviation literature. Clearly written, with excellent use of diagrams, it provides an insight into and an understanding of fleet planning, the cornerstone of airline management. Rigas Doganis, Visiting Professor, Cranfield College of Aeronautics, UK

The airline industry is very complex and one in which it has always been very difficult to make money. A key component of the multi-faceted challenge is the way to accommodate highly variable demand with a pre-determined number of aircraft, each with a fixed capacity in the short term. Paul Clark in his book Buying the Big Jets provides a comprehensive, lucid, and an informative guide for airline fleet planners to optimize their capacity resources in the fiercely competitive marketplace. It is a "must-have" book for airline practitioners responsible for fleet planning because of the experiential insights contained in the book on a broad spectrum of relevant topics and an equally beneficial book for students of the airline industry to learn about complex subjects such as market segmentation and spill, aircraft performance, and investment appraisals. Nawal K. Taneja, Professor and Chairman, Department of Aerospace Engineering and Aviation, Ohio State University

Buying the Big Jets has succeeded in bringing together, in an easily understandable form, the many factors that currently influence the aircraft purchasing processa useful tool to broaden the knowledge of specialists involved in the processa good balance has been achieved between breadth and depth and the book will be of interest to a wide spectrum of technical and non-technical readers. The Aerospace Professional

a valuable examination of the current practices in aircraft evaluation and selection, clarifying the new fleet planning methodologies and decision making processesof great value to professionals with fleet planning responsibilities, students of air transport and for the banking community, where insights into aircraft acquisition are vital. Air International