Beechcraft Hawker 4000

The Beechcraft Hawker 4000 is a super midsize jet that carried the name Hawker Horizon during development, and many still know it by that name. It was the largest Hawker and the first jet of its class with a carbon composite fuselage. With the 125 family of the Hawker 800XP and 1000 it shares only the brand.

The cabin is 7.62 m long, 1.97 m wide and 1.83 m high, with a flat floor and a baggage hold open throughout the flight. Most aircraft have eight seats, so the type suits six to eight people on legs of two hours or more, such as Hamburg to Lisbon (3:15 h); with a moderate load it flies Nice to Dubai (6:29 h) without a stop.

Cabin: flat floor and 1.83 m of headroom

The usual layout is two groups of four club seats with tables, and some aircraft have a divan for up to ten people. With 1.83 m of headroom and no lowered aisle, most passengers walk upright through the cabin of the Hawker 4000.

Two pilots always fly. Interiors differ in age, so we ask the operator for photos of the actual cabin.

Baggage: 3.23 m³ open in flight

The hold of the Hawker 4000 sits behind the cabin inside the fuselage. It is heated and pressurised, so you can fetch something at any time, and liquids or electronics in the suitcases are safe.

What fits in practice:

• Six people: large suitcases for everyone plus sports equipment.
• Eight people: one large suitcase and one hand bag each.
• Skis and golf bags: give their number and bag length, and the operator confirms them before booking.
• Long legs to Tenerife or the Gulf: with full tanks and a full cabin the operator may ask for lighter baggage.

Speed, range and runways

Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW308A engines of about 31 kN each have digital control (FADEC), and the Honeywell Primus Epic avionics include an autothrottle. The manufacturer gives a climb from sea level to 12,500 m in 19 minutes. Type data give up to 6,075 km of range without a passenger count, so on legs over 5,000 km the operator works out fuel from the load and the wind.

Where the jet can land:

Flying the Hawker 4000 in Europe

Hawker 4000 flights from European hubs

One-way prices for the whole aircraft with crew, before airport fees and passenger taxes. Flight time is the great-circle distance at 800 km/h plus taxi, climb and approach; the fuel stop on the transatlantic row is included.

Short legs up to two hours: often more jet than needed

Two to four hours: Iberia, the Aegean and Morocco

Four hours and more: the Canaries, the Gulf and the Atlantic

• All routes except New York are flown non-stop, Frankfurt to Tenerife (4:33 h) included. Nice to Dubai (6:29 h) is near the limit we plan the Hawker 4000 with: with a full cabin or a headwind the operator may add a fuel stop.
• London to New York always needs a fuel stop, usually on the North Atlantic route.
• Zurich to Madeira (3:52 h) needs a captain with the special Madeira qualification.
• Mykonos gives private aircraft only about 40 minutes of parking in summer, so the jet waits on another island.

The calculator shows an indicative price for this model or a jet of the same class on your route.

What a Hawker 4000 charter costs

The rate starts at EUR 6,300 per flight hour for the whole aircraft, with two pilots and fuel, whatever the number of passengers. A short leg costs more than rate times flight time: Munich to Sion takes 1:01 h and starts at EUR 11,000, because the operator's minimum charge and the flights to and from base are included.

On longer legs these fixed costs weigh less. A Hawker 4000 from Hamburg to Lisbon (3:15 h) starts at EUR 25,000 and from Munich to Dubai (6:13 h) at EUR 43,000. Legs over about four hours use a higher hourly rate for the aircraft and crew.

The price is for the aircraft, so on Larnaca - Geneva each person's share shrinks as the cabin fills:

How to fly cheaper

• Accept a Challenger 350 or Legacy 500 instead of a Hawker 4000: several aircraft on one route usually bring a lower price than one type.
• Return the same day on European legs if the crew's duty time allows: no hotel and no second positioning.
• Give a window of departure times, so the operator can link your trip with another flight.
• For a stay of several days, compare two one-way quotes with one where the aircraft waits.
• Two or three passengers on legs under three hours pay less in a midsize jet such as the Citation Latitude.

Empty Legs on the Hawker 4000

Empty Legs on the Hawker 4000 are rare, as few fly for European operators; they appear mostly when a jet returns to base from the Mediterranean, the Canaries or the Gulf. A matching leg can cost 30-60% less than a regular charter, but the date and route are fixed, and the operator may cancel it if the aircraft gets a full charter.

Send your route and a window of dates to empty-legs@jets.flights or through the Empty Legs page; we add other super midsize jets, where a match is far more likely.

Similar jets to compare

These four jets most often appear next to the type in a quote.

How to request the aircraft

For a quote we need:

• route, date and departure time;
• number of passengers and baggage, with skis and golf bags;
• pets travelling with you, with breed and weight;
• if another super midsize jet is acceptable.

We search operators holding an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and add alternatives of the same size. We always try to offer both, but each case depends on the operator's schedule and contract. Within Schengen there is no passport control, yet the operator needs passport or ID details of every passenger; EU citizens flying to the UK need an ETA.

Questions about the Hawker 4000

• • How much does a Hawker 4000 flight cost?

  • From EUR 6,300 per flight hour for the whole aircraft. London Farnborough to Nice costs from EUR 16,000, Geneva to Tenerife from EUR 30,000 and Nice to Dubai from EUR 45,000 one way, before airport fees and passenger taxes.

• • What makes up the price?

  • Flight time, the operator's minimum charge and positioning from base, so Paris Le Bourget to Geneva (1:01 h) starts at EUR 11,000. Airport fees, passenger taxes, de-icing and the crew's hotel on multi-day trips come on top.

• • How can I pay less?

  • Accept other super midsize jets, return the same day on European legs and give flexible departure times.

• • Are there Empty Legs on the Hawker 4000?

  • Rarely, as few fly in Europe. A matching leg can cost 30-60% less, with a fixed date and a risk of cancellation, so we also search the Challenger 350 and similar jets.

• • How many passengers fit, and is there a toilet?

  • Usually eight, up to ten in layouts with a divan; six to eight travel best on legs over three hours. The toilet at the rear is a separate room with a door.

• • How far can the Hawker 4000 fly without a stop?

  • Type data give up to 6,075 km. That covers Europe, North Africa, the Canaries and the Gulf; New York needs a fuel stop.

• • Will skis and golf bags fit?

  • Yes. The 3.23 m³ hold takes sports equipment for six; give the number of skis and golf bags, and the operator confirms they fit with the suitcases.

• • Can I bring my dog?

  • Yes, in the cabin next to you once the operator knows the breed, weight and carrier. The EU requires a microchip, a rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel and a pet passport; the UK, Ireland, Malta, Finland and Norway also require tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before entry.

• • Is the Hawker 4000 the same as the Hawker Horizon?

  • Yes, Hawker Horizon was the development name. It is a separate design, not a member of the Hawker 800 family.