Best of the Best: Wings

Better doesn’t always mean bigger. At least that seems to be the message from our winners this year in aviation, where the focus is just as much on technology gains and cabin refinement as on enlarging the airframe. With a clever touch of tech, Embraer’s Praetor 600E effectively creates a third cabin zone in the same-size aircraft.

Of course, growth can be a smart move. That’s the case with Dassault’s Falcon 10X, the latest member of the elite ultra-long-range class, claiming a cabin with the greatest length and height in private aviationPrivate AviationAir travel by privately owned, chartered, or fractionally owned aircraft, offering fully customized schedules, privacy, and access to smaller airports. Private aviation saves time and enables flexible itineraries, and interestGo to Private Aviation Glossary. And as one would expect from a model designed to cross multiple continents, its avionics are bleeding edge, fitting hand in glove with the sophisticated interior. On the helicopter front, Robinson, known for its reliable, value-focused choppers, has entered the executive-transport category with the R88, which is its largest, most powerful rotorcraft to date. Regardless of size, the following selections stand out big in their respective categories, having successfully landed a new definition of advancement.

Super Midsize: Embraer Praetor 600E

The second generation of the Praetor 600 takes the super-midsize category’s comfort level to new heights. Among the most noteworthy changes are the new seats, designed and built in-house to deliver precise 180-degree maneuverability and full-flat berthing for sleeping on overnight flights. An electric-assisted release system, dual lumbar supports, three levels of firmness for the cushioning, and forward-tracking headrests are sophisticated features more commonly found on much larger aircraft.

The 600E’s real game-changing amenity, though, is the Smart Window—a 42-inch 4K OLED display positioned about mid-cabin. Produced in partnership with Lufthansa Technik, it can function as a hyperrealistic digital portal with the help of exterior cameras, or as a hub for entertainment and videoconferencing via satellite connectivity. It also turns the typical two-zone interior of a super mid into a three-zone cabin. Thanks to the portside seats and the divan across the aisle that faces the Smart Window, this cluster becomes arguably the most sought-after social enclave in the plane.

Turboprop: Pilatus PC-12 Pro

The Swiss-made Pilatus PC-12 has seen seven iterations and more than 2,200 examples since its first flight in 1991. Nicknamed the Flying Suburban, the single-engine turboprop is popular for both corporate and cargo missions, thanks to its generous, configurable interior and short-field landing capabilities (including grass runways). But the first PC-12 Pro, recently delivered to an Australian client, is more like an airborne BMW 7-Series due to its aesthetic considerations. Its cabin refresh features redesigned cabinetry, improved lighting, larger windows, and more-ergonomic executive seats, with optional interior themes by BMW Designworks. The exterior also includes aerodynamic upgrades.

What really stands out about the model, however, is Pilatus’s new Advanced Cockpit Environment. It packages Garmin’s innovative assists, such as G3000 Prime—featuring 14-inch touchscreen displays and smart controllers—Emergency Autoland, Smart Glide, Electronic Stability and Protection, and an updated stall-avoidance system. Yokes inspired by the Pilatus PC-24 jet have also been added for smoother flight control. And with the upgraded Pratt & Whitney PT6E-67XP engine, the PC-12 Pro has a range of 1,765 nautical miles at 290 knots.

Ultra-Long-Range Jet: Dassault Falcon 10X

Unveiled in March, the Dassault Falcon 10X takes on Bombardier’s Global 8000 as well as GulfstreamGulfstreamAn American manufacturer of long-range business jets, known for large cabins, speed, and range, and often considered a benchmark in private aviation. Models such as the G650 have long beenGo to Gulfstream Glossary’s G700 and G800 in the ultra-long-range class. Like the others, the 10X is designed to move passengers nonstop between far-flung city pairs such as New York and Hong Kong or Los Angeles and Sydney, doing so with a range of 7,500 nautical miles and a top speed of Mach 0.925. But where the 10X leaves the competition in its slipstream are differentiators such as a composite wing for optimal efficiency, a NeXus flight deck with touchscreen displays, and the FalconEye Enhanced Vision System—the third generation of Dassault’s digital flight-control setup.

The 2,780-cubic-foot interior—with 38 windows that are 50 percent larger than those of other Falcons—can be arranged in either three or four zones, allowing for lounges, dining areas, and a private bedroom with shower. A 3,000-foot cabin altitude at 41,000 feet and a fresh-air filtration system, which uses the same technology as many hospital intensive-care units, combine to keep passengers at their best after going the distance.

Helicopter: Robinson R88

The R88 represents a major departure from Robinson Helicopter Company’s stable of value-focused rotorcraft, which comprises the two-seat R22, the four-seat R44, and the five-seat R66. Unveiled last year, the clean-sheet 10-seat design of the R88 will now place the company squarely in the executive-helicopter segment. Alluding to the R88’s versatility when it comes to configuration, Robinson has referred to the new model as having “the utility of a pickup truck” for medical and firefighting missions. The California-based outfit will also be partnering for the first time with Safran, the French manufacturer of aircraft engines, to equip the R88 with the Safran Arriel 2W turboshaft power plant.

The R88’s specs are impressive: It can accommodate two pilots and up to eight passengers, carry an internal payload of about 1,800 pounds (with full fuel), and deliver an estimated range of 350 nautical miles, plus it’s capable of a 3.5-hour flight time. The Garmin G500H TXi glass cockpit, a four-axis autopilot allowing hands-off flight, and dual removable cyclic controls also lift this helicopter into a rarefied market space. First test flights are expected this year, with certification anticipated for 2028.

Private-Jet Tours: Abercrombie & Kent

Private-jet travel with a choice of formats, from regional jaunts to multi-continent itineraries, gives Abercrombie & Kent an edge over the competition. The Southern Africa by Private Air offering, for example, is one of A&K’s Small Jet Journeys—utilizing midsize aircraft that carry fewer than 15 guests. This package combines stops at Victoria Falls, the Okavango Delta, and the red dunes of Sossusvlei with memorable hotel stays, fine dining, and luxury safari camps.

A&K’s Private Jet Journeys, by contrast, include multicontinental programs built around a customized Boeing 757 with 50 lie-flat seats and divans that convert into four-seat dining tables. The crew of 18 includes a physician, an executive chef, guides, and stewards who travel with the group. Founder Geoffrey Kent leads several tours around the globe that feature off-the-grid locations and access to sites closed to the public.

Kent’s October tour includes a private helicopter excursion from Jakarta to the remote Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Indonesia’s Way Kambas National Park, where A&K staff will build a helipad just for the occasion. Think of it as jet-setting with more than a hint of Hemingway.

This article originally appeared in Robb Report Philippines Best of the Best Issue, October 2026. See the full list of Best of the Best awardees.