The Hawker 800A was the first of the -800 series, which by now includes the Hawker 800SP, 800XP, 800XPi, and 850XP. Needless to say, the private jets of the 800 series are among the most popular in the private jet industry and continue to meet the high performance standards that they are known for. The Hawker 800B in the most basic translation was a European edition aircraft. Many aircraft have been changed to “”A”” models with simple form work with the FAA.

Perhaps the most well-known member of the 800 series is the Hawker 800XP. How is the Hawker 800A different from the XP? Although the two private jets are a couple generations apart (the 800SP preceded the 800XP), they are strikingly similar. Their cabins are identical (notably, the 800XP has 45 cubic feet of baggage space in an external compartment while the 800A has none at all). In its defense, the 800A is leaner by 600 pounds, and burns on average 30 gallons per hour less than the Hawker 800XP. The lower average fuel burn can probably be attributed to the difference in average cruise speed of two private jets: the -800XP cruises at 403 knots, while the 800A can only achieve 95% of that speed.

The Hawker 800A is easy to distinguish from the -800XP: the -800A has winglets, the 800XP does not. The winglets add stability, especially in turbulent weather, but the smooth wing of the 800XP creates less drag and allows it to cruise faster and burn less fuel.

The Hawker 800A does not have any single strong point that makes it stand out from the competition. Instead, it strikes a balance between factors that drive private jet sales – fuel economy, climb and cruise performance, and takeoff distance.