If you haven’t read the story about finding the perfect plane, go back to our previous blog. It’s worth it — trust me.

We’re here to revolutionise the quality of coffee served on aeroplanes, and to prove it’s possible, we bought a real plane to serve coffee from.

This is the story you’ve been waiting for:
How we got our private jet.

Telling the World, Taking the Risk

My new business partner and I couldn’t stop talking about the idea. We were telling the story, posting online, asking everyone and anyone if they knew of an aeroplane we could get our hands on — preferably one that didn’t cost a fortune.

After all, we’re a new business. Buying a plane is a brilliant story, but it’s also a massive risk if it doesn’t become a viable coffee shop.

One day, my business partner noticed a bunch of old aircraft sitting at an airfield, seemingly untouched. So he joined a local Facebook group for the airfield and posted:

“Hey — does anyone know the story behind the planes sitting there? And are any of them for sale?”

The Phone Call

Two weeks later, the phone rang.

“Hello, I know a lot about those aeroplanes. What are you looking for?”

We told him:

“We’re looking to buy a plane to convert into a coffee shop — to prove it’s possible to serve outstanding coffee from an aeroplane.”

He replied:

“Very cool. Well, we actually have a few aircraft we’re not doing much with. One of them is a Citation Mustang. We were planning to convert it into a bar, but the project has been delayed for over a year.”

We couldn’t believe it.

An established business — already planning to turn a jet into a bar — had paused their project. A year-long delay. A jet just sitting there. Was this serendipity?

Why Was There a Spare Jet Just Lying Around?

It sounds mad, right? A spare private jet just sitting there?

But in aviation, things get expensive — very expensive. Just like with your car, there comes a point where the cost of maintaining a plane outweighs its value.

When that happens, planes are often “parted out”:

• Instruments? Sold.

• Engines? Sold.

• Wings, landing gear, avionics? All gone.

What’s left?
The fuselage.

Here’s the thing — unlike wheels or wings, the fuselage can’t just be taken and reused elsewhere. It often becomes scrap metal. And honestly? A few hundred kilos of aluminium doesn’t fetch much.

But what if that fuselage could become a business?
A café. A gathering place. A point of connection.

There’s something beautifully romantic about giving a retired aircraft a second life. After years of service, history, and memories — it deserves more than being forgotten. And maybe... just maybe... it still holds some of the energy of all those journeys it’s seen.

The Pitch For The Jet

So we pitched it.

We built out a plan. Did some research. Ran some numbers. It wouldn’t be easy — the location, the seasonality, the staffing, the logistics — but we believed in it.

Let’s just do it. Let’s have fun. Let’s see what happens.

Within weeks, the first cut was made into the fuselage of the Citation Mustang.

We’re now in the process of turning it into a fully functioning Jet Bean Coffee Shop — with the goal to open by the end of July 2024.

More than a coffee shop, this is a symbol of what's possible. If we can serve exceptional coffee from a jet on the ground… maybe one day, we can serve it in the sky too.

✈️ Meet F‑GRET: The Citation Mustang Behind Jet Bean Coffee

Model Overview

F‑GRET is a Cessna Citation Mustang (Model 510), part of Cessna’s pioneering “very light jet” class. First flown in 2005 and entering service in late 2006, the Mustang was the first of its kind to receive full FAA certification. Production ran until 2017, with a total of 479 units built

Exact Production Details

• Serial number: 510‑0141

• Year built: 2008 

• First registered: as N141BG (Hondo Aviation LLC) in November 2008; deregistered in February 2009 

• Then became LZ‑AMA (registered in Bulgaria) in February 2009

• Finally imported to France and re-registered as F‑GRET under WiJet in April 2010 

Flight History & Where It’s Been

F‑GRET had a dynamic European charter career under WiJet, frequently spotted at:

• Milan Malpensa in March 2011

• Paris CDG in March 2011 and December 2016

• Geneva and Edinburgh, as per multiple jet photo logs 

These sightings highlight a robust charter presence across Europe through the mid-2010s.

Performance Specs

Built in Kansas, F‑GRET is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW615F turbofans. Here’s a quick overview:

Price: $5Million 

Max Speed: 480mph
Max Range: 1200 Nautical Miles
Capacity: 4 PAX, 1 Crew, 2 Pilots
Max Altitude: 41,000ft

Story to be continued, including the full plans and conversion....

As a small business every sale makes a difference, if you're a big fan of coffee I would really recommend our Jumbo Jet Espresso.