Aircraft

Aerion's quest to deliver a supersonic business jet in 2014 received a boost with a Gulf royal joining a handful of would-be customers who have placed $250,000 refundable deposits for the $80 million Mach 1.6 aircraft.

The Reno, Nevada-based developer has appointed Bombardier and Grob SPn distributor ExecuJet as its exclusive sales representative outside the Americas. ExecuJet is offering 40 early delivery positions.

Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid Al Noaimi, a senior official in the Ajman municipality, says a faster-than-sound business jet will "speed up the pace of business activities and allow me to take key business associates to more places".

But the $2.2 billion programme remains on hold until Aerion can assemble a team, including one of the major manufacturers, to build and certificate the large-cabin aircraft. Vice-chairman and former Learjet chief executive Brian Barents says discussions are taking place with "most of the airframers" and that an agreement is likely in the first half of next year, which would see the Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219-powered jet entering service in 2014.