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Aviation History
1997
1997 - 0574.PDF
CORPORATE AIRCRAFT January 1996. In early 1997, Transport Canada approved a service bulletin to enable Chal lenger 604 operators to comply with reduced vertical-separation minima on the North Atlantic, and similar approval is expected soon for the earlier Challenger models. Bombardier is the first business-jet manufacturer to gain such approval. Canadair delivered die first corporate version of its 50-seat Regional Jet, dubbed the Corporate Jetliner, to Xerox in 1994. In June 1995, the manufacturer announced an enhanced version of the corporate model, des ignated the Canadair Special Edition (SE). This five- to 19-seat derivative is powered bv 40kN GE CF34-3Bls and has a 5,780km (transat lantic) range with five passengers and three crew. The aircraft has an increased MTOW and two auxiliary fuel tanks, developed by PATS, boosting capacity by 1,815kg. The first SE delivery was made in November 1995, when Canadair's Middle-East distributor, TAG, received its first aircraft. A stretched 70-seat derivative of the Regional Jet, the Series 700, launched in January 1997, will enter service in September 2000. This could have corporate applications. de Havilland Bombardier (de Havilland), Garratt Boulevard, Downsview, Ontario M3K1Y5, Canada; tel: +1 (416) 633 7310; fax: +1 (416) 375 4546; telex: 0622128 BDEHAV TOR De Havilland offers corporate versions of all three current production variants of the Dash 8 turboprop regional airliner: the basic -100, hot- and-high -200, and stretched -300. A further stretched development, the 70-seat, high-speed -400, was launched in June 1995. It is capable of cruising at 350kt, considerably faster than the existing models. The first Dash 8-400 is sched uled to fly by the end of 1997, with deliveries starting in the first quarter of 1999. Learjet Bombardier (Learjet), One Learjet Way, PO Box 7707, Wichita, Kansas 67277-7707, USA; tel: +1 (316) 946 2000; fax: +1 (316) 946 2220; telex: 417441 Learjet's business-aircraft family encompasses the AlliedSignal TFE731 -powered Learjet 31, the P&WC PW305-powered Learjet 60, and the newTFE731-20-powered Learjet 45. Piper unveiled the new Seneca V, which it developed in secrecy, in January 1997 The Learjet 45, which fills the gap between the Model 31 and 60, was first flown in October 1995. By the end of 1996, six aircraft were in the flight-test programme. Although US certifica tion and first deliveries had been targeted for die end of 1996, this has been delayed, and deliver ies are not scheduled to begin until mid-1997. With advance sales of 100 aircraft, the intro duction of the 45 is likely to add substantially to Learjet's shipments in 1997. The Learjet 45 can carry six passengers over distances of 4,070km, at cruising altitudes of 51,000ft. Manufacture of the aircraft involves Bombardier companies Shorts (which builds the fuselage and empennage) and de Havilland, which constructs the wings. Learjet undertakes final assembly at Wichita, Kansas. CANADAIR SEE BOMBARDIER BUSINESS AIRCRAFT 4391 International Gateway, Suite 200B. Columbus, Ohio, 43219, USA; tel: +1 (614) 237 4007; fax: +1 (614) 237 4090 Century Aerospace (formerly Paragon Aircraft) unveiled its Century Jet single-engined six-seat business jet at the US Experimental Aircraft Association's Oshkosh show in August 1996, and has funding to complete and fly the proto type. The first flight is targeted for the third quarter of 1997. Additional funding will be required to build a second prototype, complete certification 12-18 months after first flight, and tool-up for production of four aircraft a month. Negotiations are under way with four US locations to host the final-assembly plant. The powerplant is a single 85kN Williams- Rolls FJ44-1. The aircraft has a composite fuse lage and metal wing. The company claims that the aircraft is designed to fly twice as fast and twice as far as a Cessna 340 piston-twin, for half the cost per kilometre. Estimated performance for the 2,495kg gross-weight aircraft includes a maximum speed ofMach 0.71 and a maximum range with five passengers of 2,400km. rem TAG was launch customer for the long range "Special Edition" version of the Corporate RJ PO Box 7706, One Cessna Boulevard, Wichita, Kansas 67277-7706; USA; tel: +1 (316) 946 6000; fax: +1 (316) 9417812; telex: 417428 Textron-owned Cessna continues to produce the broadest family of business jets available, from the six-seat, 2,260km-range Williams- Rolls FJ44-powered Citationjet to the Allison AE3007-powered Citation X, capable of carry ing 12 passengers 6,000km atMach 0.92. Production of the P&WCJT15D-powered Citation Ultra and the mid-sized Citation VII, which is powered by AlliedSignal TFE731s continues. The Citation Bravo, launched in 1994 as a replacement for the Citation II, offers higher cruise speeds, longer range and lower fuel consumption. Powered by P&WC PW530As, diis new model was flown in April 1995 and, during testing, Cessna increased the aircraft's maximum cruise speed from 395kt to 400kt. Initial FAA certification was received at the end of 1996, widi full approval received on 11 February, 1997. Deliveries commenced that month. Cessna says that it has an 18-month pro duction backlog on the Bravo. Unveiled in 1994, the Citation Excel com bines die "widebody" fuselage of the Citation X with the wing and empennage of the Citation V. The model's first flight was on 29 February, 1996. Cessna aims to deliver the first Citation Excel in December 1997. Two are now being operated in die flight-test programme, with the third aircraft, which is the first production Excel, scheduled to be flown in July 1997. Cessna says diat the programme is ahead of schedule as die company seeks to create addi tional production capacity to meet demand for the aircraft. The Excel is sold out to the third quarter of 2000, and Cessna hopes to produce additional aircraft in 1999. Following the first flight in December 1993, testing of the Citation X involved one prototype and two pre-production aircraft. US certifica tion was granted in June 1996, after an almost 30-month, 3,000h flight-test programme. European certification is due in July 1997. The first Citation X delivery, to launch customer, golfer Arnold Palmer, occurred in August 1996. With a Mach 0.92 cruise speed, the 30kN Allison AE3007C-powered aircraft is the fastest corporate aircraft now available. By February 1997 some 13 Citation Xs had been delivered. During 1996, Executive Jet Aviation (EJA) awarded the biggest single corporate-jet order ever made, worth $600 million and covering firm contracts for 45 Cessna Citations, includ ing 20 Citation VIIs and 25 Citation Xs. Deliveries are due to start during 1997, and • FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 5 - 11 March 1997
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