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Aviation History
2001
2001 - 0171.PDF
Adam expects order boost after releasing M-309 price KATE SARSFIELD/LONDON ADAM AIRCRAFT Industries is expecting an order boost after finally releasing die price of its M-309 six-seat pressurised piston twin, for which it has eight $25,000 refundable deposits already. "The first 20 production aircraft will be priced at $695,000 includ ing full glass instrument panel," says Tom Wiesner, Adam Aircraft's director of business development. He adds: "The aircraft is competi tively priced, especially when you compare it to the $1.9 million Raytheon Beech Baron. We expect itwill sell well." The manufacturer has yet to determine the price of the aircraft after number 20. Denver, Colorado-based Adam Aircraft launched die Burt Rutan- designed M-309 last April. The aircraft's design was refined in September, with changes including a fuselage stretch to accommodate an airstair door forward of the wing and replacement of die overwing gullwing door FlightInternational, 12-18 September 2000). The company is one of the first to exploit the Federal Aviation Administration's new Certification Process Improvement (CPI) initia tive. This is designed to simplify and reduce aircraft development costs by getting direction and feed back from the FAA early in the certification process. Wiesner says: "We expect the CPI will reduce development time and costs for the M-309byupto40%." A proof-of-concept aircraft, built by Rutan's Scaled Comp osites, has completed 12 5h of flight testing since die first quarter 2 000, and the first of two conforming certification-test prototypes is due to fly by mid 2001. The aircraft is scheduled for US certification in 2003, with European approval lined up six months later. The programme is fully funded by owner Rick Adam who plans to produce a family of around six air craft "within te$ years". These are likely to include stretched nine- to 19-seat models to fill a niche in die corporate shuttle market. Wiesner adds: "As more airports begin to open up in the USA, there will be an increasing demand for aircraft of these sizes." Wiesner anticipates great tech nological strides in engine, avionics and materials over the next 2 0 years which, he says, will drive down die cost of aircraft manufacture and operation. He concedes: "We are constandy looking at new designs - single, twin piston, turboprop and jet. We are ruling out nothing." The M-309 is powered by two digitally controlled, 260kW (350hp) Teledyne Continental TSIO-550 piston engines mount ed in a "push-pull" arrangement to provide centreline thrust. It will have a maximum speed of 250kt (465km/h), a gross weight of 2,500kg (5,4001b) and range, with instrument flight rules reserve, of about2,780km(l,500nm). • See Feature P25 US FAA requires inspection of Bell actuator support THE US Federal Aviation Administration has issued an emergency airworthiness directive (AD) requiring inspection of the main rotor hydraulic actuator sup port on US-operated Bell 222,230 and 430 helicopters. The AD follows a Model 222 accident where it was discovered that all retaining studs and shear pins had sheared off or were pulled out of the junction between the support and transmission case. The directive, which affects around 13 3 machines, requires an inspection of support dowel pins and a torque check of retaining nuts. Meanwhile, Bell delivered 145 new civil helicopters last year, and sold 28 used ones. The single- engine 407 accounted for 62 of the deliveries, followed by 27 206L4 LongRanger 4s and 26 larger twin-turbine 412EPs. The year's tally included the first five of the new 42 7 light twin, 11 43 0s and 14 smaller 206 JetRanger 3 machines. This compares with around 150 civil helicopters pro duced in 1999. • Liberty picks Dowty to make propellers LIBERTY AEROSPACE has selected Dowty Aerospace Propellers to provide a bespoke two-blade propeller for its two-seat Liberty XL-2. The 1.57m (63inch) diameter, fixed-pitch propeller, designed for the Rotax 912 S powered XL-2, will consist of carbon, fibre composite blades. These offer "low weight, excellent fatigue properties and ease of repair", says Liberty. The XL-2 is scheduled for its maiden flight at die end of the first quarter, with certification and first deliveries of the all-composite, sin gle planned by die fourth quarter and early 2002 respectively. Burt Rutan's Scaled Technology Works is making all carbonfibre composite components for the XL-2, including the fuselage, under a four year agreement. • First SP-26 delivery for Micco MICCO AIRCRAFT has delivered the first SP-26 light aircraft three months after the Fort Pierce, Florida-based compa ny clinched US certification for its two-seater model. The SP-26, an uprated version of the SP-20 two- seater certificated last January, is powered by a 195kW (260hp) Textron Lycoming IO-540. It is priced at $225,000 in standard instrument flight rules (IFR) con figuration, while the visual flight rules version costs $199,500. To date Micco has chalked up 24 orders, all for the IFR model. The SP-2 0 and -2 6 are based on the vin tage Meyers 145 light aircraft. • Orders are rolling in for the SP-26 in the IFR configuration FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 16 - 22 January 2001 Predator UAV variant set for launch flight GENERAL ATOMICS (GA) Aeronautical Systems hopes to make the delayed first flight of its Predator B unmanned aerial vehi cle (UAV) at its El Mirage, California test site this month. The aircraft is the first of three Predator variants being developed for NASA's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology programme. All three are more powerful, longer range and greater endurance variants of the Predator UAV used by the US Air Force. The first and third aircraft are powered by a Honeywell TPE3 31 - 10T turboprop, while the second aircraft will be powered by a Williams-Rolls FJ44-2. The third aircraft, which has a larger wingspan than the others, is expected to fly in March 2 002. • 21
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