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Aviation History
2001
2001 - 2799.PDF
BUSINESS AND GENERAL AVIATION AIRCRAFT DEVELOPMENT GRAHAM WARWICK / WASHINGTON DC Maverick kitplane heads for Europe US company McCotter Aviation plans European production and certification of MC2400 six-seat TwinJet derivative Undeterred by the hurdles facing other new entrants into the small jet market, US company McCotter Aviation is planning European pro duction and certification of a six- seat derivative of the Maverick TwinJet kitplane. McCotter, which acquired Mav erick this year, has signed a deal with a European partner to develop the jet, codenamed MC2400, says president Bob Schultz. McCotter is "well into design" of the MC2400, he says, with wind- runnel testing scheduled to begin in October. Plans call for the pro duction prototype to fly in July next year, leading to European JAR 23 certification in July 2003. Schultz says the programme will be "fully funded" by company owner Jim McCotter, a Colorado business man, and the unnamed European partner, avoiding the financing problems encountered by other new entrants into the market. Compared with the four-seat TwinJet, the MC2400 has a longer and taller cabin, bigger wing and tail, and more powerful engines. Four engine candidates in the l,000-l,2001b (4.5-5.3kN) thrust category are being evaluated, says Schultz - the Agilis TF1000, Pratt & Whitney Canada PW600, Williams International FJ33 and a new small rurbofan under consideration by Teledyne Continental. Engine selection is due by September. Schultz says the MC2400 design is "very low risk" because it is based on that of the TwinJet. Whereas the kitplane is all-com posite, the certificated aircraft may not be. "We are considering other options with a view to reducing McCotter Aviation is "well into design" of the MC2400, with windtunnel testing scheduled to begin in October certification risk," he says. The European entity responsible for production and certification will be "up and running" by mid- September, says Schultz, and McCotter plans to begin taking deposits on the $1.5 million MC2400 at next month's National Business Aircraft Association show. Performance claims include a 400kt (740km/h) cruise speed and 2,800km (l,500nm) range. Design features include "room for six large adults", a wide clamshell entry door and big windows, made possi ble by pressurising the aircraft for flight up to 29,000-31,000ft (8,800- 9,400m), and not higher. Small jet developers hunting for funding Despite a venture capital environment which one chief executive describes as "the worst in 20 years", developers of new small jets are stubbornly hopeful of raising funding to complete certification and begin pro duction of their designs. But most are restructuring their programmes to reduce the near-term financing required. The latest casualty is Century Aerospace, which describes its twin-turbofan CA-100 Century Jet pro gramme as "dormant". The company had hoped to build the aircraft at Alliance Aerospace, in Macon, Georgia, but owner Bill Northrup was forced to close Alliance last month after the bank foreclosed on loans. Century has relocated to Northrup's home base of Ellicottville, New York. 'We're still talking to one airframe and two financial groups," he says. The company has spent about $10 million and needs a further $60-80 million for certification. Satire Aircraft, which hopes to develop the SA-26 personal jet, is also on the fund-raising trail. In a bid to attract investors, Satire has approached its 800 delivery position holders to convert their $8,000 refundable deposits into binding orders in return for performance and price guarantees. Buyers would make no further payments until first flight, now planned for early 2003. Certification and first deliveries of the under-$900,000 aircraft are now planned for early 2004. Eclipse Aviation last month announced a restructur ing of its Eclipse 500 personal jet to reduce the financing required to reach first flight, which has been delayed by just a month to July 2002. Certification has been delayed six months to the end of 2003. Earlier this year, struggling VisionAire brought in Israel Aircraft Industries to verify the design of its single-turbofan Vantage to increase the confidence of potential investors. The US company has already spent $100 million and needs $120 million more. Aerostar Aircraft is trying to raise $40 million to certificate the FJ-100 by June 2003. The six-seat FJ33 powered jet will sell for $1.95 million. MEDICAL TRANSPORT MedJet's air-ambulance BBJ likely to serve foreign heads of state in USA Air medical transport specialist Medjet International says foreign heads of state receiving treatment in the USA^are the likely customers for its air ambulance-configured Boeing Business Jet (BBJ). The air craft is scheduled to enter service early next year after completion by Ozark Aircraft Systems of Arkansas. The aircraft, leased from BBJ- One, will join Birmingham, Alabama-based MedJet's fleet of two Bombardier Lear jet air ambu lances, a Learjet 35A-RX and a Learjet 36A-RX. The BBJ's Medjet- designed interior includes a 751itre liquid oxygen system, multiple heart monitors, defibrillator, venti lator and satellite communications to transmit the patient's vital signs to doctors on the ground, says Medjet president Jeffrey Tolbert. The BBJ provides space for the sophisticated medical suite as well as for a head of state's entourage, says Tolbert. "There is not an air craft available anywhere with this capability. Head-of-state executive aircraft are not suitably equipped." The BBJ, with nine underfloor fuel tanks, will have a range of 12,000km (6,500nm). www.fliqhtinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 14-20 AUGUST 2001 23
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