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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 1546.PDF
Directory: business aircraft plane, despite the collapse last year of its purchase of US amphibious aircraft manu facturer, Lake Aircraft. A dispute over the sale of the company has resulted in Archedyne filing a court action against Lake Aircraft and its owner Armand Rivard, on grounds of conspiracy to defraud. Bell Helicopter Textron, PO Box 482, Fort Worth, Texas 76101, USA Tel +1 (450) 437 2720; Fax +1 (450) 437 6010 Web http://www.bellagustaaerospace.com Bell has decided to slow development and certification of the BA609 due to funding issues, and the programme's inextricable ties to the US Marine Corps' troubled Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey programme. Although Bell has yet to offer a revised schedule, attempts to get the first aircraft airborne by June look increasingly unlikely. Under the original plan, production deliveries were due to have started early this year. However, the programme has been hit by a series of delays. It is not clear what effect this will have on the joint venture with Agusta, which has a 25% stake in the BA609 programme and wants to pursue a larger European tiltrotor development programme based on its Erica concept. The delay could fuel demands for refunds from customers who have already placed orders for around 80 BA609s, sources suggest. Prospective operators are under stood to have placed $100,000 deposits against each commitment. Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, PO Box 3707, Seattle. Washington 98124-2207, USA Tel +1 (206) 655 1131; Fax +1 (206) 655 7004 Web http://www.boeing.com/bbj Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) has cornered the widebody corporate-jet market with its 737-700/800 hybrids, delivering 11 green BBJs, and five BBJ2s last year. A total of 67 aircraft are on order, of which 43 have entered service. Late last year, the Boeing/General Elec tric joint venture delivered the first Euro pean-owned BBJ2 to UK company Multi- flight, and the type has also been cited for new US-based shared ownership venture ShairForce. The larger BBJ2 entered service last year due to customer demand for a roomier aircraft - the aircraft offers 25% more floor space and 50% more cargo volume than the BBJ. Boeing has shelved plans for the proposed 13,000km-range BBJ3 business jet based on the 757-200 fuselage and 757-300 wing. 400 Chemin de la Cote Vertu, Dorval, Quebec H4S 1YP Canada Tel +1 (514) 855 5000; Fax +1 (514) 855 7401 Web http://www.aero.bombardier.com Canadian manufacturer Bombardier began flight testing the fourth Continental super mid-size business jet last month, and says it is "on track" for certification in the third quarter. The fourth Continental, aircraft 20004, is the first equipped with a com plete interior. Its maiden flight from Bombardier's Wichita, Kansas, test-centre on 5 April verified the flight-test procedure to be used for delivering production air craft to customers, the company says. Green deliveries are planned to begin soon after certification. The aircraft, which fills the gap between the $11.4 million mid size Learjet 60 and large-cabin Challenger 604, is designed for US coast-to-coast travel, with the ability to operate from l,520m-long or smaller runways. Bombardier has formally launched devel opment of the Global 5000 super-large busi ness jet, a shorter-fuselage derivative of the ultra-long-range Global Express of which more than 50 have been delivered. The air craft is intended to compete head-on with the Gulfstream IV-SP in the large-cabin market, and will be the company's twelfth new aircraft in 12 years. The Canadian manufacturer has received 15 letters of intent for the Global 5000. First flight is set for the first quarter of next year, leading to Canadian, European and US certification a year later. The aircraft is expected to enter service at the end of 2004. Bombardier is finalising agreements with other risk-sharing partners and expects its share of the development cost to be only C$150 million ($93 million). Launch price is just under $33 million for a typically equipped aircraft, including satellite communications and datalink. The company forecasts a market for 750 super-large business jets over 10 years. Bombardier also offers: the transconti nental Challenger 604, the company's fastest-selling Challenger and successor to the 601-3R. The latest aircraft features upgraded Rockwell Collins Pro Line 4 avionics, and an enhanced flight manage ment system. The Canadair SE, the corpo rate version of the successful CRJ regional jet and the Learjet 31 A, 45 and 60 com plete the line up. CENTURY AEROSPACE 3250 University Blvd, SE Access Road, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106, USA Tel +1 (505) 246 8200; Fax + 1 (505) 246 8300 Web http://www.centuryaero.com Century Aerospace fell into bankruptcy last year despite attempts by principal owners Bill and Lori Northrup to gather a financing and risk-sharing partnerships to take the CA-100 twin turbofan through to certification. Talks have begun with AASI see separate entry), now renamed Mooney Aerospace Group, on acquiring the rights to the programme, which remains at the design stage. CESSNA AIRCRAFT PO Box 7706, One Cessna Boulevard, Wichita, Kansas 67277-7706. USA Tel +1 (316) 517 6000; Fax +1 (316) 517 6640 Web http://www.cessna.textron.com Cessna offers the Citation range of busi nesses jets, production of which is set to decrease from a received 313 last year to 250 aircraft next year. The reduction will be mainly in production of the entry-level Citation CJ1 and CJ2. Cessna is focusing its efforts on development of its new mid-size Citation Sovereign, which flew for the first time in February. Cessna is aiming for certification of the Sovereign in the third quarter of next year, 45 months after project go-ahead. First deliveries are set to begin in early 2004. Cessna says it has over 100 Sovereign orders. The aircraft is powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306C turbofans and equipped with Honeywell Primus Epic inte grated avionics. The second aircraft is due to fly in the third quarter, and will be fitted with an interior for the Sovereign's public debut at the National Business Aviation Association convention in September. The third and final test aircraft is scheduled to fly in the fourth quarter. Cessna continues to produce the Mach 0.92 Citation X, which has undergone a number of performance enhancements. Cessna's Citation line-up includes the light Bravo, the superlight Excel, the entry level CJ1, the CJ2 - essentially a stretched CJ1 - and the Encore, a revamped version of the Citation Ultra light jet. The company also offers the Caravan 1 and Grand Caravan single-turboprop utility aircraft, and is look ing at options for an aircraft to fill the gap between its largest piston single, the 206 Stationair, and its smallest twinjet, the CJ1. CHICHESTER MILES CONSULTANTS West House, Ayot St Lawrence, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, AL6 9BT, UK Tel +44 (1438) 820341; Fax +44 (1438) 820030 Web http://leopard.uk.com CMC has been developing its four-seat Leopard jet on a piecemeal basis since the early 1980s. It continues to seek finance and a suitable engine for the aircraft, since Williams tied up an exclusive contract for its powerplant with Eclipse Aviation. Inv estment is also being sought for a six-seat version of the Leopard, which CMC esti mates will cost around $100 million to fund through to certification. The Leopard Six twin turbofan, designed around the Williams FJ33-1 turbofan, is an all-compos ite aircraft, which will be 25% larger than its stable-mate. Priced at $2.35 million, the 56 21-27 MAY 2002 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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