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Aviation History
2003
2003 - 1011.PDF
>ry: business aircraft The business aircraft industry is histori cally innovative and risk-taking, however. In anticipation of an upturn in sales, manu facturers are preparing by investing heavily in the development of new and improved products. Light aircraft manufac turer Diamond Aircraft has made it into the directory for the first time with the D-Jet single-engined business jet. Germany's Grob Aerospace is also making its first foray into the business aircraft market with a six-seat, single-engined turboprop. The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-42-powered aircraft is due to make its first flight in the fourth quarter. Developments Bombardier has launched two aircraft in the past 12 months: the Learjet 40 light jet and the enhanced-performance super-light Learjet 45XR. Dassault has launched development of the high-speed, long- range Falcon 7X, with deliveries to begin in 2006. Raytheon is ramping up production of the entry-level Premier I and plans to begin deliveries of the super mid-size Hawker Horizon next year. Cessna has added two new models to its Citation busi ness jet range - the Mustang personal jet and the stretched CJ3 light jet-while its Sovereign is accelerating towards certification and first deliveries by early next year. Branding too has become a key factor in product rejuvenation and as a weapon to attract and retain customers. Leading the pack is Gulfstream, which has ditched the envied GIV and GV names and introduced a seven-aircraft line-up, signalling an intent to compete across the business jet spec trum from the $10 million price tag upwards. The Gulfstream trademark is standard only on the G400 and G550. Bombardier, too, has streamlined its business jet line-up under the Learjet, Challenger and Global names. The com pany's new branding philosophy centres on three families, says Bombardier - Learjet for speed and value; Challenger for reliability and value; and Global for speed, range and comfort. The super mid-size Continental has been renamed the Challenger 300. Bombardier is now looking at the possi bilities of new derivatives in all three families, including a stretch of the Learjet 45 and an aircraft beyond the Global Express, which could become the Global 7000 or 8000. Raytheon has revived Beechcraft and established Hawker as separate divisions. Cessna's Citation brand consists of a nine-aircraft range, stretching from the $19 million high-speed Citation X down to the $2.3 million entry-level Citation Mustang. • Adam's A500 centre line thrust piston twin is set for US approval in July This guide lists turbine-powered and piston-twin aircraft specifically designed or routinely offered for business rather than private use with at least four seats. As a general guideline, aircraft are included if they are still in production, or at an advanced stage of development with the first flight of a prototype scheduled. Details appear in the tables. CONVERSIONS 1kg = 2.2lb 1m = 3.3ft 1km = 1.85nm 1kN = 225lb-thrust 1km/h = 1.85kt 12876 East Jamison Circle, Englewood, Colorado 80112, USA Tel +1 (303) 406 5900 Fax +1 (303) 406 5950 Website www.adamaircraft.com Adam is developing the A500 all-composite, centreline-thrust piston twin and expects to fly the third production prototype this month, leading to US certification in July. Two prototypes have flown. The first is used for static testing and the second to test envi ronmental control system and pressurisa- tion, refine engine cooling and expand the centre-of-gravity envelope. Take-off and landing and range performance will be mea sured. The third prototype is fully conform ing and will be used for FAR 23 certification testing by the US Federal Aviation Administration. A fourth, non-flying, air frame will be used for static and fatigue test ing to destruction, from May. Adam has firm orders, options and dealer commitments for 100 aircraft, with the first customer delivery planned for July. The company plans to be producing three aircraft a month by year-end, and five a month by the end of 2004. Private invest ment to fund development of the A700 twinjet derivative of the A500 through to first flight has been secured. Preliminary design of the 11-seat aircraft is complete. The A700 will have 80% parts common ality with the A500, a maximum cruise speed of 340kt at 38,000ft and payload at maximum range of 330kg. Adam hopes to fly the A700 in early 2004. 10555 Airport Drive, Couer d'Alene Airport, Hayden Lake, Idaho 83835, USA Tel +1 (208) 762 0338 Fax +1 (208) 762 8349 Website www.aerostaraircraft.com Aerostar Aircraft has pushed back certifica tion of its FJ-100 light jet derivative of the Piper Aerostar 600/700 piston twin to 2006 and says it continues to seek investment of around $50 million to fund the aircraft through to first delivery. The six-seat Aerostar, designed in 1965 as a light jet, entered production at Piper in 1969 as a piston twin aimed at the owner- flown market. The company built 1,026 Aerostars, of which 750 are still in service. Aerostar acquired the rights to the design in 1991 and produces spare parts for the original aircraft under licence. Changes incorporated into the FJ-100 from the orig inal Piper design include a stretched fuse lage, strengthened wing, cruciform tail, increased maximum take-off weight of 3,300kg and two l,200-l,5001b-thrust Williams FJ33 or Pratt and Whitney Canada PW610F turbofans. 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, Maurice Bellonte, Blagnac Cedex, F-31707, France Tel +33 (5) 61 93 33 33 Fax +33 (5) 61 93 37 92 Website www.corporatejetliner.com The European company offers the Airbus Corporate Jetliner (A319CJ), a derivative of the A319 airliner. Although sales of the dedicated corporate variant have slowed, interest in a corporate shuttle variant of the A319 in growing. Swiss business air craft services company PrivatAir took delivery last month of the first of two air craft in 126-seat business-class layout. The aircraft will be used as a corporate shuttle as part of a five-year deal with Airbus to 46 6-12 MAY 2003 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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