FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
2004
2004-05 - 0027.PDF
BUSINESS AVIATION DISPUTE JUSTIN WASTNAGE/LONDON TAM ends Maverick contract over 'uncertifiable' Leader Georgian firm returns manufacturing rights to USA and begins development of own jet Georgian manufacturer Tbilaviam- sheni (TAM) has ended its contract with US kitplane supplier Maverick Jets to produce a certificated version of the twin-engined Leader personal jet, and now plans to launch its own business aircraft. Tblisi-based TAM terminated its agreement with Maverick Jets last year and is returning production rights to the US company. Business development manager George Beradze says TAM's engineers have declared the Leader "uncertifiable" after 10 months of tests. "Not a single element of the air craft, from airframe, wings, landing gear and system, conforms to US Federal Aviation Regulations stan dards," he says. Melbourne, Florida-based Maver ick Jets admits the airframe out sourcing agreement with TAM has "been discontinued", but says the Leader is a certificatable product. "There are three Leaders flying that have already flown hundreds of combined hours," says Maverick Jets. It adds: "As a kitplane it was always understood to need additional work to bring it to full FAR 23 certification standards." TAM says Maverick Jets engaged the Georgian company to re-engine and test the Leader for eventual certi fication as a factory-built personal jet in the USA. TAM is uncertain as to the legal ramifications of ending its partnership with Maverick Jets. Beradze says: "Maybe they knew the aircraft was unsuitable for certifi cation, but we are left with a product that is not certificatable." Maverick Jets says: "The intent has been, and is, to do what is necessary to bring the aircraft to full certifica tion and we are working toward this end. We have no interest in trying to discredit TAM." Meanwhile, TAM has been design ing its own personal jet family in tan dem with work on the Leader, and plans to unveil a prototype during various air shows in the second and third quarter. The five-seat, single-pilot TAMJet will be powered by two Williams FJ33 turbofans and will be priced at around $1.5 million. TAM aims to receive European Joint Aviation Authorities design approval by the end of the month and unveil a pro totype by the middle of the year. CRITICISM Canada's Challengers challenged The Canadian government's decision to buy two Bombardier Challenger 604 business jets in 2002 for C$101 million ($76 mil lion) has been slammed by auditor-general Sheila Fraser, who says the purchase was unnecessary as there was noth ing wrong with the existing fleet. The acquisition also ignored government rules for making such large purchases, says Fraser, while the government was told by one of its own departments that the existing fleet of six business jets were probably good for another eight years of service. Fraser's report also raises questions about the close relationship between Ottawa and Bombardier, which it says has received federal subsidies and contracts over several years. MAINTENANCE JUSTIN WASTNAGE / ZURICH Jet Aviation seeks expansion of Zurich facility by year end Swiss business aviation services company Jet Aviation is set to expand its Zurich maintenance facility as part of plans to cater for the Cessna Citation Sovereign and Raytheon Hawker Horizon. Jet Aviation met the airport operator Unique last week to request expansion of its current 2,000m2 (22,204ft2) hangar by 1,700m2 to accommodate the larger jets. Werner Aerne, Jet Aviation senior vice-president for maintenance, says he expects approval within the month leading to completion of the facility before the end of the year. Jet Aviation also leases a 1,200m2 hangar from the airport opposite its main hangar: this will remain unchanged. Zurich is the Jet Aviation dedicated maintenance, repair and overhaul centre for Cessna and Raytheon types in Europe and the facility has been close to capacity for several years, with work outsourced to Jet Aviation's German sites in Cologne and Dusseldorf, says Aerne. The company carries out maintenance on airliner-class business jets at its Basle facility, but was keen to keep heavy checks for the entire Raytheon and Cessna jet ranges, including the two new mid-size jets, in Zurich, says Aerne. Cessna expects full type certification of the Sovereign by May and Aerne says the first European aircraft will arrive in Zurich by the second half of this year. Raytheon's Hawker Horizon super mid-sized business jet is also scheduled for a service entry by the end of this year and Aerne says engineers have started training on both types. Jet Aviation is also likely to use the additional space to carry out line maintenance on many of the larger Gulfstream aircraft that pass through the Zurich fixed-base operation, which are currently flown to Geneva. Jet Aviation is also in negotiations with Swiss turboprop manufacturer Pilatus to become an authorised service centre for the PC-12 single- engined turboprop. omgapore 2004 1 million images! 5,000 plus on-line! come and visit The Flight Group stand A401 and see the exciting new website from The Flight Collection images to enhance your promotion and advertising ww.theflightcollection.coi www.fliqhtinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 24 FEBRUARY - 1 MARCH 2004 25
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
