GUY NORRIS / LOS ANGELES
Results at the high end of our expectations, says company's chief executive
Aviation Partners has begun flight tests of a winglet-equipped Raytheon Hawker 800 and says initial flight tests results are at "the high end of expectations so far".
Although formal fuel consumption tests are just beginning, Aviation Partners' chief executive Joe Clark says early signs indicate between a 5% and 7% drag reduction. More specific details of the performance improvements are expected to be announced at next week's National Business Aviation Association show in New Orleans where the aircraft will be formally unveiled.
The 1.14m (45in) high composite blended winglets require the removal of a large section of the Hawker's prominent aileron horn balance, and the addition of lead and tungsten-carbide leading edge weights to re-balance the aileron.
Installation of the winglets, which weigh 16kg (35lb) each in their current test format, is expected to cost "around $350,000" in their finished format, says Clark who plans to begin taking orders "straight away".
Flight tests and certification are slated for completion within 11 months, with first deliveries planned around August or September next year.
Around 30h of flight tests have been amassed to date, with the aircraft climbing directly to 41,000ft (12,500m) following take-off for the first time from Boeing Field at maximum weight. "We climb about 671m higher than the baseline aircraft," says Aviation Partners' test pilot Rick Millson, who says handling qualities are no different from the standard.
"We could reduce take-off speed by 3kt [5.55km/h] to 4kts and improve second segment climb rate by 10% and 15%," he adds.
Range improvements of 280km (150nm) to 370km are also expected, says Aviation Partners.
Source: Flight International
