Safire Aircraft has chosen Metalcraft Technologies of Cedar City, Utah, to supply the fuselage for its personal jet. It is believed that Wichita, Kansas-based Apex Engineering will supply the wing and empennage for the all-metal Safire Jet. Avidyne has already been selected to provide the flightdeck, Castle Precision the landing gear and Williams International the engines.
Metalcraft machines parts for a range of aircraft, including wing leading-edge panels for the Boeing 737 and wing spars for the Lockheed Martin F-16. Hit by the downturn in commercial aircraft production, the 120-employee company has received an infusion of capital from a new investor group, which took over majority control earlier this year. Apex is another small parts manufacturing firm, which produced the fin for Eclipse Aviation's rival Eclipse 500 personal jet.
The aircraft will be assembled by Safire at its new plant at Opa Locka, Florida. The company relocated to Opa Locka airport on 4 June after agreeing an incentives package with local authorities. A $35 million final-assembly facility will be built at the airport and leased to Safire, which plans to begin deliveries in 2006 and ramp up production to more than 500 aircraft a year by 2009. The FJ33-4 engine is scheduled for certification in the fourth quarter, with the first flight of the Safire Jet planned for mid-2004.
Source: Flight International