VisionAire officially opened its Ames, Iowa, production plant on 26 May, to house the company's Vantage single turbofan business jet assembly line.
Although the factory will have the capacity to produce up to 230 aircraft a year, the company is planning to expand the site and to establish further bases in the USA and Europe. "We now have in excess of 125 orders for the single- engined aircraft and are looking at ways of increasing production and reducing the backlog," says the company.
The $1.8 million composite aircraft, scheduled for certification and first deliveries in 1999 "-will be produced at a rate of 66 a year in 2000 and 115 a year when it enters full production in 2001", says Visionaire.
The company is hoping to hear by the end of the year whether the Israeli Government has accepted its proposal to produce the aircraft in Arad, southern Israel. Its joint venture company, VisionArad, is now "-going through approved enterprise status which qualifies us for a number of financial incentives [low interest loans and grants]," says Goodhew. In the meantime, the company is examining alternative European locations for an assembly plant.
Visionaire plans to start producing the first certification aircraft (VT1) in August, and it "-is to fly by early January". The second test aircraft (VT2) is expected to fly two months later. Two static-test aircraft, to be used for structural and systems testing, will be built at its St Louis, Missouri base.
Source: Flight International