IN DEVELOPMENT

CESSNA CITATION CJ4

The Citation CJ4 takes the single-pilotCitationJet into a higher-performance realmwhile retaining the signature characteristicsof what used to be Cessna’s entry-level jetseries. The CJ4’s new features should makeit easier to fly and maintain than othermembers of the Citation line.

The biggest change to the CJ line is anew wing for the CJ4, with three upperspeed-brake panels on each side and mod-erate taper. The CJ4’s fuselage is two feetlonger than the CJ3’s and the engines aremuch more powerful, with 3,400 pounds ofthrust each, up from the CJ3’s 2,780pounds. The CJ4’s maximum payload willbe 2,100 pounds, 300 pounds more thanthe CJ3’s. Also new are single-point refuel-ing and electric aileron and rudder trim.

Cessna engineers worked with Rock-well Collins to improve the pilot interfacewith the Pro Line 21 avionics suite, whichhas four screens in the CJ4 instead ofthree. Maintenance costs should be lower,thanks to a Cessna-designed ship diagnos-tic system that allows downloading ofmaintenance data on the ground.

First flight of the first CJ4, which istaking shape now in wing and fuselagejigs, is expected during the first half of nextyear. Cessna will build three flying CJ4s,as well as ground-test articles. Certificationand entry into service of the $8 millionCJ4 are planned for the first half of 2010.

CIRRUS ‘THE-JET’Cirrus Design has amassed a respectable

number of orders for its single-engine jet,without giving precise performance figures,projections for the development and certifi-cation timeline or even a firm price. Thefirst prototype likely won’t fly for anothertwo to three years, but Cirrus has generateda lot of buzz with its plans to enter whatcompany cofounder Alan Klapmeier callsthe personal jet market.

The jet still doesn’t have an officialname and is referred to at Cirrus as “The-Jet.” In late June, the company unveiled amockup of the new jet, which features a V

tail and engine mounted at a front-upwardangle parallel to the top of the rear fuse-lage. The interior and instrument panellook remarkably similar to that of a Lexusor Acura luxury automobile, which fitswith Cirrus Design’s desire to attract newentrants to aviation with products thatappeal to familiar expectations of what amillion-dollar airplane should look like.

The Cirrus jet seats five adults, but thereis also room for two smaller seats in therear for passengers who weigh less than 100pounds. Mounting the engine atop the fuse-lage makes extra room for a heated externalbaggage compartment. The-Jet will be

equipped with a ballistic parachute systemdesigned by Ballistic Recovery Systems.

Cirrus engineers have refined the jet’sdesign in a wind tunnel, with the goal ofbringing to market a jet that combines thehandling of a Cirrus SR-series piston singlewith short-field capability and a top speedof 300 knots. The engine is a Williams Inter-national FJ33-4A-19, which delivers 1,900pounds of thrust. No further specificationsare available yet, including the choice ofavionics manufacturer. Orders currentlystand at more than 150 aircraft, most fromexisting Cirrus piston airplane owners.

EMBRAER PHENOM 300While the Phenom 100 has garnered more

attention recently with its first flight, thePhenom 300 program continues on schedule,according to Embraer. In May the companyannounced it has extended the 300’s cabinby 14 inches, but the change did not affectprice or performance. The extended cabin,designed by BMW DesignworksUSA, nowallows buyers to opt for single- and double-seat divans and a new galley.

The 300’s flight deck is equipped withEmbraer’s Prodigy Garmin G1000-basedavionics suite. Powered by two Pratt &Whitney Canada PW535E turbofans, the$6.65 million Phenom 300 will have ahigh-speed cruise of 450 ktas and range of1,800 nm. Embraer has not yet releasedany weight numbers for the 300.

Following first metal cut in March, thefirst flight-test Phenom 300 is scheduled to

fly in the middle of next year, with serviceentry expected in mid-2009.

EVIATION EV-20 VANTAGEThe VisionAire Vantage single-engine

jet prototype flew in 1996, and if the de-sign had made it into production it wouldhave pioneered the personal jet market-place. That program went bankrupt, but atwin-engine version of the airplane mightyet be developed.

The Eviation EV-20 Vantage will be aneight- to 10-seat all-composite twin powered

50aaAviation International News • October 2007 • www.ainonline.com

There are an extraordinary number of business jets in flight test or developmentor that were certified during the past 12 months, and indications before thisyear’s NBAA Convention were that more new jets are coming from DassaultFalcon, Embraer, Gulfstream and likely other manufacturers. Look for New Bizliners in next month’s AIN.

by Matt Thurber

NEWBUSINESS JETS

Cessna Citation CJ4Program launch date Oct. 2006First flight date Est. 1H/08Certification date Est. 1H/10First delivery date Est. 1H/10Number of crew and passengers 1 + 8Cabin dimensions 17.3 x 4.75 x 4.8 ftCabin volume N/AEngine make/model Williams FJ44-4A (2)Engine certification date Est. 1Q/09Engine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 3,600 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) 3,400 lbAvionics suite Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21MTOW N/AMLW N/AZFW N/ABOW N/AMaximum fuel weight N/AMmo N/AVmo N/AHigh-speed cruise speed 435 ktasLong-range cruise speed N/ANBAA IFR range at long-range cruise 1,825 nmCertified maximum altitude 45,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude N/ABalanced field length (sea level, ISA) N/ANumber of aircraft on firm order 120+Standard equipped price $8 million

OEMs and startups working on widearray of new designs and derivatives

Cirrus ‘The-Jet’Program launch date Work began 2003First flight date 2008 or 2009Certification date N/AFirst delivery date N/ANumber of crew and passengers 1 + 4Cabin dimensions N/ACabin volume N/AEngine make/model Williams FJ33-4A-19 (1)Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 1,900 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite N/AMTOW N/AMLW N/AZFW N/ABOW N/AMaximum fuel weight N/AMmo N/AVmo N/AHigh-speed cruise speed About 300 ktasLong-range cruise speed N/ANBAA IFR range at long-range cruise 1,000+ nmCertified maximum altitude 25,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude N/ABalanced field length (sea level, ISA) N/ANumber of aircraft on firm order 150+Standard equipped price Less than $1 million

Embraer Phenom 300

Program launch date May 2005First flight date Mid-2008Certification date Mid-2009First delivery date Following certificationNumber of crew and passengers 1 + 7/9Cabin dimensions 17.2 x 4.9 x 5.1 ftCabin volume 325 cu ftEngine make/model P&WC PW535E (2)Engine certification date 4Q/08

Engine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 3,200 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite Prodigy Flight Deck 300

(based on Garmin G1000)

MTOW N/AMLW N/AZFW N/ABOW N/AMaximum fuel weight N/AMmo Mach 0.78Vmo 320 kcas High-speed cruise speed 450 ktasLong-range cruise speed N/ANBAA IFR range at long-range cruise 1,800 nmCertified maximum altitude 45,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude 6,600 ftBalanced field length (sea level, ISA) 3,700 ft (at mtow)

Number of aircraft on firm order 500+(Phenom 100/300)

Standard equipped price $ 6.65 million (Jan.’05 $)

www.ainonline.com • October 2007 • Aviation International Newsaa51

by Williams International FJ44-1AP turbo-fans. Price was set at $2.995 million, andin 2006 Eviation predicted the EV-20would be certified in mid-2007. The rela-tively low cost was to be possible by hav-ing the jet manufactured in Brazil by theBrazilian Center for Aerospace Technol-ogy, which is part of the country’s air force.

No news has been heard from Eviationabout the planned July 2006 first flight of the EV-20 or any current progress on the airplane.

EXCEL-JET SPORT-JETAn accident involving a new jet manu-

facturer’s first prototype can cause majorsetbacks. While accidents have happenedto three companies in recent years, thecrash of Excel-Jet’s Sport-Jet in June 2006seems to have slowed that company’s pro-gram more than is the case with SpectrumAeronautical’s and Grob’s jet programs.

Fortunately, no one was killed in the

crash of the Sport-Jet, which had loggedabout 25 hours before cartwheeling duringtakeoff at Colorado Springs MunicipalAirport, Colo. Excel-Jet president BobBornhofen believes that the Sport-Jetencountered wake turbulence from a de-parting de Havilland Dash 8-200.

The NTSB concluded, “It is mostlikely that the wake vortices were neitherstrong enough nor close enough to theSport-Jet to cause the violent roll to theleft reported by the pilot and witnesses tothe accident.” The probable cause of theaccident, the NTSB stated, was “a loss ofcontrol for an undetermined reason dur-ing takeoff initial climb that resulted inan in-flight collision with terrain.”

Bornhofen said that the company isworking on a second Sport-Jet prototypethat should fly possibly early next year. ThisSport-Jet will not be production conforming,he said, but subsequent models will conform

to the final design and production standards.The Sport-Jet’s fuselage is composite,

while the wings and tail are aluminum. TheWilliams International FJ33-4A-15 shouldgive the four- to five-seat Sport-Jet a maxi-mum cruise speed at 25,000 feet of 350knots, top speed of 375 knots and IFRrange of about 950 nm.

MAVERICK JETS SMARTJETAt last year’s NBAA Convention Maver-

ick Jets announced plans to certify the five-seat twin-engine SmartJet. Maverick hasnot revealed the engines that it plans to useto power the SmartJet, and the company hasreleased no new information since last year.

Projected performance of the $899,000SmartJet includes 290 ktas maximumcruise speed, 25,000-foot maximum alti-tude, range of 1,250 nm and a fuel burn of36 gph.

MILLENNIUM FOXJETSince announcing that it had purchased

the Foxjet program from Tony Fox, anearly proponent of very light jets (and of anairplane that has yet to get beyond themockup stage), Millennium Aerospace hasreleased little information.

Nevertheless, the Foxjet program isalive and well, executive director BarryMarshall told AIN. Subcontractors all overthe world are making subassemblies for theFoxjet in preparation for building the firstprototype. Millennium has developed per-formance projections using two Pratt &Whitney Canada PW615 engines, but Mar-shall wouldn’t reveal any numbers.

Los Angeles-based Millennium doesn’tplan to make too many changes to thebasic Foxjet design as envisioned andmocked up by Tony Fox. The nacelles needto be changed to fit the PW615 engines,“but very little beyond that,” Marshall said.

“There is a lot going on with this [air-plane],” he said. “It’s going to tickle the in-dustry pink when it comes to the rollout.”

Fox’s Tony Team Industries wasn’t thefirst to promote small jets, but it is interest-ing to note that Fox did see the opportunityto use these jets for air-taxi services. Hecoined the term Dialjet to describe a sys-tem with hundreds of Foxjets available forquick charters, and lower prices for sharedtrips managed by a computer system.

When Fox introduced the Foxjet conceptin 1977, projected performance using two425-pound-thrust Williams InternationalWR44-800 engines included 356-knotmaximum cruise, 41,000-foot maximumaltitude and a 955-nm range with reserves(at “best” 286-knot cruise speed).

According to the Web site www.mach-diamonds.com, Fox spent $3 million onthe Foxjet program and built four full-size mockups. Bill Lear reportedly placedthe first order and consulted on the proj-ect. Price of the Foxjet was to be$500,000 to $700,000.

PIPER PIPERJETPiper Aircraft’s all-metal PiperJet, un-

veiled during last year’s NBAA Conven-tion, has been redesigned slightly afterwind-tunnel testing showed the need forsome changes. The Williams InternationalFJ44-3AP-powered jet is the largest of the

single-engine segment, with seats for upto seven occupants.

Based on testing of a one-fifth-scalemodel at the University of WashingtonAeronautical Laboratory’s Kirsten WindTunnel in Seattle, Piper engineers reducedthe size of the engine inlet and swept thehorizontal stabilizer 30 degrees. In addi-tion to increasing tail effectiveness, thesweep provides the added benefit of mov-ing the stabilizer out of the rotor-burstpath, a consideration for any designer of asingle-engine jet.

Other design changes include a newdorsal fairing on top of the engine nacellesto improve directional stability, wing lead-ing-edge extensions at the wing roots andredesigned winglets.

SPECTRUM S-33 INDEPENDENCE

Certification of Spectrum Aeronautical’scomposite S-33 Independence very lightjet has been pushed back a year, to 2010,so that the Spanish Fork, Utah companycan focus on certifying the midsize S-40Freedom in 2009.

The S-33 was originally planned aroundthe Williams International FJ33-4A-15, butrecent design changes call for upgradingthe powerplant to the FJ33-4A-19. The -19delivers 1,750 pounds of thrust comparedwith the -15’s 1,568 pounds.

Spectrum expects some fairly spectacu-lar performance parameters from the S-33,due primarily to the FibeX compositesmanufacturing process developed with

Excel-Jet Sport-JetProgram launch date January 2004First flight date May 14, 2006Certification date N/AFirst delivery date N/ANumber of crew and passengers 1+3/4Cabin dimensions 7.9 x 3.9 x 4.9 ft Cabin volume 152 cu ftEngine make/model Williams FJ33-4A (1)Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 1,500 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite N/AMTOW 4,900 lbMLW N/AZFW N/ABOW 2,800 lb (empty weight)

Maximum fuel weight 1,400 lbMmo N/AVmo (kias) N/AHigh-speed cruise speed 340 to 365 ktasLong-range cruise speed 310 to 330 ktasNBAA IFR range at long-range cruise 1,100 nm

(IFR reserves)

Certified maximum altitude 25,000 to 27,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude N/ABalanced field length (sea level, ISA) 2,300 ft

(takeoff distance)

Number of aircraft on firm order N/AStandard equipped price About $1 million

Maverick Jets SmartJetProgram launch date N/AFirst flight date N/ACertification date N/AFirst delivery date N/ANumber of crew and passengers 1 + 4Cabin dimensions 6.67 x 4 x 4.5 ftCabin volume N/AEngine make/model N/A (2)Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) N/AEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite N/AMTOW 4,160 lbMLW N/AZFW N/ABOW 2,150 lb (empty weight)

Maximum fuel weight 1,410 lbMmo N/AVmo N/AHigh-speed cruise speed 290 ktasLong-range cruise speed 277 ktasNBAA IFR range at long-range cruise 1,250 nmCertified maximum altitude 25,000 feetCabin altitude at maximum altitude N/ABalanced field length (sea level, ISA) 1,320 ft

(takeoff distance)

Number of aircraft on firm order N/AStandard equipped price $899,000

Eviation EV-20 VantageProgram launch date 2004First flight date N/ACertification date N/ACertification basis and amendment N/AFirst delivery date N/ANumber of crew and passengers 1 + 7/9Cabin dimensions N/ACabin volume N/AEngine/make/model Williams FJ44-1AP (1)Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 2,100 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite Garmin G1000

MTOW 9,250 lbMLW 8,850 lbZFW N/ABOW N/AMaximum fuel weight 2,750 lbMmo N/AVmo N/AHigh-speed cruise speed 424 ktasLong-range cruise speed N/ANBAA IFR range at long-range cruise <1,300 nmCertified maximum altitude 41,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude 8,000 ftMinimum field length (sea level, ISA) 2,500 ftNumber of aircraft on firm order N/AStandard equipped price $2 to $2.5 million

Piper PiperJetProgram launch date October 2006First flight date Est. 1Q/08Certification date Est. 2010First delivery date Est. 2010Number of crew and passengers 1+5/6Cabin dimensions N/ACabin volume N/AEngine make/model Williams FJ44-3AP (1)Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 3,000 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) 2,400 lbAvionics suite N/AMTOW N/AMLW N/AZFW N/ABOW N/AMaximum fuel weight N/AMmo N/AVmo N/AHigh-speed cruise speed 360 ktasLong-range cruise speed N/ANBAA IFR range at long-range cruise 1,300 nmCertified maximum altitude 35,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude N/ABalanced field length (sea level, ISA) N/ANumber of aircraft on firm order 186+Standard equipped price $2.199 million (’06 $)

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Rocky Mountain Composites. With anmtow of 7,500 pounds, the S-33 shouldcruise at a maximum speed of 433 knotsand have a range of 2,050 nm.

The S-33 is priced at $3.65 million andwill seat seven to nine occupants.

The next S-33, which is currently underconstruction, will be made on production-conforming tooling, as will three additionaltest airplanes and one or two static-test air-frames. The first S-40 should fly sometimeduring the second half of next year, thenthe next S-33 will fly. This will actually bethe second S-33, as the prototype crashedon takeoff in July 2006.

SPECTRUM S-40 FREEDOM

Spectrum Aeronautical is focusing onbringing the midsize S-40 Freedom tomarket before the S-33 because currentlythere is much less competition in the mid-size market, while there are many moreplayers in the S-33’s small jet segment.Spectrum plans to build four S-40s for itsflight-test and certification program, andall will be built on production-conformingtooling, which should speed the transitionto post-certification production. The S-40is now scheduled to fly in the second halfof next year, followed by FAA certifica-tion in 2009.

The S-40 is slated to be powered by the2,050-pound-thrust GE Honda AeroHF120 turbofan. Maximum cruise speed is435 ktas and range 2,200 nm.

SUPERSONIC BUSINESS JETS

Three companies have expressed inter-est in building a supersonic business jet,but none of the programs proposed byAerion, Sukhoi and Supersonic Aero-space has reached the launch stage, andthis segment of business aviation will nottake off until massive amounts of moneyare available, sonic booms can be reducedand regulations governing supersonicflight over land are revised. Meanwhile,research continues.

Aerion has progressed farthest, havingperformed aerodynamic tests of its wingdesign and having figured out a way to flyefficiently at subsonic speeds over countries–such as the U.S.–that prohibit civil super-sonic flight. Aerion has designed a jetthat promises to offer similar NBAA IFRrange–about 4,000 nm–at Mach 0.95 as itdoes at about Mach 1.5. Operating expensesshould range between those of a GlobalExpress XRS and Boeing BBJ. And theAerion’s two engines are ordinary andavailable Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219s, eachdelivering 19,600 pounds of thrust.

Work on the Aerion includes wind-tunnel testing to optimize engine inlets,exhaust nozzles, nacelles/airframe inte-gration and empennage size and geome-try. Aerion has worked with vendors todesign systems architecture and sizing forfuel, electrical, hydraulic, flight controls,pressurization, environmental controlsand landing gear.

Working with Cox and Co.’s icingtunnel, Aerion engineers have evaluatedworst-case icing building on the wing out-board of the strakes. “The tests indicated

that icing does not have a significant effecton the Aerion outer wing panels and tailsurfaces,” according to the company. Thenose, engine inlets and strakes will needicing protection systems. Engineers havealso studied wing design requirementssuch as optimal wing thickness-to-chordratio for strength and aeroelastic perform-ance, the company noted, including flutterand divergence analysis.

Aerion is still seeking a manufacturerpartner “to assume leadership in integra-tion, certification and production,” al-though Aerion said that its investors willshare in the cost of funding the program. IfAerion is able to find a partner, it hopes tolaunch the program late next year andbegin deliveries in 2014.

Supersonic Aerospace (SAI) said thatthe cost of bringing its proposed Quiet Su-personic Transport (QSST) to marketwould be “around $2.5 billion.” The com-pany, founded by Michael Paulson, is tack-ling the environmental issues surroundingsupersonic flight head on. According toSAI, the QSST will be able “to fly at super-sonic speeds over populated areas and incompliance with current or proposed air-port and environmental regulations.”

SAI contracted with Lockheed Mar-tin’s Skunk Works for some design workon the QSST program, including wind-tunnel testing and sonic-boom suppres-sion research. Features that enable theQSST to fly quietly include an inverted Vtail and other design elements, accordingto SAI, that will allow the jet to fly at

Mach 1.6 using a “shaped sonic signa-ture” that is “less than one one-hundredthof the sonic boom created by the recentlyretired Concorde.”

The QSST will need a new engine,and General Electric, Pratt & Whitneyand Rolls-Royce have submitted designconcepts to power the airplane. SAI saidthat engine selection should take placenext year and if the necessary fundingand manufacturer cooperation occurs,the QSST could be ready to enter servicein 2015.

“Our preliminary design work is essen-tially complete and we are working on cer-tification and regulatory matters,” Paulsontold AIN. “[We’re] working on establishingour international consortium to build andsupport the aircraft.”

Lockheed Martin is not actively work-ing with SAI, according to a LockheedMartin spokeswoman. While there is arelationship between the companies, sheadded, Lockheed Martin is not working onthe QSST program until funding is avail-able to pay for additional effort.

Sukhoi’s interest in SSBJ programs isnow as a participant in the pan-Europeanhigh-speed aircraft project. Sukhoi is partof the team studying the application oflow-sonic-boom technology to an SSBJthat would cruise at Mach 1.4 to 1.8, fly3,000 to 5,000 nm with eight passengersand have a maximum balanced fieldlength of 5,500 to 6,500 feet. Other teamsare exploring a low-noise SSBJ designand a long-range design.

52aaAviation International News • October 2007 • www.ainonline.com

NEWBUSINESS JETSuContinued from preceding page

Model Supersonic Business Jet Quiet Supersonic Transport Program launch date Est. 2008 2001 (work began)

First flight date N/A Est. 2013Certification date N/A Est. 2015First delivery date 2014 Est. 2015Number of crew and passengers 2 + 8/12 2 + 12/14Cabin dimensions 29.5 x 6.2 x 6.5 ft N/ACabin volume N/A N/AEngine make/model P&W JT8D-219 (2) N/A (2)Engine certification date N/A N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 19,600 lb 33,000 lb (required thrust)

Engine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/A N/AAvionics suite N/A N/AMTOW 90,000 lb 153,000 lbMLW 67,500 lb N/AZFW 48,000 lb N/ABOW 45,100 lb N/AMaximum fuel weight 45,400 lb N/AMmo Mach 1.6 N/AVmo N/A N/AHigh-speed cruise speed 918 ktas/Mach 1.6 918 ktas/Mach 1.6 to 1,033 ktas/Mach 1.8Long-range cruise speed 860 ktas/Mach 1.5 N/ANBAA IFR range at long-range cruise >4,000 nm >4,000 nmCertified maximum altitude 51,000 ft 60,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude <5,000 ft N/ABalanced field length (sea level, ISA) <6,000 ft <7,500 ftNumber of aircraft on firm order N/A N/AStandard equipped price $80 million $80 million

Spectrum S-40 FreedomProgram launch date 2006First flight date Est. 2H/08Certification date Est. 2009First delivery date 2010Number of crew and passengers 1+ 7/10Cabin dimensions 15.8 x 6 x 6 ftCabin volume N/AEngine make/model GE Honda Aero HF120 (2)Engine certification date 2009Engine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 2,095 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite 4 displays, FMS, triple redundantMTOW 9,550 lbMLW 8,650 lbZFW 7,240 lbBOW 5,040 lbMaximum fuel weight 3,600 lbMmo Mach 0.77 Vmo 440 ktHigh-speed cruise speed 440 ktas /Mach 0.77 Long-range cruise speed 360 ktNBAA IFR range at long-range cruise 2,250 nm

(ferry range)

Certified maximum altitude 45,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude <8,000 ftBalanced field length (sea level, ISA) <3,000 ftNumber of aircraft on firm order N/AStandard equipped price $6.2 million (Jan.’06 $)

Supersonic Aerion Aerospace International

Spectrum S-33 IndependenceProgram launch date 2005First flight date January 2006Certification date Est. 2010First delivery date 2010Number of crew and passengers 1 + 6/8Cabin dimensions 13 x 5 x 5 ftCabin volume N/AEngine make/model Williams FJ33-4A (2)Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 1,568 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite 4 displays, FMS, triple redundantMTOW 7,300 lbMLW 6,617 lbZFW 5,800 lbBOW 3,900 lbMaximum fuel weight 2,771 lbMmo Mach 0.72Vmo 415 ktHigh-speed cruise speed 415 ktas /Mach 0.72Long-range cruise speed 360 ktasNBAA IFR range at long-range cruise 2,000 nm

(ferry range)

Certified maximum altitude 45,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude < 8,000 ftBalanced field length (sea level, ISA) < 3,000 ftNumber of aircraft on firm order N/AStandard equipped price $3.65 million (Jan.’06 $)

IN FLIGHT-TESTADAM

A700 ADAMJET

Adam currently faces dualchallenges: building a productioncapability that can turn out itsA500 piston twin (and eventuallyA700 jet) in high volume; andcompleting FAA certification ofthe A700. Originally scheduledfor 2008, certification has beenpushed farther out, but the com-pany’s new leadership has not yetreleased a revised certificationtarget date.

A700 number three started fly-ing in April; number four flew onAugust 24, with number five tofollow at the end of the year orearly next year. “Those will bethe three prototypes that do themajority of work,” said JohnWolf, chairman and CEO. A700number six will be used for func-tion and reliability testing, one ofthe final steps before certification.

The production interior willfirst be installed in ships five andsix, Wolf said.

“I think it’s a fairly typical,straightforward program,” saidpresident Duncan Koerbel. “We’recomfortable with the certifica-

tion basis of the airplane.” Whatremains, he added, is perform-ance, handling qualities, systemsand runway performance testing,“all the things that are typical ofa normal flight-test program.”

Ground-based static and fa-tigue testing of the airplane is also scheduled, as is work to certify the Avidyne FlightMax Entegra suite for the jet.

The FAA recently issued spe-cial conditions for certifying theA700 fire-extinguishing system.Part 23 regulations don’t ad-dress the A700 engine configu-ration, where pilots can’t see theengines from the cockpit, so theFAA added Special Condition23-210-SC to the type certifica-tion requirements. This requiresAdam to design a “two-shot”

extinguishing system with ven-tilation in the engine fire zonesto prevent flammable vaporsfrom accumulating.

Wolf and Koerbel want theA700 program to achieve a com-plete type certificate, with noitems left open and contrary tothe fragmentation of the A500approval. When the A700 is cer-tified, the airplane will be ready

to operate throughout its fullenvelope, in known icing condi-tions, RVSM airspace, day/nightVFR and IFR and meeting allPart 135 requirements, accordingto Wolf.

The all-composite A700 willinclude a lavatory with privacycurtain, a feature that some verylight jets won’t be able to offer.

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Adam A700

Program launch date 2003First flight date July 27, 2003Certification date 2008 or laterFirst delivery date NANumber of crew and passengers 1 + 6/7Cabin dimensions 16 x 4.3 x 4.5 ftCabin volume 245 cu ftEngine make/model Williams FJ33-4A (2)Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 1,350 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics Avidyne Flight Max EntegraMTOW 8,500 lbMLW N/AZFW N/ABOW 5,550 lb (empty weight)

Maximum fuel weight 2,412 lbMmo N/AVmo N/AHigh-speed cruise speed 340 ktasLong-range cruise speed N/ANBAA IFR range 1,100 nmat long-range cruise

Certified maximum altitude 41,000 ftCabin altitude at max altitude 8,000 ftBalanced field length (sea level, ISA)2,950 ftNumber of aircraft More than 400on firm order (including A500s)

Standard equipped price N/A

AVIATION TECHNOLOGY GROUPJAVELIN EXECUTIVE JET MK 10

Aviation Technology Group’s JavelinMk 10 twin-engine jet meets the sub-10,000-pound definition of a very light jetand ATG is marketing it as an “executivejet,” but the Javelin is sporty and militaryin style and not a typical business jet. It hastandem seating for two, control sticks in-stead of yokes, a bubble canopy and F/A-18-like twin vertical fins.

ATG chairman and founder George Byesketched the first drawings of the Javelin in1998. In 2000 he formed ATG at Centen-nial Airport in Englewood, Colo.

The development prototype first flew onSept. 30, 2005. FAA certification is expectedin 2010, followed by EASA certification.

The Javelin will pioneer the use ofconstruction methods that haven’t beenapplied much in aviation. The primarystructure will be made from carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic, which weighs less thantraditional resin-impregnated composites,increases stiffness and damage toleranceand involves a simpler one-cure process,according to ATG.

Climb performance is what truly setsthe Javelin apart from other VLJs. Withtwo 1,750-pound-thrust Williams Interna-tional FJ33s, the Javelin boasts the bestweight-to-thrust ratio (almost 2:1) of thecurrent crop of small jets. With such a lowW/T ratio, the Javelin will be able to climbat a maximum rate of 9,000 fpm and reach41,000 feet in 17 minutes.

Range is not the Javelin’s strongest at-tribute, and ATG says that IFR range willbe 1,000 nm and endurance 3.5 hours atlong-range cruise speed of Mach 0.75 at the 45,000-foot ceiling. Pilots shouldenjoy the Javelin’s modern amenities, in-cluding a three-display Aerosonic Pegasusglass cockpit for both seats, 36-inch-wideelbow room and known-icing certificationusing an electrothermal de-icing system.

ATG is readying production tooling andfixtures for the first design-conforming ver-sions of the Javelin and expects to beginmanufacturing parts early next year. Thecompany will build seven production-con-

forming Javelins, one of which will beused as the Mk 20 military version onwhich ATG and Israel Aircraft Industriesare partnering. Bye told AIN that ATG willtry to obtain FAA type and production cer-tification simultaneously, something thatmajor OEMs such as Cessna achieve regu-larly but possibly a challenge for a newmanufacturer.

CESSNA CITATION XLS+The XLS+ is an extension of the

Excel/XLS line, deliveries of which beganin May 1998. Last year, the 500th Excel/XLS was delivered. On August 2, the XLS+made its first flight at Rockwell Collins’facilities in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The XLS+is on schedule for certification in the first

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Aviation Technology GroupJavelin Mk 10

Program launch date 2000First flight date Sept. 30, 2005Certification date Est. 2010First delivery date Est. 2010Number of crew and passengers 2Cockpit dimensions 5.17 x 4.5 x 3 ftCabin volume N/A

Engine make/model Williams FJ33-4A-19J (2)Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 1,750 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite Aerosonic Pegasus

(formerly OP Technologies)

MTOW 7,200 lbMLW 6,900 lbMaximum fuel weight 1,875 lbMmo Mach 0.92Vmo 460 kiasHigh-speed cruise speed 500 ktas/Mach 0.86 Long-range cruise speed 430 ktas/Mach 0.75 NBAA IFR range at long-range cruise 900 nmCertified maximum altitude 45,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude N/A Balanced field length (sea level, ISA) 4,100 ftNumber of aircraft on firm order 152Standard equipped price $2.995 million

Cessna Citation XLS+Program launch date October 2006First flight date Aug. 2, 2007Certification date Est. 1Q/08First delivery date Est. mid-2008Number of crew and passengers 2+9Cabin dimensions 18.5 x 5.6 x 5.5 ftCabin volume N/AEngine make/model P&WC PW545C (2)Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 4,119 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21MTOW 20,200 lbMLW N/AZFW N/ABOW 12,800 lbMaximum fuel weight 6,740 lbMmo N/AVmo N/AHigh-speed cruise speed 440 ktasLong-range cruise speed N/ANBAA IFR range at long-range cruise 1,858 nmCertified maximum altitude 45,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude N/A Balanced field length (sea level, ISA) N/ANumber of aircraft on firm order N/AStandard equipped price $11.595 million

quarter of next year, with deliveries tofollow in the middle of the year.

Upgrades from the XLS configurationinclude Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545Cengines with FADEC; 440-ktas maximumcruise speed, seven knots faster than theXLS; and Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21avionics suite. Price is $11.595 million.

DASSAULT FALCON 2000DX AND 2000LX

The 2000DX and 2000LX give Falcon2000 buyers more options. The 2000DXoffers less range–3,250 nm–than the stan-dard 2000EX for operators who don’t needto travel as far. The 2000DX’s ability toland with nearly full fuel tanks makes itpossible to fly shorter initial legs to pick uppassengers, followed by a longer trip with-out having to refuel. Examples includeNew York to Washington, D.C., then to SanFrancisco, or London to Paris with fourpassengers, adding four more in Paris, thenflying to Dubai. The 2000DX first flew onJune 19 and certification and deliveriesshould take place by year-end.

The 2000LX, launched in May, boostsrange of the twin-engine Falcon to 4,000nm with a new set of Aviation Partnerswinglets and should be certified later this

year. The 2000LX will replace the current2000EX in 2010, but 2000EX buyers willbe able to opt for winglets for 2008 and2009 deliveries. The winglets increasewingspan of the 2000EX by six feet nineinches and reduce drag as much as 5 per-cent, according to Dassault Falcon. Deliv-eries are planned to begin next year.

DIAMOND D-JETLike Cirrus Design, Diamond Aircraft

is making the leap into the single-enginejet marketplace without the interim step ofmanufacturing a turboprop design. Andalso like Cirrus, Diamond is targeting theso-called personal jet market with a com-pact all-composite single-engine jet thatwill have a maximum altitude of 25,000feet and a roomy interior. The D-Jet inte-rior is smaller than that of the Cirrus jet,however, and will seat a total of five occu-pants, with three on the cabin’s bench seat.

The second D-Jet took to the skies onJuly 20 and was built on production-con-forming tooling with the same manufactur-ing processes that will be used for volumeproduction. This is the first of four con-forming prototypes that will be used forthe certification program.

S/N 2’s role is aerodynamics and per-formance testing; number three will be usedfor systems development; testing of electri-cal, autopilot, de-icing and the three-displayGarmin G1000 avionics suite will be done innumber four; and S/N 5 will conform to the

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Dassault Falcon 2000DX/2000LX

Program launch date November 2005First flight date June 19, 2007Certification date Est. end of 2007First delivery date 2008Number of crew and passengers 2 + 8Cabin dimensions 26.2 x 6.2 x 7.7 ftCabin volume 1,024 cu ftEngine make/model P&WC PW308C (2)Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 7,000 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite Honeywell EASy MTOW 41,000 lbMLW 39,300 lbZFW 29,700 lbBOW 23,190 lbMaximum fuel weight 14,600 lbMmo N/AVmo N/AHigh-speed cruise speed 482 ktasLong-range cruise speed 418 ktasNBAA IFR range 3,250 nm/4,000 nmat long-range cruise

Certified maximum altitude 47,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude N/ABalanced field length (sea level, ISA) 4,800 ftNumber of aircraft on firm order N/AStandard equipped price $27.3 million

Diamond D-JetProgram launch date Early 2003First flight date April 18, 2006Certification date Est. Q3/08First delivery date Est. Q3/08Number of crew and passengers 1 + 4Cabin dimensions 11.67 x 4.5 x 4.75 ftCabin volume 165 cu ftEngine make/model Williams FJ33-4 (1)Engine certification date 2004Engine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 1,400 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite 3-screen Garmin G1000MTOW 5,070 lbMLW 4,820 lbZFW 4,070 lbBOW 3,070 lbMaximum fuel weight 1,740 lbMmo Mach 0.56Vmo 250 kcas High-speed cruise speed 315 ktas /Mach 0.52 Long-range cruise speed 240 ktas/Mach 0.40 NBAA IFR range at long-range cruise Details

published with flight-test results of D-Jet S/N 002Certified maximum altitude 25,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude 8,000 ft Balanced field length (sea level, ISA) 2,200 ft

(takeoff distance over 50 ft)

Number of aircraft on firm order 300+Standard equipped price $1.38 million (July ’06 $)

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production configuration with production-quality interior, according to Diamond.

The company will likely be the first tomarket with a single-engine jet. Certifica-tion is expected in the middle of nextyear, with initial deliveries to followfairly closely. Diamond has orders formore than 300 D-Jets and a backlog ex-tending to late 2009.

Diamond has an advantage over otheraircraft manufacturers in that it also owns atraining-device manufacturer and thusdoesn’t have to get in line with other OEMsto wait for simulators to be built. D-Jet typerating and recurrent training is being doneby Airline Transport Professionals of PonteVedra Beach, Fla., which also ordered 20D-Jets and five D-Jet flight training devices.

EMBRAER PHENOM 100The Phenom 100, Embraer’s very light

jet, made its first flight on July 26 and ison schedule for Brazilian and FAA certifi-cation and entry into service next year.EASA certification is planned for the firsthalf of 2009.

While the Phenom 100 is close to itsplanned certification next year, Embraer hasnot yet released any weight numbers for thejet other than to say the airplane is expectedto have an mtow of about 10,000 pounds.

Construction of the Phenom 100 is tradi-tional aluminum, and engines are the 1,615-pound-thrust Pratt & Whitney CanadaPW617F. Embraer is branding the Phenom100’s Garmin G1000-based avionics suiteas the Prodigy flight deck. Prodigy featuresthree interchangeable 12-inch displays, twoused as primary flight displays and one inthe center as a multifunction display.Garmin will also provide the Phenom 100’sGFC700 autopilot as well as a panel-mounted keyboard for pilot input to avion-ics the system.

BMW DesignworksUSA designed thePhenom 100’s interior. The cabin is widerand taller than that of the Adam A700,Cessna Mustang and Eclipse 500. The exec-utive layout features four seats facing eachother club style. Customers can also orderseats-facing-forward configurations, withfour seats for air-taxi operators or six seatsin air-limo style (without the lavatory).

The Phenom 100 is currently undergoingstatic and fatigue ground testing while flighttesting of the first airplane continues and ad-ditional flight-test aircraft are completed.Phenom 100 number two is scheduled to flythis month. Numbers three and four andproduction versions will all be manufac-tured at the new Gaviao Peixoto facility.

EPIC ELITEEpic Aircraft’s unusual road to FAA cer-

tification of new business jet models ap-pears to be paying off, as the companylogged millions of dollars worth of sales atJuly’s EAA AirVenture show in Oshkosh,Wis. Epic launches its designs, which in-clude turboprops and jets, as amateur-builtairplanes, then uses data gathered fromflights of those airplanes to support the cer-tification program.

At AirVenture, Epic said it had logged$40 million in sales. For the single-engineVictory, Epic said that 25 percent of sales

Embraer Phenom 100Program launch date May 2005First flight date July 2007Certification date Q3/08First delivery date Q3/08Number of crew and passengers 1 + 4/7Cabin dimensions 11 x 4.9 x 5.1 ftCabin volume 283 cu ftEngine make/model P&WC PW617F (2)Engine certification date Q4/08Engine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 1,615 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite Prodigy Flight Deck 100

based on Garmin G1000

MTOW N/AMLW N/AZFW N/ABOW N/AMaximum fuel weight N/AMmo Mach 0.70Vmo 275 kcasHigh-speed cruise speed 380 ktas Long-range cruise speed N/ANBAA IFR range at long-range cruise 1,160 nmCertified maximum altitude 41,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude 8,000 ftBalanced field length (sea level, ISA) 3,400 ftNumber of aircraft on firm order 500+ (Phenom 100/300)

Standard equipped price $2.98 (Jan.’05 $)

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Epic Elite

Program launch date July 2005First flight date June 7, 2007Certification date Est. 2010First delivery date Est. 2010Number of crew and passengers 1 + 5/7Cabin dimensions 17 x 5 x 4.8 ftCabin volume 250 cu ftEngine make/model Williams FJ33-4 (2)Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 1,550 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite Garmin G900X or G1000MTOW 7,700 lbMLW 7,700 lbZFW 4,000 lbBOW 4,200 lbMaximum fuel weight N/AMmo N/AVmo N/AHigh-speed cruise speed 412 ktasLong-range cruise speed 385 ktasNBAA IFR range 1,650 nmat long-range cruise

Certified maximum altitude 41,000 ftCabin altitude 10,000 ftat maximum altitude

Balanced field length (sea level, ISA) N/ANumber of aircraft on firm order N/AStandard equipped price $2.35 million

(July ’06 $)

were for the certified version, butsales for the twin-engine Elitewere primarily for the certifiedairplane.

The Elite should be Epic’s firstcertified jet program and is sched-uled for certification in 2010. Epic

is planning to certify airplanesfirst in Canada at a facility it isbuilding at Springbank Airport inCalgary, Alberta. That facility alsoincludes a customer build centerfor the amateur-built Epics.

The Elite is powered by twoWilliams International FJ33-4s andfirst flew on June 7, followed by apublic debut at AirVenture along-side the single-engine Victory.

Price of the six- to eight-seat 412-knot certified Elite is $2.2 million.

EPIC VICTORYThis seems to be the year of the

single-engine personal jet, andEpic Aircraft is offering one calledthe Victory. Epic Aircraft’s team ofengineers and builders managed todeliver the first all-composite Vic-tory in less than seven months and

brought it to the EAA AirVentureshow at Oshkosh.

The Victory first flew on July6 at Epic’s Bend, Ore. facilities,and the jet had already accumu-lated about 50 hours by the timeit arrived in Oshkosh.

Like the Epic Elite, the Victorywill be certified in Canada first andalso is available as an amateur-builtversion, carrying a price tag of about

$1 million. The certified versionshould cost $1.3 to $1.5 million.

Epic hasn’t decided which en-gine will power the Victory. Theprototype flew with the WilliamsInternational FJ33-4, but the com-pany is considering either the Pratt& Whitney Canada PW615 or 617.

With a certified ceiling of28,000 feet, the Victory won’tquite make it into RVSM air-space. Maximum cruise speedshould reach 320 to 330 knots.With a maximum weight of 5,950pounds, the Victory will be ableto carry a full load of people1,200 miles, with reserves, at the250-knot economy cruise speed.

Epic is projecting certificationin 2009.

GROB SPnGrob Aerospace is forging

ahead with plans to earn EASAcertification of its SPn light jetshortly after April next year, fol-lowed by FAA certification duringthe second quarter. Orders standat more than 60 aircraft, whichwill keep the production linehumming for the first two years.The SPn, made of carbon fiber,will sell for less than $8 million.

The airplane will be certifiedfor single-pilot operation andwill fly 1,800 nm with NBAAIFR reserves at long-rangecruise speed of 355 ktas. At sealevel, the SPn will have a bal-anced field length of 3,000 ft,

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Epic VictoryProgram launch date April 17, 2007First flight date July 6, 2007Certification date Est. 2009First delivery date Est. 2Q/08Number of crew and passengers 1 + 3/4Cabin dimensions 14.5 x 4.4 x 4.7 ftCabin volume 220 cu ftEngine make/model P&WC PW617 (1)Engine certification date 2006Engine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 1,700 lb Engine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite Garmin G900X and G1000MTOW 5,500 lbMLW 5,500 lbZFW 2,700 lbBOW 2,900 lbMaximum fuel weight N/AMmo N/AVmo 280 kiasHigh-speed cruise speed 320 ktasLong-range cruise speed 250 ktasNBAA IFR range 1,200 nmat long-range cruise

Certified maximum altitude 28,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude N/ABalanced field length (sea level, ISA) N/ANumber of aircraft on firm order N/AStandard equipped price $999,950

(April ’07 $)

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which meets Grob’s design goalsof offering turboprop field per-formance in a modern jet. Mtowis 13,889 pounds and maximumaltitude 41,000 feet. Power isprovided by two Williams Inter-national FJ44-3As, each deliver-ing 2,820 pounds of thrust.

The third flight-test airplane–to be used for systems testing–joined the fleet in August. Com-pletions might be done eventu-ally at Grob’s new facility at thePease International Tradeport inPortsmouth, N.H., but that hasn’tbeen decided yet. The Portsmouthfacility’s primary focus is productsupport, parts distribution andcustomer delivery.

Designed by Porsche DesignStudio, the interior of the SPnfeatures an eight-seat option withforward lavatory and galley or sixseats with aft lavatory and for-ward galley. The eight-seat inte-rior is convertible to a cargoconfiguration that can fit standard84-centimeter pallets.

HAWKER BEECHCRAFTHAWKER 750

Launched at last year’s NBAAConvention, the Hawker 750 madeits first flight on August 23. LikeDassault Falcon’s 2000DX, theHawker 750 is a derivative modelthat fills another market niche

with a shorter-range version of anexisting airplane. The Hawker 750is basically a Hawker 800-serieswithout the ventral fuel tank.

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Grob SPnProgram launch date April 2004First flight date July 20, 2005Certification date Est. 2Q/08First delivery date Est. 2Q/08Number of crew and passengers 1 + 9 or 2 + 8 Cabin dimensions 16.75 x 5.4 x 5 ftCabin volume 405 cu ft

Engine make/model Williams FJ44-3A (2)Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 2,820 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite Honeywell Primus ApexMTOW 13,889 lb

MLW 13,448 lb ZFW 10,430 lbBOW 7,939 lb (1 pilot)

Maximum fuel weight 4,575 lbMmo Mach 0.70Vmo 272 kcas High-speed cruise speed 415 ktas/Mach 0.70Long-range cruise speed 355 ktas/Mach 0.62NBAA IFR range at long-range cruise 1,800 nmCertified maximum altitude 41,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude 8,000 ft Balanced field length (sea level, ISA) 3,000 ftNumber of aircraft on firm order 60+Standard equipped price <$8 million

Hawker BeechcraftHawker 750

Program launch date October 2006First flight date Aug. 23, 2007Certification date Est. 12/07First delivery date Est. 4Q/07Number of crew and passengers 2 + 8Cabin dimensions 21.3 x 5.7 x 6 ftCabin volume 604 cu ftEngine make/model Honeywell

TFE731-5BR (2)

Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 4,660 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21MTOW 27,000 lbMLW 23,350 lbZFW 18,450 lbBOW 16,200 lbMaximum fuel weight 10,000 lbMmo Mach 0.80Vmo 310 kiasHigh-speed cruise speed 448 ktas/

Mach 0.78

Long-range cruise speed 402 ktas/Mach 0.70

NBAA IFR range 2,116 nmat long-range cruise

Certified maximum altitude 41,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude 8,000 ftBalanced field length (sea level, ISA) 4,696 ft (takeoff field length)

Number of aircraft on firm order N/AStandard equipped price $11.95 million

Instead of the tank, the Hawker 750 has aheated external baggage compartment thatadds 32 cu ft of baggage capacity. Rangewithout the ventral tank is 2,100 nm.Hawker Beechcraft expects deliveries of the$11.2 million (standard) or $11.9 million(typically equipped) Hawker 750 to beginafter certification late in the fourth quarter.

HAWKER BEECHCRAFT HAWKER 900XP

Also launched at last year’s NBAAConvention, the Hawker 900XP boasts anew engine–the Honeywell TFE731-50R–and winglets, which reduce fuel burn andtotal direct operating costs by 5 percent.The new engine delivers 4.5 percent morepower at 5,000 feet in ISA+20 conditionsand increases major periodic and compres-sor zone inspection intervals, to 2,400 from2,100 hours and 6,000 from 3,000 hours,respectively. At long-range cruise speed,the Hawker 900XP can fly nearly 2,800 nm(NBAA IFR range with six passengers).Range at high-speed cruise increases to 2,307nm from 2,111 nm in the 850XP. Comparedto the 850XP, the 900XP requires 1,767feet less runway when departing from a5,000-foot airport in ISA+20 degrees C con-ditions, according to Hawker Beechcraft. Inaddition, the 900XP can fly 611 nm farther.The 900XP sells for $14.3 million typicallyequipped, and deliveries began last month.

HONDA HONDAJETAt 9,200 pounds mtow, Honda Aircraft’s

HondaJet qualifies as a sub-10,000-poundvery light jet. At that weight, which is not cur-rently part of Honda’s publicly releasedspecifications, the HondaJet should be able tooutclimb its competitors, thanks to a weight-to-thrust ratio that is better than that of a Lear-jet 25 and lower than that of other small jets.Honda Aircraft hasn’t yet released any time-to-climb numbers, but the HondaJet, pow-ered by two 2,050-pound-thrust GE HondaAero HF120 turbofans, should easily out-pace airplanes with higher weight-to-thrustratios like the Adam A700, Cessna Mustang,Eclipse 500 and Embraer Phenom 100.

At $3.65 million, the HondaJet isn’t aim-ing for the low-cost VLJ business model.Rather, its designers have made perform-ance and cabin comfort the priority. TheHondaJet, for example, will have seating fortwo crew and five passengers or one pilotand six passengers and an enclosed lavatoryin executive layout. For air-taxi or corporateshuttle operations, six passenger seats withtwo pilots are an available option, but thisconfiguration won’t offer the lavatory.

With a high-speed cruise of 420 knots at30,000, the HondaJet will be able to carrya maximum payload of 3,378 pounds, orfull-fuel payload of 1,400 pounds. Maxi-mum altitude is 43,000 feet. With full fuel,one pilot and a 644-pound payload, rangeis 1,400 nm, including climb, cruise at41,000 feet, descent and 45-minute re-serve. NBAA IFR range (100-nm alter-nate) is 1,180 nm with four occupants.

Honda Aircraft will sell the HondaJetthrough dealer/distributorships. Thesecompanies will also provide maintenancefor the HondaJet fleet.

CERTIFIEDBOMBARDIER CHALLENGER 605

The Challenger 605 is the latest itera-tion of the Challenger, the airplane thatlaunched Bombardier into the business jetmarket and grew into one of the best-sell-ing regional jets. New for the 605 is aRockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionicssuite, replacing the 604’s Pro Line 4 sys-tem, and an Ethernet-based cabin elec-tronic system with an onboard local areanetwork. The Pro Line 21 system includesfour 10-inch by 12-inch displays, whichincrease the display area by 55 percentcompared to the 604. The 605 also has a200-pound addition to payload, whichincreases operational flexibility. The 605entered service in January.

BOMBARDIER LEARJET 60XR

Bombardier’s Learjet 60XR receivedcertification and began deliveries in July.Equipped with a new four-display Rock-well Collins Pro Lines 21 avionics suite,the 60XR also offers new interior op-tions. These include a larger galley andvanity cabinet, five different floor plans,

LED lighting, added storage space and a new Audio International cabin elec-tronic system. In designing the newcabin layouts, Bombardier engineerswere able to reclaim a window in the aftlavatory area.

CESSNA CITATION ENCORE+Cessna’s follow-on to the Encore, the

Encore+, received FAA type certificationlast December. The Encore+ adds FADEC-control to the Pratt & Whitney CanadaPW535B engines, Rockwell Collins ProLine 21 avionics, LED cabin lighting and340 more pounds of payload compared tothe Encore.

CESSNA CITATION MUSTANGCessna’s Citation Mustang qualified as

the first very light jet to achieve completeFAA certification when Cessna was grantedthe type certificate on Sept. 8, 2006. Theonly pending item, known-icing certifica-tion, was wrapped up two months later.

Cessna has honed the art of airplane

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Hawker Beechcraft Hawker 900XPProgram launch date October 2006First flight date Aug. 3, 2006Certification date Aug. 24, 2007First delivery date September 2007Number of crew and passengers 2 + 8 Cabin dimensions 21.3 x 5.7 x 6 ftCabin volume 604 cu ftEngine make/model Honeywell TFE731-50R (2)Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 4,660 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21MTOW 28,000 lbMLW 23,350 lbZFW 18,450 lbBOW 16,420 lbMaximum fuel weight 10,000 lbMmo Mach 0.8Vmo 310 kiasHigh-speed cruise speed 448 ktas/Mach 0.78Long-range cruise speed 402 ktas/Mach 0.70NBAA IFR range Nearly 2,825 nmat long-range cruise

Certified maximum altitude 41,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude 8,000 ftBalanced field length (sea level, ISA) 4,965 ftNumber of aircraft on firm order N/AStandard equipped price $14.3 million

(typically equipped)

Honda HondaJetProgram launch date July 2006First flight date Dec. 3, 2003Certification date Est. 2009/2010First delivery date Est. 2010Number of crew and passengers 2 + 5/6 or 1 + 6/7Cabin dimensions 17.8 x 4.9 x 5 ftCabin volume N/AEngine make/model GE Honda Aero HF120 (2)Engine certification date Est. 2009Engine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 2,050 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite Garmin G1000MTOW About 9,200 lb (unofficial)

MLW N/AZFW N/ABOW N/AMaximum fuel weight N/AMmo N/AVmo N/AHigh-speed cruise speed 420 ktasLong-range cruise speed N/ANBAA IFR range at long-range cruise 1,180 nmCertified maximum altitude 43,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude N/ABalanced field length (sea level, ISA) 3,120 ft

(takeoff distance to 35 feet)

Number of aircraft on firm order 100+Standard equipped price $3.65 million

Bombardier Challenger 605Program launch date November 2005First flight date Jan. 26, 2006Certification date N/AFirst delivery date January 2007Number of crew and passengers 2 + 12Cabin dimensions 28.4 x 6.1 x 7.2 ftCabin volume 1,150 cu ftEngine make/model General Electric CF34-3B (2)Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 9,220 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) 8,729 lbAvionics suite Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21MTOW 48,200 lbMLW 38,000 lbZFW 32,000 lbBOW 26,985 lbMaximum fuel weight 20,000 lbMmo N/AVmo N/AHigh-speed cruise speed 470 ktas/Mach 0.82Long-range cruise speed 425 ktas/Mach 0.74NBAA IFR range at long-range cruise 4,045 nmCertified maximum altitude 41,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude NABalanced field length (sea level, ISA) 5,840 ftNumber of aircraft on firm order N/AStandard equipped price $26.7 million

Cessna Citation Encore+

Program launch date October 2005First flight date March 23, 2006Certification date Dec. 21, 2006First delivery date April 26, 2007Number of crew and passengers 2 + 7/11Cabin dimensions N/ACabin volume 400 cu ftEngine make/model P&WC PW535B (2)Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 3,400 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21MTOW 16,830 lb

MLW 15,200 lbZFW 12,600 lbBOW 10,460 lbMFW 5,400 lbMmo Mach 0.75Vmo 290 kcasHigh-speed cruise speed 426 ktas Long-range cruise speed 375 ktasNBAA IFR range at long-range cruise 1,780 nmCertified maximum altitude 45,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude NABalanced field length (sea level, ISA) 3,520 ft (takeoff distance)Number of aircraft on firm order N/AStandard equipped price $8.095 million

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Bombardier Learjet 60XRProgram launch date Nov. 9, 2005First flight date Apr. 3, 2006Certification date July 24, 2007First delivery date July 2007Number of crew and passengers 2 + 8/9Cabin dimensions 17.7 x 6 x 5.7 ftCabin volume 453 cu ftEngine make/model P&WC PW305A (2)Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 5,225 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) 4,600 lbAvionics suite Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21MTOW 23,500 lbMLW 19,500 lbZFW 17,000 lbBOW 15,180 lbMaximum fuel weight 7,910 lbMmo Mach 0.81Vmo 330 kiasHigh-speed cruise speed 405 kias/Mach 0.81Long-range cruise speed 370 kias/Mach 0.74NBAA IFR range at long-range cruise 2,182 nm Certified maximum altitude 51,000 ft Cabin altitude at maximum altitude 8,000 ftBalanced field length (sea level, ISA) 5,450 ft Number of aircraft on firm order N/AStandard equipped price $13.319 million

development into a tightly scripted processand achieved the milestones set when theMustang was launched in 2002 on time orahead of schedule.

While early Cessna Citations experiencedseveral teething problems, the only troublethat the Mustang had was a software bug inthe Garmin G1000 avionics suite, which de-layed early deliveries by five weeks. Thefirst delivery took place in December 2006.During the first quarter of this year, Cessnadid not deliver any Mustangs but ramped upto 10 deliveries during the second quarter.

DASSAULT FALCON 7XThe 7X, the first clean-sheet business

jet certified with fly-by-wire flight controls,was jointly certified by the FAA and EASAon April 27 and entered service on June 14.Dassault and its contractors used a productlifecycle management system to coordinatethe design and manufacturing efforts,which helped reduce the time to build thefirst flight-test 7X by 50 percent comparedto previous Falcon programs.

Advantages of fly-by-wire flight con-trols include weight savings compared tomechanical flight controls, lower mainte-nance costs and safety benefits, includingflight envelope protection that allowspilots to fly to the limit of the 7X’s capa-bility without breaking the airplane.

Equipped with Honeywell EASy avion-ics, the P&WC PW307A-powered 7X canfly 5,950 nm with eight passengers.

ECLIPSE 500

Eclipse Aviation is well into its first yearof volume deliveries and after receiving itsFAA production certificate in April hasramped up the assembly line at the companyheadquarters in Albuquerque, N.M. By theend of June, Eclipse had certified 31 air-planes and delivered 22 to customers.

The improvements include largerwingtip fuel tanks, a redesigned tail bullet,engine nacelle refinements and main land-ing gear fairings. All earlier Eclipse 500swill be modified to the latest configuration.

The FAA certified the performance im-provements and issued a revised type cer-tificate for the Eclipse 500 reflecting thechanges. The biggest changes evident fromthe revised type certificate are new maxi-mum ramp and takeoff weights.

The Eclipse 500 was FAA certified lastSeptember with a maximum ramp weightof 5,800 pounds and mtow of 5,760 pounds.The new numbers are 6,029 pounds maxi-mum ramp weight and 5,995 poundsmaximum takeoff weight. Zero fuel weightclimbed to 4,922 pounds from 4,860 pounds,and maximum landing weight grew to5,600 pounds from 5,415 pounds.

A freezing problem with the pitot/angle-of-attack probe has been resolved and allEclipse 500s have already been modifiedwith the new AOA/pitot system. A crackingproblem with cockpit windshields and side

www.ainonline.com • October 2007 • Aviation International Newsaa61

Cessna Citation MustangProgram launch date Sept. 10, 2002First flight date April 23, 2005Certification date Sept. 8, 2006First delivery date Nov. 22, 2006Number of crew and passengers 2 + 4 or 1 + 5Cabin dimensions 9.75 x 4.6 x 4.6 ftCabin volume 144 cu ftEngine make/model P&WC PW615F (2)Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 1,460 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite Garmin G1000MTOW 8,645 lbMLW 8,000 lbZFW 6,750 lbBOW 5,550 lbMaximum fuel weight 2,580 lbMmo Mach 0.63Vmo 250 kiasHigh-speed cruise speed 345 ktasLong-range cruise speed 300 ktasNBAA IFR range at long-range cruise 1,167 nmCertified maximum altitude 41,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude 8,000 ftBalanced field length (sea level, ISA) 3,110 ft

(takeoff distance)

Number of aircraft on firm order 350+Standard equipped price $2.395 million (’04 $)

Dassault Falcon 7XProgram launch date 2001First flight date May 5, 2001Certification date April 27, 2007First delivery date June 14, 2007Number of crew and passengers 3 + 12/19Cabin dimensions 39.1 x 7.7 x 6.2 ftCabin volume 1,552 cu ftEngine make/model P&WC PW307A (3)Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 6,402 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite Honeywell EASyMTOW 69,000 lbMLW 62,400 lbZFW 41,000 lbBOW 34,272 lbMaximum fuel weight 31,940 lbMmo Mach 0.90Vmo 370 kiasHigh-speed cruise speed Mach 0.90Long-range cruise speed 459 ktas/

Mach 0.80

NBAA IFR range 5,950 nmat long-range cruise

Certified maximum altitude 51,000 ftCabin altitude at max altitude 6,000 ftBalanced field length (sea level, ISA) 5,505 ftNumber of aircraft on firm order 165+Standard equipped price $41 millionContinues on next page u

windows has also been solved by adding more fasteners to the window assemblies. This im-provement resulted in increasedreplacement and inspection inter-vals. Inspections must now be

done every 300 flights, withwindshield replacement at1,500 flights and side win-dows at 600 flights.

Eclipse’s next steps are tocertify the Avio NG avionicssystem, which will providefull avionics functionalityfor the Model 500, and ob-tain known-icing certifica-tion. Eclipse demonstrated

the first Avio NG system in aModel 500 at EAA AirVentureOshkosh and expects to retrofitthe entire fleet by year-end.

HAWKER BEECHCRAFTHAWKER 4000

After a long developmentprocess, the Hawker 4000 re-ceived FAA certification lastNovember, but volume deliver-ies have yet to begin.

A Hawker Beechcraft spokes-man told AIN that the companyis working on obtaining its FAAproduction certificate to rampup Hawker 4000 production andthat, in late August, all the nec-essary paperwork had been pro-vided to the FAA. Deliveriesshould begin next month, thespokesman said.

The Hawker 4000 is the sec-ond of Hawker Beechcraft’s com-posite-fuselage business jets; thefirst was the Premier I. The com-posite fuselage takes up lessvaluable cabin space with struc-ture, and the Hawker 4000 has a stand-up cabin 72 inches highand flat floor for the length of the cabin. o

62aaAviation International News • October 2007 • www.ainonline.com

Eclipse 500Program launch date March 6, 2000First flight date Aug. 26, 2002Certification date Sept. 30, 2006First delivery date Dec. 31, 2006Number of crew and passengers 1+ 5Cabin dimensions 12.3 x 4.2 x 4.7 ft Cabin volume 160 cu ft Engine make/model P&WC PW610F (2)Engine certification date 2006Engine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 900 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite Avio NGMTOW 5,995 lb

MLW 5,600 lbZFW N/ABOW 3,629 lb (empty weight)

Maximum fuel weight 1,686 lbMmo Mach 0.64Vmo 285 kiasHigh-speed cruise speed 370 ktasLong-range cruise speed 300 ktasNBAA IFR range at long-range cruise 1,125 nmCertified maximum altitude 41,000 ftCabin altitude at maximum altitude 8,000 ftBalanced field length (sea level, ISA) 2,342 ft

(takeoff distance to 50 ft)

Number of aircraft on firm order 2,600+Standard equipped price $1.595 million

Hawker BeechcraftHawker 4000

Program launch date 1995First flight date Aug. 11, 2001Certification date Nov. 21, 2006First delivery date November 2007Number of crew and passengers 2 + 8/14Cabin dimensions 25 x 6 x 6.5 ftCabin volume 762 cu ftEngine make/model P&WC PW308A (2)Engine certification date N/AEngine thrust rating (sea level, ISA) 6,900 lbEngine derated thrust (sea level, ISA) N/AAvionics suite Honeywell Primus EpicMTOW 39,500 lbMLW 33,500 lbZFW 26,000 lbBOW 23,500 lbMaximum fuel weight 14,600 lbMmo Mach 0.84Vmo 350 kias High-speed cruise speed 482 ktas/

Mach 0.84

Long-range cruise speed 447 ktas/ Mach 0.78

NBAA IFR range 3,208 nm at long-range cruise (2 crew, 4 pax)

Certified maximum altitude 45,000 ftCabin altitude at max altitude 6,000 ftBalanced field length (sea level, ISA) 5,169 ft

(takeoff field length)

Number of aircraft on firm order N/AStandard equipped price $20 million

NEWBUSINESS JETSuContinued from preceding page