Stolen Mustang

Flight News On Light Business Jets For Private Charter & ACMI Lease

The concept of the Very Light Jet (VLJ) held great promise; it was to be the era of the personal jet and every general aviation (GA) pilot was to have the opportunity of mixing it with the “big boys” at high altitude.

Inevitably there were questions of training, proficiency, production and insurance, though these were all considered to be capable of solution. Unfortunately, there was another factor-economics. Many of the start-ups foundered; reality began to be recognized and a more realistic approach has been introduced.

Some promising contenders fell by the wayside including ATG Javelin, Epic Jet, Eviation Vantage (nee Visionarie Vantage), Excel-Jet, Sport-Jet, Safire, Spectrum33, and Adam700. Perhaps not all totally lost as some builders still try to bring their design to fruition.

Even the term VLJ has given way to “Light Jets” or “Entry Level Jets,” though this widens the class in terms of size to include a greater range of types. What had been termed by some as a revolution is now maturing as a more conservative evolution.

It is also taking place at a time of considerable financial turbulence. Over the last three years the market for aviation has been less than good, though the tide is now turning. To introduce a cautionary note, reference must be made to a recent forecast from the US-based Forecast International that suggests that a total of 11437 business jets, worth an estimated $217, 15-billion, will be produced from 2011 to 2019.

Meanwhile, the downturn has impacted the light and mid-size business jet sectors far more than it has the large-cabin and long-range segments of the market. Although production rates of all types of business jets have been slashed since late 2008, the cutbacks have been much deeper for light and medium jets. Demand is already starting to recover for larger, high-value business jets, but it remains moribund for small and medium models.

Now that VLJs have morphed into  the light jets class they join a wider range of aircraft ,passing through the Citation models,Learjets, Beech Jet 400As and Hawker 400XP.However,the Citation Mustang and Embrear Phenom 100 represent the early VLJs and are  proving to be a commercial success, having established market acceptance and created new, low cost, personal transportation.

At the lighter end of the “light” spectrum some of the old spirit still remains.

Eclipse Aviation had been an early contender and had been more than usually optimistic about future prospects for its Eclipse 500. This is a neat twin-engine aircraft offering six seats, a maximum cruising speed of 370 knots and range of 1125 nautical miles.

The company went bankrupt in 2009 though the new owners intend to re-launch the project. Currently located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Eclipse Aerospace provided engineering, service, and support for the fleet of 260 Eclipse 500 twin-engine jets.

This ambition received a significant boost, last October, when Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. and Eclipse Aerospace, Inc. announced an agreement in principle for Sikorsky to make an investment in Eclipse Aerospace Inc.

During the first 13 months of profitable operation, Eclipse Aerospace has made significant strides with continued upgrades to current Eclipse twin-engine jet aircraft in features and operational capabilities .In addition, Eclipse Aerospace has continued to re-brand its global supply chain and cultivate the existing and growing customer base.

During the recent Middle East Business Aviation Show (MEBA), in Dubai, Kim Alptekin, executive vice president of Eclipse Aerospace, was bullish about prospects in the Middle East, an area generally considered to be only interested in long-range business jets.Alptekin suggests that the aero plane is ideal for the area, with its ability to make short trips that would take several hours by car.

Meanwhile, there are other contestants currently undergoing flight testing-Cirrus Vision SF50,Diamond D-Jet, Honda HA-420 Honda Jet  and Piper Jet.

Cirrus Vision

Cirrus has been actively demonstrating its flight test aircraft as well as displaying its full size mock-up to prospective customers. Most recently, the company has been optimizing engine pitch-thrust coupling.

Cirrus has flight tested several different nozzle configurations to optimize handling characteristics. Following trials the result is the EXACT nozzle that is a proprietary and innovative design by Williams that uses the Coanda effect to result in a varying thrust with no moving parts. The thrust is more vectored at low altitudes to provide improved low speed handling and is straighter at high altitude to provide better cruise performance.

The jet will be fitted with an emergency Cirrus airframe parachute system(CAPS) of 27,2 metre diameter when fully deployed and simulated development trials using computer techniques is currently underway.

Diamond D-Jet

Diamond Aircraft has also had its share of economic difficulties including the insolvency of its piston engine supplier. This economic knock-on effect has impacted the schedule for the D-Jet, though the company emphasizes that there have been significant benefits associated with this.

The new Williams FJ33-5A turbofan makes the Garmin 1000-equipped D-Jet a better aero plane and significant progress has been made in all areas, as well as in the production infrastructure and certification.

HONDAJET

Many analysts predict that the Honda Jet will be as commercially successful as the Mustang and Phenom 100. Its gestation has taken some time, but at last years NBAA the Honda Aircraft Company, Inc released an update to its Honda Jet advanced light jet programme, including the announcement of ground testing underway on its first conforming aircraft.

Also announced was the commencement of assembly of its third conforming flight test aircraft.

The first flight of theFAA-conforming Honda Jet took place in late December 2010.The event is a significant step in Hondas aerospace programme leading to delivery of aircraft in 2012. The flight lasted 51 minutes, characteristics and performance were analysed and systems checks were conducted. Various test data gathered during the flight were transmitted real-time to Hondas flight test telemetry operations base within the company’s world headquarters facility.

Systems tests already completed on the conforming aircraft includes, among others: oxygen, fuel tank and vapour cycle systems tests; landing gear deployment tests;  steering and brake tests; flight control tests; power distribution tests; core navigation functions (VOR/ILS/GPS) tests; primary air data and attitude/heading sensor tests; and integrated avionic system functional tests.

Additional tests completed at supplier facilities include: DC motor pump extreme environmental condition tests; hydraulic and electrical component tests; landing gear actuator vibration tests; landing gear drop tests; and crew and cabin seat crash tests.

Exterior treatment of the first conforming flight test aircraft also is complete with the application of a new Honda Jet paint scheme. It features a metallic silver-over-white profile combined with a distinctive sweeping fuselage stripe in dark metallic gray.

Assembly of the second conforming aircraft, to be used for static structural stress testing, was completed last July .Following control surfaces FAA testing, including rudder and elevator tests, static structural stress tests of the entire aircraft have commenced and included: 100% limit-load wing tests; 100% limit-load horizontal stabilizer tests; wing stiffness tests; landing gear load tests; pylon stiffness tests and fuselage pressure tests.

All static structural stress tests are conducted using Hondas advanced structural test system. The system incorporates 61 hydraulic actuators and a 2600-channel data acquisition system within a structural test fixture designed exclusively for Honda Jet testing. The entire aircraft can be tested simultaneously to prove static and fatigue strength under various flight-and ground-load conditions.

Testing will continue on static test aircraft as the Honda jet programme moves through the certification process. The fourth conforming aircraft will be used for fatigue testing scheduled for 2012 .Honda is now focused on the third conforming aircraft to be used fore flight testing of mechanical systems.

Testing of aircraft systems on conforming flight test aircraft are supported through the implementation of Hondas industry-leading Advanced Systems Integration Test Facility (ASITF). Hondas ASITF confirms before first flight the integration of the aircrafts electrical, vionics, mechanical and flight control systems, including stall warning protection systems (SWPS) and rudder bias systems (RBS).The Honda Jet ASITF incorporates a fully representative primary  flight  control system with a high-fidelity control-loading system.

Honda also released Honda Jet production cockpit and cabin designs featuring production parts, reflecting the quality of materials, colours and finishes to be available in delivery aircraft. The Honda Jets cockpit design has been updated to reflect the maturity of Hondas human factors engineering efforts and flight test evaluations.

Construction of the Honda Jet production facility on thecompanys Greensboro campus is nearing completion. The 23225 square metre production facility is now in the final phase of construction, with interior build-out well underway. The facility is scheduled for completion in early 2011, at which time pre-production preparations and training of production staff will begin.

Upon completion, the production facility’s two state-of-the –art painting facilities will be used to support finishing of additional conforming aircraft, thereby supplementing the painting capacity of Hondas R&D facility on campus. In addition, the Honda Jet production facility will incorporate Flight Safety International Level-D, full –motion flight simulators for training of all Honda Jet pilots and crew.

Pipers Jet

What was originally called the Piper Jet first flew in July 2008. It was always a basic intention of the design that the aircraft was scalable and capable of a great deal of future growth development.

Consequently, it was not too surprising that in October 2010, Piper announced a much larger round fuselage design that gives customers and even more spacious cabin to complement already efficient acquisition and operating costs.

The single-pilot Piper Jet Altaire, as it has been renamed, was unveiled at the recent NBAA convention.

“While the earlier Piper Jet design ,with its Piper M-class cabin cross section, provided a comfortable environment ,we wanted to give our jet customers  an even roomier light jet that incorporates a scalable design paving the way for a future family of competitive business jets,” said Piper CEO, Geoffrey Berger.

The Altaire features a new configuration .Its larger redesigned round fuselage is mounted on top of an expanded-chord wing, with a shorter vertical empennage located slightly aft a top an elongated engine nacelle.

“The PiperJet Altaire is a powerful and stylish blend of efficiency, cabin volume, range, payload and speed, “Berger said. Price point for the Piper Jet Altaire is $ 2, 5-million, with a typical equipped aircraft priced at $2, 6-million. The Piper Jet Altaire costs an average of 25% less to operate per hour than comparable production very light jets.

The round fuselage and new wing provide all the performance and cabin improvements of a clean sheet aircraft coupled with the proven reliability of Pipers manufacturing techniques honed with the company’s line-up, including M-class aircraft-the Meridian, Malibu and Matrix.

In addition to cleaner and sleeker styling, the optimized configuration gives customers a cabin that is nine inches taller and four inches wider than the previous design. The new cross section also offers a wider than standard sunken aisle for ease of movement inside the cabin.

Additionally, the Piper Jet Altaire will have a near one-metre wide cabin door for ease of passenger entry and exit while providing great cargo flexibility.

Meanwhile, the baseline proof of concept Piper jet has flown more than 375 flight test hours and carried out more than 350 takeoffs and landings.

The Piper Jet Altaire will have dynamic crew and passenger seats for increased safety and comfort, with club seating in the cabin with an optional seventh seat located across the aisle from the entry door. A lavatory, storage compartment, or entertainment centre is easily interchangeable for that seat.

With a wide dropdown aisle, no wing spar intrusion, LED lighting and dual controlled environmental system, the interior has been styled for superior passenger comfort.

Maximum range is targeted at 1300 nautical mile with a maximum cruise speed planned at 360 knots .The aero plane is planned to fly 1200 nautical miles with a payload of 363 kilograms.

Currently undergoing CAD modeling and analysis in the programmes detail design phase, the first of four conforming Piper Jet Altaire flight test aircraft will begin flying in 2012.Certification and first customer deliveries are planned for 2014, slightly after the previously scheduled date.

The flight deck features Garmin G3000 avionics complete with the first touch screen-controlled glass panel designed for light turbine aircraft, three displays, two touch screens and a GFC 700 automatic flight control system.

Piper has selected the L-3 Avionics Systems Trilogy ESI-2000 electronic standby instrument, with battery backup, as standard equipment.

Flight controls will be yokes, replacing the side stick controls flown on the Piper Jet proof of concept test article. The improved aircraft will also have crew seats that are easier to access and an ergo-dynamic interface between pilot and avionics.

Epic Victory

Epic Aircraft, designer of the Epic Victory, went into bankruptcy in 2009 and its assets were bought, in April 2010, by Aviation Industry Corporation, of China, with the declared intention of restarting production and certification.

The Victory is a single-engine  very light jet of carbon fibre construction, powered by a single Williams FJ33 engine for testing, but originally planned to switch to the PW600 for final production. The aircraft can accommodate four to five, including the pilot.

The first flight was made on July 6, 2007, and the company intended that the aircraft would be available for less than us$1-million: this has now crept up to us$ 1; 5-million.It is available in kit form and would be registered in the Experimental category.

Sport Jet

By March 2009, the Excel Jet Incorporated’s Sport-Jet 11 was at an advanced stage of construction. It is interesting to note that the wing is constructed using a CNC-milled spar and hydro formed ribs giving the wing extremely tight tolerances from root to tip.

The programme suffered an unfortunate setback when wake turbulence downed the Proof of Concept (POC) Sport-Jet, fortunately without serious injury to the crew.

The company prefers to call this a PLJ-Personal Light Jet – and it has been designed to suit the needs and experience of GA pilots rather than professional pilots.

Mustang And Phenom 100

Meanwhile, the Cessna Citation Mustang and Embraer Phenom 100 are making steady commercial progress and helping to establish a low cost sector in the executive aviation market.

The Citation Mustang is beginning to demonstrate a useful versatility. During 2010, Cessna delivered five Mustangs to Singapore Airlines for its pilot training programme.In July 2010, Cessna teamed with Spectrum Aeromed to offer medical evacuation system for the Mustang. The first version is now in service.

Cessna has also announced a new High Sierra Edition Mustang featuring luxury editions of the three currently offered interiors, a special paint scheme, a Garmin G1000 with synthetic vision technology, electronic charts and locking fuel caps as well as unique service and parts programmes.

Cessna delivered its 300th Mustang in mid-2010.The Mustang is certificated in more than 60 countries.

Brazilian manufacturer Embrears Phenom 100 can accommodate up to eight occupants and has seven different interior options designed in partnership with BMW Group DesignworksUSA.

Its range of 1170 nautical miles, including NBAA IFR fuel reserves, means the aircraft is capable of flying non-stop from New York to Miami, in the US, from London to Rome, in Europe, or from Brisbane to Melbourne, in Australia.

The Jet was certificated in December 2008 and has proved to be the fastest and to have the largest baggage capacity in its category.

In August 2010, the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (Agencia Nacional de Aviacao Civil-ANAC), the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certificated the use of Garmin’s Synthetic Vision Technology (SVT) on the aero plane.

Recently, Embrear has been working on providing spoilers for the Phenom 100. These are situated on the upper, inboard section of each wing.

In a statement to World Air news, Embraer confirmed that it had identified an existing demand for ground spoilers on the Phenom 100 and had decided to meet it by developing an exclusive ground spoiler system for the aero plane.

“The device is an optional item and will be initially offered only via service bulletin for retrofit. Even though the ground spoilers have a positive impact on the aero planes landing capability, Embraer will not take credit for such improvement in the certificated performance numbers.

Service bulletins will be available early this year at Embraers service centre network,” the company said.

A major benefit of spoilers is their ability to rapidly transfer the aircraft weight on to the wheels after touchdown, to generate optimum braking.

Emivest Aerospace Corporation was formed in June 2008 when Emirates Investment and Development Company PSC (Emivest) acquired an 80% interest in US based aircraft manufacturing company, Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corporation (SSAC) which developed the SJ30, said to be the worlds fastest, longest range and highest flying light jet.

The SJ30 is the first aircraft of its kind in the business jet segment to retain sea level cabin pressure at 41000 feet and reach a top flying height of 49000 feet.

Sadly expectations could not whether the economic realities and , in October 2010, Emivest Aerospace  Corp filed for bankruptcy ,hurt by a lack of working capital and lower demand for business jets due to the economic downturn.

Hawker 400XP

Another sign that the light jet class has a long path to full economic recovery was during its third-quarter earnings conference, in November, when Hawker Beech craft announced that it would suspend production of its Hawker 400XP for two years.

Chairman Bill Boisture commented that company planned to “temporarily suspend production of the Hawker 400XP in 2011 to realign supply with demand. Current expectation is that we will resume production of the Hawker 400XP in early2013.”

Optimistic Note

Despite these setbacks it is still possible to finish this review on an optimistic note.

A couple of years ago, US-based Stratos Aircraft announced its intention to build a four-seat aircraft that would be unlike any currently available or announced to the market.

Named the Stratos 714, it will have the capability to carry four people and their baggage 1500 nautical miles at a speed of 400 knots, at up to Flight Level 410.

It sounded optimistic, even brave, but recently the company offered an update .The Stratos engineering team has done its homework before creating this clean sheet design.

The team members were able to profit from costly mistakes made by others in shaping earlier VLJ design concepts that either had to be reconfigured or simply disappeared.

Their four-seat Very Light Personal Jet (VLPJ) makes a lot of sense in the American market and evolving markets in Europe, Russia and China.

Research concluded that most flights in twin jet aircraft average 1000 miles and carry only 2, 5 passengers. Consequently, the four seats in the Stratos 714 will accomplish the same mission profile with considerably more room and comfort than the larger jets and at a significantly lower cost.

People over 6’5″ are surprised to learn that they can occupy any seat with plenty of legroom and headroom.

Carbon composite construction and other leading edge materials are being employed to reduce cabin noise levels. A variety of options for cabin entertainment and passenger comfort are also available.

The side-stick control, state-of-the-art glass cockpit and fully integrated autopilot, are designed to lighten the pilots workload.

Landing speeds and distance requirements for the Stratos are considerably below other twin-jets, making many more airports accessible to Stratos owner/pilots.

Stratos Aircraft is now accepting deposits on 714 delivery positions. Deposit money is escrowed in interest-bearing accounts and can be retrieved at any time. The company is seeking investors and though capital is tight, it expects to have two flying prototypes within the next two years.

Perhaps it is all a case of: The VLJ is dead-long living the VLJ!

About the Author

Anthony Juma is the Editor and Senior Aviation Director at Wings Over Africa Aviation. 
This is an Air Charter Company that specializes on Flight News On Light  Business Jets For  Private Charter & Lease In East Africa,Africa,Kenya ,Uganda,Tanzania,Rwanda & Burundi. The website has guided thousands of travelers to achieve their dream holiday. For more information and guidance, visit the site at http:// / www.wingsoverafrica-aviation.com/index.php/services/charter-flights.html

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