The Beechcraft Premier I is now capable of flying in tightly defined airspace throughout the world after receiving FAA Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) Group Certification. "Receiving group certification enables our owners to fly in the preferred flight paths, wherever they fly," said Bob Horowitz, president of Raytheon Aircraft’s Beechcraft Division. "One of the Premier’s greatest strengths is its performance in congested areas, and this group certification enhances that reputation."

Field kits for delivered Premier I aircraft are now available. The first delivered aircraft with RVSM capability is serial number 70. RVSM is a requirement for operating in Europe, across the North Atlantic, Pacific, and will be a requirement in the United States by 2005. Aircraft not certified for RVSM flight are not permitted to fly between 29,000 and 41,000 feet – the flight path with the highest use. Aircraft flying in this flight path are spaced at a vertical separation of 1,000 feet and must be capable of maintaining altitude settings within a 200-foot band.

Raytheon Aircraft plans to delivery 49 Beechcraft Premier I’s in 2003. Fuselage shell No. 100 was recently completed on the Cincinnati Machine Viper automatic fiber placement machine. The six-passenger Premier I is the first composite-fuselage business jet. This state-of-the-art construction method, combined with a metal swept wing, provides faster cruise speed, better altitude performance, longer range, superior handling and a cabin size that is seven inches taller and eight inches wider than competitive entry-level business jets.

The Premier I offers unmatched guaranteed performance with a maximum speed of 451 KTAS. With full fuel, a pilot and three passengers, the Premier I has a 1,450-nm range. The Premier I is powered by two Williams/Rolls FJ44-2A engines. The entire aircraft is built with fewer parts than competitive jets for higher maintainability and reliability.

FMI: www.raytheon.com