Thu, Jul 21, 2005
Maiden Flight "Fully Met" Expectations Of Manufacturer
The Grob SPn Utility Jet took off Wednesday from the
Allgau/Memmingen airport in Southern Germany for its maiden flight,
a mission about which company executives seemed more than
pleased.
The maiden flight of the composite jet lasted 66 minutes and
fully met the expectations of its manufacturer, Grob Aerospace in
Mattsies, Germany, according to a statement from the company. The
airplane was piloted by Gerard Guillaumaud, who after landing found
praise for the new aircraft: "All systems were functioning
perfectly, controllability and stability were good. The plane has
pleasant in-flight characteristics and is a joy to fly."
The Grob SPn Utility Jet is an all-composite twin jet powered by
two Williams FJ44-3A turbofan engines that was specifically
designed to operate in demanding environments currently dominated
by turboprop aircraft: Unimproved runways, such as gravel, soil and
grass. The carbon-fibre constructed fuselage and wing were designed
to be extremely robust and resistant to damage from debris. If Grob
can meet its ambitious performance goals, then the aircraft's low
empty weight and high fuel capacity will result in a remarkable
payload versus range capability. The aircraft will feature up to
nine seats, a maximum payload of 2,491 lbs and a balanced field
length of 3,000 feet.
Maximum projected range (NBAA) is 1,800 NM (1,280 NM with
maximum payload and at maximum take-off weight). The Grob SPn is to
be certified for single-pilot operation and features a
state-of-the-art Honeywell glass cockpit with four displays. The
aircraft's planned price is around 5.8 million Euros.
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