Company Predicts Jet Should "Easily" Reach 340 KTAS

Last week, Aero-News reported on the first flight of the single-engine Excel-Jet Sport-Jet -- and Monday, ANN brought you an exclusive interview with company CEO Bob Bornhofen (below).

During that interview -- available as an Aero-News Special Feature Aero-Cast, which you may download here -- Bornhofen told ANN the company's plan was to keep the Sport-Jet flying... and, sure enough, one week after that first flight, the little jet is spending little time on the ground.

"We are clearly validating our preliminary estimates of performance," said Bornhofen. "In fact, we may exceed initial projections."

On a recent test flight, test pilot Ron McElroy "cleaned up" the aircraft, retracting the landing gear and flaps.

"After eight hours of successful flight testing... we have flown Sport-Jet to within 80% of projected cruise speed," McElroy told ANN. "The aircraft continues to exhibit excellent stability and flight handling and is just a joy to fly."

"Even at lower altitudes, we are indicating 195 knots Indicated Air Speed. This figure comes while there is still plenty of available thrust left," Bornhofen said.

Based on these results, he added that the airplane should easily reach its target of 340 knots TAS at 25,000 feet.

"We now feel very confident of reaching our original performance estimates," said Bornhofen. "We are extremely pleased with the takeoff performance... Even though we are deliberately using less than takeoff thrust, our ground rolls are under 12 seconds."

Bornhofen added the Sport Jet is climbing at better than 2,000 feet per minute, at 150 KIAS... not bad, considering the jet is taking off from Colorado Springs, at an elevation of 6,000 feet.

The Sport-Jet is a single engine personal jet aircraft aimed at the general aviation pilot. Sport-Jet has been designed for single-person operation by a pilot trained in piston-powered airplanes. Many advanced features and a simplified design ease pilot workload.

Excel-Jet reports the four-seat Sport-Jet will sell for about $1 million, and fly more than 900 nautical miles with a full load. 

FMI: www.sport-jet.com