After receiving an STC for the FJ44 Stallion in August, Siera Industries' first customer took delivery of the aircraft on Monday, December 18. The first Stallion customer, Mr. Al Kroontje, flew his new aircraft nonstop from Uvalde, TX to Calgary, Canada in 4 hours and 29 minutes - traveling a distance of 1,498 nautical miles with an average headwind of 22 knots. This flight was a dramatic demonstration of the enhanced range and speed of the FJ44 Stallion modification.

Mr. Kroontje remarked, "I'm still in awe! It was such a great, smooth flight.  I didn't tell you on the phone that perhaps I underestimated how nice it would be to be cruising so high. Near Denver, many ride complaints were coming in from airliners in the mid to high thirties. I just couldn't help but smile when at one point a controller said to an airline guy, 'We don't have anything smooth except for a Citation at 43,000' - to which the airline guy replied 'Well, that's not gonna help us much...'"

Preceded by other Sierra products such as the Eagle II, the Eagle 400 and Eagle SP, the Stallion enjoys the added power of the Williams FJ44 engine, but retains the thinner, classic wing of the Citation I. Like Sierra's respected Eagle II, the Stallion climbs directly to 43,000 ft and accelerates well to a high Mach number. With the enhanced fuel specifics, Sierra claims that the Stallion is the "perfect aircraft for intermediate-length trips carrying a crew and six passengers to and from airports that demand high performance."

Sierra also notes that it can convert a customer's Citation 500 or 501SP to a Stallion with a lower investment in time and money than an Eagle II, and still retain the capability of returning at a later date for the Eagle II, if more range is desired.

FMI: www.sijet.com