Adam Aircraft Gives Itself Great Valentine's Day Present
Adam
Aircraft flew maiden flight of its A500 aircraft, production-002,
on Thursday. This is the second A500 built with production tooling.
The initial flight of A500-002 (top two photos) took place at
Centennial airport in Englewood (CO) on Thursday morning, February
13. The flight lasted approximately 35 minutes and reached an
altitude of 13,000 feet. The company says, "The test pilot reported
delight with the performance and handling of the aircraft."
The company has cleared several large hurdles to bring this
airplane into the air; and, considering the vagaries of test flight
and early production, its appearance, just a couple months behind
earliest predictions, is quite a feat. Each airplane gets closer to
the 'real' production model -- manufacturing methods are refined,
and each machine gets closer to design weight, while incorporating
changes dictated by customer inputs and experience on earlier
aircraft.
Mind you, ANN continues to hear reports of problems with this
program, ranging from Test Pilots and senior officials walking out
(or being "let go") after voicing safety concerns, to
financing and management issues.
Adam
Aircraft began developing the A500 in 1998. Initial flight-testing
of the proof of concept (POC) aircraft began in 2000. The Adam POC
flew for more than 300 flight hours, and produced valuable test
data on handling, longitudinal stability, flight controls, and
engine performance. This testing also demonstrated the safety of
inline thrust with no critical (or VMC) engine problems. The POC
was taken to many air shows, such as Oshkosh, to get customer
feedback. As a result of strong customer demand, Adam made the
decision to put the pressurized twin into production.
A500-001 (below) took its first flight July 11, 2002, and has
flown 122 hours over 62 flights. To date, flight-testing has
confirmed that the company meets FAA requirements for stall
characteristics and single-engine handling and climb. Adam expects
that all of its published performance numbers, such as 250 kt top
speed, will be met. Initial pilot reports are that the aircraft is
high performance, yet comfortable and fun to fly. Pilots,
particularly, have commented on the feeling of great stability on
takeoff and landing.
A500-002 will continue the company’s flight-testing
program. It will test the environmental control system(ECS) and
pressurization. Engine cooling will be refined, and the center of
gravity (CG) envelope will be modestly expanded. Additional
takeoff and landing performance and distance numbers will be
documented. Along with tests conducted with A500-003, the company
expects to conclude flight-testing by mid year 2003.
Dennis Olcott, co-head of Engineering and Head of Flight Test,
commented, "Our team has worked hard over the last six months to
refine our manufacturing techniques. We are extremely pleased with
the way A500-002 came together, and gratified by the positive
comments from the test pilots."
Adam has approximately 100 direct orders, options, and dealer
commitments for the A500 aircraft. The company also has announced
the A700 light business jet, which it expects to finish in
2004.