Solid Start in a Promising Market

The Beechcraft Premier I entry-level jet is now certified to fly in China. The certification was awarded by the Civil Aviation Authority of China in early November.

The first Beechcraft Premier will enter service later this year in China with Hainan Airlines of Haikou, China. Hainan, which has placed multiple orders for the Beechcraft Premier I and the new Hawker Horizon, will manage the Premier I through its charter business, Deerjet Company Limited, based out of Beijing.

“We anticipate placing many Premier I’s in China,” said Randy Groom, President – Beechcraft Division. “The infrastructure is expanding and travelers are taking advantage of the security and privacy of business jet travel.”

Included in the certification effort was a two-week visit by CAAC officials that featured flight evaluations, functional system and regulatory requirements reviews. More than 30 Raytheon Aircraft employees, including those in engineering, product support, marketing and technical publications, supported the effort.

“With this program, we built upon our previous relationship with the CAAC in certifying the Hawker 800XP, Hawker 400XP and Beechcraft King Air,” said David Riemer, Vice President – Product Development and Engineering. “Our company is well positioned to meet China’s growing transportation needs.”

FMI: www.raytheon.com