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.

FMI: www.grobspn.com