Exclusive Details From Test Pilot Ron Lueck

ANN has just concluded the first interview with Aerocomp test Pilot Ron Lueck, who piloted the CA-Jet (shown below, during AND minutes after its maiden flight) to its first flight on the 35th Anniversary of the First Lunar Landing, Tuesday, July 20th, 2004.

We'll have more details later, but Ron noted that the 30 minute flight offered few surprises and that the performance of the aircraft exceeded his initial expectations.

"We saw 157 knots... GEAR DOWN, at 92%." Lueck noted that the CA-Jet boasted a "good light rudder, and great ailerons" but was a bit pitch sensitive on the first flight. The Pitch sensitivity issue is thought to be one of aft loading so a CG readjustment is expected to mollify that issue for the next few flights. Regardless, it's VERY early in the flight test program and such teething problems are to be expected.

The first flight departed Merritt Island Airport, speedily, and proceeded to the vicinity of Titusville, where TICO's much longer runway was used for the first landing. Lueck, though, notes that "we didn't need it."

Designed to be something of a "poor" man's corporate jet, the "CA-J" is Aerocomp's fist jet offering. The "CA-J" offers seating for 8 and a projected cruise speed of 400 mph TAS @ 22K'. The kit's airframe uses a proprietary carbon-fiber hybrid sandwich to loft an impressive 8900 lb. max. gross takeoff weight with a projected 4500 lb. empty weight. Useful load for the CA-J is expected to be in the 4400 lb. range.

The CA-J carries 480 gallons of fuel... which should result in a range of 1100 SM. Pressurized, the cabin will be capable of maintaining 10K cabin altitude at the airplane's 29,900' service ceiling. Built to be as roomy as it's piston and turboprop forebears, the CA-J offers a comfortable 70" tall, 68" wide cabin.

Power for the CA-J is the department of a single factory-reman'd 3000 hr TBO AI-25 Jet (Bypass) engine (the same you'll find in the highly regarded L-39) rated for 3400 lbs. takeoff thrust and 2500 lbs. of cruise thrust. Cruise fuel consumption is expected to be about 160 gph. Future versions of the bird are expected to be adaptable to P&W JT12-8 or CJ610 powerplants.

Aerocomp remains committed to a safe and conservative flight test program... but if there are no hiccups or delays, it is possible that the machine could be seen next week in EAA's playground at Wittman Field. We'll keep you updated...

FMI: www.aerocompinc.com