Linden Blue Is Back!

Coming 'out of the blue' is the announcement of yet another new bizjet... this time from a familiar name we haven't heard from in quite the while. Spectrum Aeronautical, LLC's Spectrum 33 was introduced to the aviation community at NBAA 2005. Development of its new, high performance jet has been kept a tightly guarded secret until now. A prototype Spectrum 33 is a few months away from flight testing.

Spectrum is led by industry veteran Linden Blue, who is also vice-chairman of General Atomics. Mr. Blue has previously held the positions of President and CEO of Beech Aircraft, and Executive Vice President of Gates Learjet.

“A very experienced and talented team has created a superior aircraft that incorporates some remarkable materials technology,” said Blue, Spectrum’s Chairman and CEO. “We’ve kept the program quiet,” he said, “because everyone wanted to focus intensely on technical development without distractions.”

About the same cabin size of Cessna’s popular Citation CJ-2+ and with up to ten-place seating, the Spectrum 33 offers top speeds in excess of 415-knots, non-stop range of 2,000 nautical miles yet weighs in at a remarkably low 7,300 pounds gross takeoff weight. At maximum weight, the 33 can reach its typical cruising altitude of 45,000 feet in a direct climb of only about 20-minutes.

“Low weight translates directly into higher performance and operating efficiency” Blue said, “so that was one of our top priorities. Reaching that goal called for a fresh approach to aircraft manufacturing. The materials and processes we’ve developed have their origins in conventional approaches, but we have moved beyond the current state-of-the-art,” he said.

“Our breakthrough comes in successfully adapting this technology to create a competitive business jet.”

Powered by twin Williams International FJ-334A’s, the Spectrum 33 replaces aluminum and older composites found in many existing aircraft with an advanced, next generation carbon graphite material called fibeX™. The result is a very light jet that provides the comfort of a fullsized cabin with performance that matches or exceeds any other aircraft in its class.

Spectrum principals have been working with long-time partner Rocky Mountain Composites for many years on advanced composite aircraft structures. In 1998 several important technical achievements came together, resulting in the launch of the Spectrum 33 program. Since then, Spectrum and Rocky Mountain Composites have been working in close concert on development of the Model 33, its manufacturing processes, and preparations for FAA certification.

FMI: www.spectrum.aero