An Interesting Day To Announce This, Eh?

Safire Aircraft, the Florida based manufacturer of a hoped-for new generation low cost Safire Jet, has selected a new version of the Williams International FJ33 turbofan engine as the power plant for the new Safire Personal Jet. Each engine is controlled via dual-channel FADECs and will provide 1,100 pounds of thrust at 72°F sea level standard conditions. The FJ33, which is on schedule to achieve FAA certification in December 2003, will have a 3-year/1500 hour warranty.

“The FJ33 family is based in a large part on our highly successful FJ44 plus an infusion of ongoing component technology improvements” says Gregg Williams, President and COO of Williams International. “The FJ33 will continue and extend the highly successful performance and reliability track record of the FJ44 series for the new light entry level jet market segment.”

In making the announcement, Miguel de Miranda Correa, lead investor of the Swiss syndicate funding the program, says, “We talked with Safire on many occasions during the past few years. I have come to be very impressed with their intent to make the Safire Jet the safest, most dependable and reliable of its class. Their desire to provide a “best value concept” is reflected throughout their design and systems. Very clearly the FJ33 engine became an excellent match to this design.“

Safire is making some pretty "aggressive" claims for the here-to-fore much-delayed development program, from here on out. Safire says the first flight test aircraft is planned to fly in Q1 2004. FAA certification of the Safire Jet is planned for December 2005. Customer deliveries are scheduled to begin in Q1 2006.

“Immediate availability of FJ33 engines for our aircraft flight test and certification programs coupled with anticipated FAA engine certification in December 2003 provides Safire with a significant first-to-market advantage” says Camilo Salomon, CEO of Safire Aircraft.

Michael Margaritoff, founder of Safire Aircraft, said “Over the years Safire has talked with literally every jet engine manufacturer, including some organizations that had extensive design experience but had never before actually produced an engine. In looking at aviation history it became very clear that any commercial program that attempted to combine a totally new airframe design with an advanced technology, but unproven engine, hardly ever succeeded and virtually never became successful. The inevitable surprises usually lead to major setbacks and eventually unsuccessful endeavors.

Because the FJ33 achieves its performance parameters through a conservative derivative approach from Williams International’s exceptional FJ44, we are convinced it will provide our owners with the level of operational safety, dependability, dispatch reliability, and predictable operating costs we want to incorporate into our Safire Personal Jet right from the outset of deliveries.”

FMI: http://www.safireaircraft.com