'Serious interest' in corporate version of Dornier 328Jet
US manufacturer AvCraft claims about 300 prospective customers for the Envoy corporate version of the Dornier 328Jet, and plans to make at least one-third of all sales to non-airline customers.
Speaking at last month's European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland, AvCraft chief executive Ben Bartel said the company's sales personnel had been speaking to corporate fleet operators, aircraft management companies and charter companies about the 32-seat Envoy Shuttle and the 16-seat Envoy Executive and had received "serious interest" from many of the 300 prospects.
The Envoy Executive has a list price of $14.5 million, making it a relatively cheap option in the super mid-size category. Bartel says concerns over its relatively slow speed have been overplayed, since most interested parties operate short hops. "Our problem may end up being delivery slots as we are starting with a very conservative production schedule," he said.
At EBACE, AvCraft announced a firm order of one Shuttle reconfigured with 18 seats and six Executives, plus options for six more Executives, from UK charter operator Bookajet, to be operated on behalf of scheduled business jet airline Club Airways (Flight International, 25-31 May). The first will be delivered in August from ex-Fairchild Dornier stock, with the other six from restarted production, taken at two a year until 2006.
AvCraft has restarted steep-approach certification of the 328Jet, originally begun by Fairchild Dornier for access into London City airport for CSA Czech Airlines. Bartel says short-field performance is crucial to attract business aviation customers in Europe.
AvCraft recently completed a deal with Pratt & Whitney Canada to guarantee supply of upgraded PW306 engines until the end of 2007. Several US airline operators of the aircraft experienced turbine blade problems and reliability issues with the powerplant, leading the manufacturer to certificate an improved high-pressure turbine blade-cooling system.
JUSTIN WASTNAGE / GENEVA
Source: Flight International
