Company claims to have full backing of IAI, but financing of project is still being looked at by Israeli manufacturer
Avocet Aircraft says it is confident of getting the ProJet "air-taxi" microjet into the air for the first time in late 2005 and claims to have the full backing of key partner Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI).
The Israeli manufacturer, however, denies it has pledged its full backing to the programme, saying: "The project is still under evaluation." Sources close to IAI say board approval is pending. Financing to the tune of around $100 million remains an issue.
Speaking at the Speednews regional and corporate suppliers conference last week, Avocet chief operating officer Mark Biagetti said that although crucial decisions such as final US assembly site, engine, avionics and systems suppliers are yet to be finalised, IAI has "bought off on the project" and is fully committed to the design, manufacture and certification of the six-seat T-tail twinjet.
The turning point in IAI's decision to commit to the ProJet, Biagetti suggested, appears to be the outcome of studies on the future prospects for jet-based air-taxi operations in North America. He said: "As a business jet manufacturer it was sceptical of the air-taxi market. Now it is no longer sceptical."
Biagetti said plans are in hand to develop a "minimal modular assembly" process in the USA based on pre-stuffed wings and fuselage components arriving from Israel. "The question is how quickly we can ramp up," he added, saying that Avocet eventually plans to produce up to 200 ProJets a year.
The company holds provisional orders for 100 aircraft from Cleveland, Ohio-based UltraJet and has targeted certification and initial deliveries for as early as the end of 2006.
The aircraft carries a $2 million price tag and is designed to operate at up to 41,000ft (12,500m) on ranges up to 2,220km (1,200nm) at cruise speeds around 365kt (675km/h). The company has also set the ambitious baseline utilisation target of between 1,200 and 2,000 hours/cycles a year - a radical departure from similar designs in its class and aimed at air-taxi and fractional operators.
The cabin has a rectangular cross section measuring 1.48 x 1.44m (4.9 x 4.7ft) and is expected to be configured with four standard seats, with options for more.
US charter company Jet Partners, which placed the refundable deposits on 100 ProJets at the aircraft's launch last month, says IAI's participation in the programme is critical.
Source: Flight International
