GUY NORRIS / LOS ANGELES
But development of purpose-built MB-300 could resume in the first quarter of 2003
Morrow Aircraft has inaugurated services with its franchised SkyTaxi concept - but has frozen development of the purpose-designedMB-300 Boomerang to focus on expanding the operation with a fleet of Cessna 414s instead.
Oregon-based Morrow's SkyTaxi service was originally due to be launched next year with threeMB-300s, but research pointed to more immediate demand, says Morrow marketing and sales vice- president Dan Waldron. "The Boomerang project is on hold, but it is still very much alive," he says. "We are shifting priorities and, as soon as we are comfortable and rolling with the SkyTaxi operation, we will step back into the MB-300 project." He estimates development of the Boomerang could restart in the first quarter of next year.
SkyTaxi franchises are being sold for $50,000 each, and are part of Morrow's long-term efforts to raise funds to complete phase one of the Boomerang project covering assembly of the first aircraft. This phase, which requires around $3.5 million to complete, is still expected to be followed by a second stage involving the manufacture of two aircraft for certification, and a third covering certification of the unorthodox pressurised design.
Company founder Ray Morrow has revived an earlier franchise concept and is offering involvement in the SkyTaxi operation through a fleet of Cessna 414s. A second aircraft is to join in May and seven franchises have been sold to date, says Waldron, with three more operators likely to join by July. Initial services will be based out of several cities in north-west USA.
Under the scheme, franchise holders own the aircraft and pay crew costs, while SkyTaxi runs the operation, markets the service, takes bookings, bills customers and pays franchisees by the week. The scheme allows those reserving a week in advance to combine their trip with others going to the same destination for a cheaper fee.
Morrow says the service could lead to a fleet of up to 1,500 Sky Taxis by 2010.
Source: Flight International
