Eviation Jets has completed the critical design review of its EV-20 Vantage light business jet and will soon issue tenders to potential subcontractors to build a prototype.
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| Eviation has chosen Williams powerplants for its EV-20 light business jet |
Ames, Iowa-based Eviation has already selected the Williams FJ44-1AP engine to power the 10-seat aircraft – a twin-turbofan derivative of the defunct VisionAire Vantage business jet – but says it is keen to keep its overheads to a minimum.
“We will build serial number 001 by outsourcing parts manufacture,” says Eviation owner and chief executive Matt Eller. Final assembly will be undertaken at Eviation’s research and development base in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Three EV-20s will participate in flight testing, Eller says, but he declines to disclose a certification timeframe.
Eller has attracted private investment to help fund the aircraft’s certification effort and beyond, but there is still a funding shortfall. “I want to have the necessary capital in place before we start to build the prototype,” he says. “This is a high-risk business but the rewards are also high”, he adds.
Eviation last week flew the original Vantage prototype back to Ames, Iowa for storage.
KATE SARSFIELD / LONDON
Source: Flight International
