An aggressive schedule of customer demonstration flights is paying dividends for Action Aviation (static display), distributor of the Sino Swearingen SJ30 light jet.
An investment from Emirates Investment and Development into the factory has allowed production and expertise to be ramped up, says Action managing director Mike Creed: “Now we can get production going in the right direction.”
The aircraft on display has been touring the Middle East and Europe. Action Aviation is the largest distributor for the light jet and has ordered 159 examples – of which 30 have been sold on to customers. Creed says now his company has the aircraft, he can start qualifying the interest. “Customers have been waiting, but now they have an aircraft they can fly,” he says.
“It’s a great aircraft and we are moving forward. The investment has only recently happened; it’s not like turning on a light switch. It takes time,” he says. “It is time to move forward, and we’ve now got something to brag about,” says Creed.
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The SJ30 has had a long and troubled journey through its development. Originally conceived in 1986, but the project took longer than expected as a result of funding setbacks and the crash of the prototype in 2003.
FAA certification was awarded in October 2005, and the first aircraft was delivered in November 2006. With only two aircraft currently in service the outlook looked grim, until last month’s investment. The production line also suffered tooling problems during the wing construction, but these have been since corrected.
Sino Swearingen claims to hold orders for more than 300 SJ30s. The jet offers a sea-level cabin at up to 41,000ft and the four-seat cabin can be arranged to fold out into a double bed.
It is one of the only aircraft in its class to have leading-edge slats that help to produce lift at slower speeds. It is powered by twin fuel-efficient Williams FJ44-2As providing 2,300lb of power.
Source: Flight International
