Ibis Aerospace has launched a study to re-engineer the Ae270 single-engined turboprop to resolve weight and performance issues ahead of critical investment and workshare decisions by its two stakeholders, write Brendan Sobie and Murdo Morrison.
The joint venture company expects to certificate the Ae270 in the second quarter, but acknowledges it must modify the aircraft to meet initial performance parameters. Ibis sources say its sales team will soon approach customers to give them the choice of taking an aircraft with reduced performance, waiting for a redesigned aircraft or cancelling.
Troubles with the programme began surfacing last year when Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) stopped producing the wing and threatened to pull out of the joint venture. AIDC has since agreed to at least temporarily stay on condition a review of the programme is conducted.
This month AIDC and Aero Vodochody agreed at an Ibis board meeting to launch a detailed re-engineering study that will look at how to improve the aerodynamics of the wing, airframe and other structures. "We will try to reduce the weight to improve the performance," says Ibis chairman Anthony Han, who represents AIDC on the Ibis board.
He says a preliminary study is complete, but board members need more information before deciding the programme's future.
AIDC and Aero Vodochody are confident the investment, workshare and other issues will be resolved by the end of this year. Ibis will continue to pursue certification, which was initially set for December 2003, with summer 2005 the target date. Aero Vodochody president Antonin Jakubse told Flight International that the agreement with AIDC is "still in place, but we feel that a more appropriate way would be to be equal partners in production".
Source: Flight International
