New Piper Aircraft is looking at a small jet as part of its future product strategy, which has the backing of new owner American Capital Strategies.
The company is finalising its strategy after conducting an extensive market survey, says new president and chief executive Jim Bass.
Details of the strategy, and plans for the so-called Piper Jet, have yet to be make public, but it will involve “new products or innovations every year”, Bass says.
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| Avidyne's Entegra flightdeck is now available on all Pipers |
Piper has completed a revamp of its existing range with the announcement that Avidyne’s Entegra integrated flightdeck will be offered in the Seminole piston twin, making the glass cockpit available on all 11 of the company’s aircraft models.
Vero Beach, Florida-based Piper is recovering from damage wrought by three hurricanes. Deliveries this year are expected to be up 20-30% over last year’s 233 aircraft, itself an increase over 2004’s total of 189.
Damaged buildings have been demolished and others hurricane-hardened, according to Bass, who says the focus of his first six months as chief executive has been investing in production.
Piper has not benefited from the general aviation boom as much as companies like Cessna and Cirrus, and hurricanes are only part of the reason, says Bass. Others are ageing products, lack of marketing and underperforming distributors. To kick-start sales, Piper is stepping up marketing and revamping its dealer network, he says.
A US demonstration tour is planned this year with the Malibu high-performance piston single. “We haven’t had a demonstrator in years,” says Bass. He also expects to sell more than 50 single-turboprop Meridians this year, up from 40 last year.
Piper rival Diamond Aircraft expects to fly its single-engined $1 million D-Jet this month in Canada, and Cirrus says it is looking at a small “personal jet”. Bass will not be drawn on whether any Piper jet will be a single or a twin.
Source: Flight International
