Raytheon Aircraft has unveiled a novel alternative to rival Cessna's Citation light business jets. The company's new SmartFlight programme offers buyers a Beech King Air B200 business turboprop and a one-eighth share in a Beechjet 400A business jet for $4.65 million - "less than the price of competing straight-wing jets", Raytheon says.
The deal also represents a saving over the combined price of a new King Air and a fractional share in a Beechjet, which Raytheon puts at more than $5 million if acquired separately. Availability of the SmartFlight programme has already helped secure at least one King Air sale, the company says.
A part share in Raytheon's Beechjet 400A is available in SmartFlight
A one-eighth share in a Beechjet, provided through Raytheon's Travel Air fractional ownership subsidiary, guarantees the buyer 100h a year in the swept-wing light business jet, with the ability to move up to a mid-sized Hawker 800XP or down to a second King Air B200 for specific trips.
"We're doing this now because we can [with the creation of Travel Air]," says Raytheon, adding that the deal offers "unparalleled flexibility" to the customer. Travel Air now has some 60 customers for 17 aircraft - a mixture of King Airs, Beechjets and Hawkers.
Source: Flight International
