AndrewDoyle/FRIEDRICHSHAFEN
Raytheon has cut the planned flight test programme for its Premier I light business jet by 200h following better-than-expected performance data from initial flights.
The company is aiming to win US Federal Aviation Administration and European Joint Aviation Authorities certification by the end of this year, around three months later than scheduled.
The decision to trim the flight test programme to 1,200h was "based on the first 40h of flight validation" using the prototype Premier I, says Raytheon senior product manager jet sales, Ken Mikolajchak. He adds that the December certification target, despite the reduction, requires "a very aggressive schedule and we understand that".
The delay to the programme was caused after the aircraft's maiden flight slipped from September to December because of problems with parts availability and wiring.
The second prototype is about to join the test programme, which will eventually involve four aircraft. Flap and spoiler tests were recently completed at speeds of up to M0.51 and under 2g loading, says Mikolajchak.
The $4.5 million Premier I is proving successful, attracting more than 150 customers, of which 40% are based outside the USA.
Production is being ramped up, with the composite fuselage for the 16th aircraft under construction, while eight aircraft are currently in the assembly hall. Nine aircraft are due to roll out by year end.
While initial plans call for a production rate of 40 aircraft a year, "conceivably we could go to 60 ships per year, but that hasn't been approved yet", says Mikolajchak.
Meanwhile, Mikolajchak reveals that Raytheon has started work on growth variants of the Premier I and the super mid-size Horizon business jet, but declines to reveal details. "We are at the preliminary stages of looking at new products in the jet family," he says.
Source: Flight International
