Kate Sarsfield/LONDON
Century Aerospace has pushed back first flight, certification and delivery of its single-turbofan Century Jet to incorporate cabin design changes and refinements which have been recommended by the company's customer advisory committee.
The first flight of the Century Jet, initially planned for July 1999, has been delayed to December. Certification and first deliveries, which were to have taken place in 2000, have been deferred to 2001.
The 10-15-strong customer advisory committee, which consists of Century Jet customers and technical experts, was set up last September to "provide direct input on the redesign of the aircraft". Most recently, the committee has recommended the inclusion of a private aft lavatory, which has now been incorporated into the design. "To accommodate the lavatory, the engineers straightened the canted aft pressure bulkhead and redesigned the engine inlet duct," says Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Century. With the lavatory installed, the total baggage holding capacity is reduced.
The Century Jet is undergoing final design checks and is expected to begin work on production tooling for the first prototype by the end of the year.
Source: Flight International
