GRAHAM WARWICK / WASHINGTON DC
Manufacturer drops S-26 design and aims to fly twin-engined aircraft early next year, leading to certification in 2005
Safire Aircraft has dropped its S-26 personal jet design in favour of a larger, all-metal aircraft. The redesigned Safire Personal Jet is to be assembled at Miami's Opa Locka Airport using airframe subassemblies supplied by US subcontractors. First flight is scheduled for the first quarter of next year, leading to certification by the end of 2005 and first deliveries early in 2006.
Safire had previously announced selection of the 1,100lb-thrust (5kN) Williams International FJ33-4 to power the twinjet. It has since selected Avidyne to supply the avionics and Castle Precision to provide the landing gear. The company has also unveiled new prices: $1.3 million for deposit holders and $1.4 million for new orders.
The holders of more than 720 existing deposits will not be required to make additional payments until the first aircraft has completed 10h of flight testing, says chief executive Camilo Salomon.
Safire's Swiss backers have agreed to fund the programme to beginning of flight testing, when the company will use additional payments from deposit holders to take the aircraft through to certification. Local and state authorities have agreed to provide incentives in return for locating the assembly plant at Opa Locka, and will issue municipal bonds to guarantee construction of the factory.
Salomon says he is negotiating with a developer and investor that will build a turnkey facility, including tooling and equipment, that will then be leased to Safire. "This will reduce our equity requirement, and the [investment] risk will be the municipality and not Safire," he says. Safire plans to build 90 aircraft in 2006, the first year of production, 220 in 2007, 440 in 2008 and 880 in 2009.
Salomon says Safire has received a "massive positive" response from deposit holders to the design changes. The majority of buyers are owner-pilots, and the company is now launching a marketing drive aimed at fleet customers interested in using the aircraft for air taxi operations.
Source: Flight International
