The first nose section of a prototype SJ-30-2 was delivered to Sino-Swearingen's plant in San Antonio, Texas, last month, ahead of schedule and under budget. "We expect the second nose before the first main fuselage section arrives. The first fuselage section should be in our hands in plenty of time to maintain our schedule for first flight next year," says the manufacturer.
Sino-Swearingen plans to build five test articles at its San Antonio base before relocating the tooling and the headquarters to a new factory in Martinsburg, West Virginia, next year. By the time the SJ-30-2 earns its type certificate, the company expects to have production rolling for first deliveries in late 2001.
Source: Flight International