Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC
Sino Swearingen Aircraft (SSAC) has launched a year-long, 1,400h certification flight test programme for the SJ30-2 light business jet following the maiden flight of the first conforming prototype on 30 November.
The aircraft was rolled out at the company's San Antonio, Texas, plant in July, and SSAC had hoped to accomplish the already delayed first flight in early October. "There was no single big problem," the company says, playing down the additional delay.
There will be five aircraft in the test programme. Next to emerge will be the static test airframe, set for completion later this month. Two more flight test aircraft are expected to fly in the second quarter of next year, followed by the fatigue test airframe.
SSAC has received five fuselages and four wings from risk-sharing partner Gamesa of Spain. As they prepare for transition to production, the two companies continue to make up earlier delays in delivering parts for the initial aircraft.
The mate jig is set to be relocated from San Antonio to the assembly plant in Martinsburg, West Virginia, in February/March, ready for delivery of the first fuselage and wing for the production aircraft from Gamesa "in the second quarter", SSAC says. The company hopes to begin aircraft deliveries "as soon as possible".
Source: Flight International
