Ramon Lopez/MARTINSBURG
SWEARINGEN SJ30 light business-jets will be rolled off the final assembly line at the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport in the first quarter of 1997.
Aircraft production was made possible by the recent formation of a venture between San Antonio, Texas-based Swearingen Aircraft and Sino Aerospace Investment, which includes the Chinfon Group, President Enterprises, Taiwan Aerospace (TAC), Tontex and United Microelectronics. Investment in Sino-Swearingen will exceed $150 million, with Taiwan contributing $48 million.
The deal was brokered by Lockheed, as part of its $600 million offset commitments, from the sale of 150 F-16 fighters, to Taiwan. Lockheed is providing technical and management assistance and $10 million in cash, but is not a shareholder in the 50:50 partnership.
US certification and initial customer deliveries of the eight-seat Williams-Rolls FJ44-powered SJ30 is expected 26 months after the deal is finalised later this month. The plant to be built at the airport will employ 800 workers.
Edward Swearingen says that TAC will provide the SJ30's fuselage and wings. "It's hard for me to say that it is cast in concrete, but that is the plan," he states. The empennage will either be built in West Virginia or Taiwan. The aircraft-maker holds firm orders for more than 60 SJ30s, representing a two-year production backlog. Peak output will be eight aircraft a month. A second prototype will be flying in 15 to 18 months. Two static test articles will also be built.
Source: Flight International
