American Utilicraft (AUC) says that it is negotiating a 50-aircraft launch order for its FF-1080-200 Freight Feeder with an unnamed US air cargo operator. Funding for the programme is tied to securing a launch customer for the twin-turboprop aircraft, says AUC president John DuPont.
"We are in pretty strong negotiations with an end user, and we're working with several finance groups," he says, adding: "We're getting a lot of help from a large leasing and support company." DuPont declines to reveal the potential launch customer, except to say that "-it's not FedEx".
AUC has been working on the FF-1080 Freight Feeder since 1990, to meet a perceived demand for an aircraft capable of carrying the industry-standard LD3 lower-deck cargo containers used in widebody aircraft. The design was recently stretched to accommodate two additional containers and the revised -200 will carry six LD3s over 925km (500nm) at 270kt (500km/h), AUC says.
The FF-1080-200 is powered by two 2,050kW (2,750shp) Pratt &Whitney Canada PW127F turboprops driving Hamilton Standard six-blade propellers and mounted above the wing to increase ground clearance and provide upper-surface blowing. Design features include left and right cockpit doors which allow maximum use to be made of the constant-section cabin, with side and rear cargo doors enabling simultaneous container loading and unloading.
DuPont hopes to launch the programme by the end of March, leading to a first flight within 18 months and USPart 25 certification within four years. The certification effort will cost $75 million, he estimates, and involve two flight test aircraft. South Korean and Taiwanese and US companies have responded to a request for proposals to supply major subassemblies, DuPont says.
AUC has already signed a letter of intent for 50 aircraft with the unidentified launch customer, and is "in negotiations" for an additional sale of 25 aircraft. DuPont believes that the company could launch the programme with "an initial pool of 100 aircraft for more than one customer". AUC's business plan is based on sales of 500 aircraft over eight years.
Source: Flight International
