Aviation Week Show News - November 12, 2007 - (Page 11)

BUSINESS AVIATION D U B A I 2 0 07 Hawker Targets a ‘Ripe’ Regional Market The U.S. manufacturer Hawker Beechcraft comes to Dubai 2007 “as a new company with a long and proud heritage”—and a goal of boosting its presence in the Middle East. Hawker Beechcraft, which become independent of Raytheon late this past March, expects its international sales to reach 50% of its total this year, up from 35% last year and just 16% in 2004. The company claims business jet segment shares of 41% in Asia Pacific, 38% in Russia, and a powerful 58% in India—but has only 18% here. In the Middle East, Hawker Beechcraft says, Brad Hatt. “time-pressed, frequent-traveling, high-net-worth individuals and business people, and company executives are looking for a reliable, regional travel solution, as well as transcontinental service.” “There is a tremendous amount of private investment in the region,” says president commercial sales Brad Hatt. “It is ripe.” Hawker has accordingly brought Hawker Beechcraft describes its composite-fuselaged Beechcraft Premier IA as “the largest and fastest single-pilot business jet in the world.” The $6.2 million aircraft has FJ44-2A engines from Williams International said to be “built on themes of simplicity, low fuel consumption, and high-altitude thrust performance.” The Premier IA has 450 knot cruise and Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics. Also here is the manufacturer’s workhorse turboprop flagship, the Beechcraft King Air 350, said to represent “the most successful series of twin turbinepowered business aircraft ever built… in continuous production since 1964.” More than 6,200 King Airs have been sold for corporate, commercial and special mission operations in more than 94 countries throughout the world, and the type has accumulated more than 40 million flight hours. There are currently four variants of the King Air—the Beechcraft King Air 350, the new Beechcraft King Air 350ER, the new Beechcraft King Air B200GT and the new Beechcraft King Air C90GTi. The King Air 350 on show here is priced at $6.1 million. Hawker Beechcraft earlier this year reported the sale of up to 20 Hawker 750 jets to National Air Services of Saudi Arabia, marking the international launch of the type, which made its first flight on August 23. “With an estimated value in excess of $250 million, the 20 aircraft order is the largest single order on record in the region,” the manufacturer said. NAS is expected to take delivery of the first aircraft during this fourth quarter. The Hawker 750 has twin TFE731-5BR engines from Honeywell. Hawker Beechcraft has more than 100 authorized service centers worldwide employing more than 3,000 people. —Rich Piellisch pany’s new flagship. The 4000 has a composite fuselage yielding a flat-floor, 72-in stand-up cabin that’s 77.5 in wide. It has twin Pratt & Whitney Canada PW308A engines combined with an advanced wing design providing “stunning” high/hot and short field performance. Six passengers can be carried more than 3,000 nmi at a Mach .82 cruise speed and four passengers can be carried more than 3,300 nmi at Mach .75. Dubai-Based Empire for Hawker Sales Hawker Beechcraft named Dubai-based Empire Aviation, a new company, as its representative here in the Emirates as well as in the GCC countries of Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar. An agreement was signed at this year’s Paris air show by Sheikh Tariq Bin Faisal Al Qassimi, chairman of the Empire Aviation Group and Emirates Investment Group, and Brad Hatt, president of commercial sales at Hawker Beechcraft. Hawker 900 XP at top, and above, cabin of the new flagship Hawker 4000. most of its product line-up to Dubai: outside Chalet A36 are Hawker 4000, 900XP and 400XP business jets, as well as a Beechcraft Premier IA and a King Air 350. The super-midsize Hawker 4000, priced at $19.95 million, is the com11 The fractional giant NetJets has no fewer than 81 Hawker 4000s on order, with 32 destined for NetJets Europe. The just-certified Hawker 900XP is the latest evolution of the Hawker 800 series. The $14.3 mil- lion 900XP has Hawker Beechcraft winglets and new Honeywell TFE731-50Rs for improved hot and high altitude performance. Long range cruise improves to almost 2,800 nautical miles NBAA IFR with six passengers. Hawker Beechcraft says that its Hawker 400XP, a $7.2 million aircraft with Pratt & Whitney JT15D-5R engines, is the bestselling of all light jets. It has fourpassenger NBAA IFR range of 1,333 nmi and a Pro Line 4 cockpit by Rockwell Collins. The 500th 400XP was delivered early this year to Italy’s Slam Lavori Aerei. November 12, 2007 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews

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Aviation Week Show News - November 12, 2007

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