EBACE Show News - May 20, 2008 - (Page 48) NEW AIRCRAFT EBACE 2008 Aerion Signs New Sales Agents–and Sales Orders for the $80 million Aerion supersonic business jet are gaining momentum with the appointment of ExecuJet and Aero Toy Store as sales agents. Now, with a $3.2 billion backlog of 40 aircraft, the challenge is to find someone to build it. “This situation is unprecedented,” says Aerion Corp. vice-chair Brian Barents. “We have 40 commitments, over $10 million in deposits, and we haven’t even announced an OEM.” Barents is confident one will emerge by the end of this year; meanwhile ExecuJet and the Aero Toy Store keep signing up customers. Barents’ search for someone to build the airplane has been thwarted so far by the very success of the business jet market: everyone is busy with their own projects and has Aerion boasts a $3.2 billion backlog of approximately 40 orders, now it needs an OEM to build its SSBJ. Unlike many ‘paper’ projects, Aerion is neither strapped for cash nor seeking to raise money (it lists billionaire Robert M. Bass as one of its investors). It does, however, want a partner to share in the estimated “This situation is unprecedented. We have 40 commitments, over $10 million in deposits, and we haven’t even announced an OEM.” —Brian Barents, vice-chairman, Aerion Corp. ensuring noise levels well within Stage 4. Argo-Tech (now part of Eaton Corp.) and UTC companies have helped develop systems architecture, fuel systems, fly-by-wire controls, pressurization and environmental controls, anti-icing and landing gear. Aerion claims the aircraft can cruise at Mach 1.1 to 1.2 without creating a sonic boom, but it will be restricted over land in the U.S. to Mach .98. While $80 million might seem a steep price tag for a business jet, Barents points to the new Gulfstream G650 as validating the premise behind the Aerion. “That’s $60 million, and they’re promoting speed,” he said of the new Gulfstream, which will be one of the fastest business jets in service with a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925 Aerion is at Booth 881 here. —John Morris Aerion vice chairman Brian Barents no capacity to take on the eightpassenger, Mach 1.6 Aerion. So Barents is looking beyond the traditional business jet builders. The challenge there, though, is to link with a name that has credibility, as well as the ability to develop and certify the aircraft. “We’re looking not only in the U.S. but also across the pond,” he said. 48 $2.4 billion it will cost to make the Aerion a reality by 2014. “The technology side is in place; the business case is compelling,” Barents told Show News. He believes 300 Aerion SSBJs can be sold during a 10-year period; at $80 million per aircraft, that results in revenues of $24 billion on the projected $2.4 billion initial investment. Barents envisages a jv with an OEM, in which Aerion retains a significant share in order to reap significant returns on its investment. Tier I suppliers will likely be signed up on a risk-sharing basis “and we are already in discussions,” he added. The Aerion SSBJ will use conventional materials for its airframe, derivative PW JT8D-219 turbofans and off-the-shelf fly-by-wire flight controls. It will use noise reduction technology already certificated by Aviation Fleet Solutions on similar engines on the MD-80 airliner, Avidyne’s New FMS900w Brings Entegra at Low Cost Avidyne (Booth 563) said at April’s Florida Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In that it’s developing a new flight management system for its Entegra integrated avionics system that will offer most of the features of FMS boxes built for heavy-iron jets, but presumably at a fraction of the cost. The FMS900w (with the ‘w’ representing WAAS) will be RNP 0.3 certified and capable of flying virtually all ARINC 424 procedure types, including radius-to-fix (RF) legs. The system will offer airway/jetway flight planning and look-ahead nomination of the most probable waypoints and procedures. The system will store up to 1,000 user-defined waypoints and up to 100 flight plans, each with up to 128 legs. Avidyne will offer the new FMS900w in both single and dual installations. If two units are installed, an automatic cross-fill function will be available. Company officials now say the firm is “nearing completion of the product design phase and will soon be entering the certification phase” for FMS900w. However, Avidyne declined to predict when certification is expected or to —Fred George estimate price. May 20, 2008 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews
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