EBACE Show News - May 20, 2008 - (Page 6) EBACE 2008 Is Permira Preparing to Exit Jet Aviation? Belfast Sniffs at Plans for the Composites for Bombardier Learjet 85 Bombardier’s Northern Ireland business—the former Shorts Brothers—is celebrating its 100th anniversary of unbroken aerospace manufacturing this year. Bombardier Belfast is keen to maintain its position as a design and production hub for all of Bombardier’s business and commercial aircraft. In particular, the Belfast operation is fighting hard to be Bombardier’s center of excellence for composite manufacturing. By adopting the latest Michael Ryan. composite materials processes, such as resin transfer moulding, Belfast hopes to fend off competition from within the rest of Bombardier for vital future work on new projects. But it has seemingly suffered a setback on the latest Learjet 85 program—Bombardier’s all-composite bizjet that will not be built in Belfast. Bombardier has selected Grob Aerospace to do all the prototype and (very) early series manufacturing for the Learjet 85. Full production will be undertaken either in Canada, Mexico or the U.S. Yet Belfast does not seem to be terribly impressed. “We have completely different technology than Grob’s, and we want to be at a much higher level of technology and manufacturing,” said Bombardier Belfast vp/gm Michael Ryan. “Those types of composites work for that particular aircraft and that’s great—but it’s not what we are focused on.” —Robert Hewson Is the Permira fund preparing to exit its investment in Jet Aviation, which it acquired in 2005? Rumors have swirled for some time, and last March the UK Independent newspaper reported that Morgan Stanley is handling the deal. Permira has built up Jet Aviation since then and may think a booming market is the best time to fulfill the promise it made on sealing the acquisition: “Our challenge now is to transform Jet Aviation from being a great family-owned company to one ready for the public markets.” Asked to comment last year, Permira’s Dr. Jörg Rockenhäuser said, “For the time being we need to complete our building program, which takes us to spring of next year (2008). Once we’ve finished that phase ” Permira didn’t respond to queries last week. Honeywell’s Primus Apex for Spectrum’s S-40 Spectrum Aeronautical (Booth 1947) will install the Honeywell Primus Apex avionics platform on its S-40 Freedom mid-size jet. The configuration calls for two screens at each pilot station: one 15-in primary flight display and one 10.4-in multifunction display. Additional features include high-res graphics, redundancies, advanced auto-flight control, graphical flight planning, true paperless charts and maps, keypad data entry and cursor control device technology. The seven-passenger S-40’s maker will seek approval for single-pilot operations. Grob to Build as Many as 50 Learjet 85s Grob Aerospace is to build far more Learjet 85s for Bombardier than anticipated. Selected in January 2008 to design and develop the all-composite Learjet 85 airframe, Grob also will produce the prototype aircraft. Bombardier has revealed that Grob could manufacture as many as 50 Learjet 85s to support the initial phase of customer deliveries. Its plan is to transition the production of primary and secondary composite structures from Grob to a Bombardier site in North America, but that clearly will not be a speedy process. “The first 30 to 50 aircraft will come from Grob to support the early series deliveries,” said Learjet 85 vp Ralph Acs.. a Jet Priced at $20.5 Million in 2015 Dollars Bombardier has about 120 letters of intent for its new Learjet 85, so if you’re not already on the list, the first available customer slot is third quarter 2015. The Learjet 85 is 42% larger than the Learjet 60XR, with an MTOW of 33,500 lb, compared to the 60XR’s 23,5000 lb. More than 68 ft long with a wingspan of nearly 62 ft, it has a cabin that is 73 in wide and 71 in high. The jet can carry up to eight passengers at a max speed of Mach 0.82. Embraer Releases MLJ and MSJ Prices The launch price for Embraer’s 3,000 nmi range medium-size jet, slated for entry into service in second half of 2012, is $18.4 million, Luis Carlos Affonso, evp for executive jets, disclosed Monday. Affonso also said the 2,300 nmi range medium-light jet, scheduled for initial deliveries in late 2013, will be priced at $15.25 million. Both aircraft will have fly-by-wire flight controls and side-stick pilot controls, but Affonso said Embraer has yet to choose a supplier. Argo-Tech, Goodrich, Vought for Columbus Vought Aircraft Industries will design and produce the wing of Cessna’s new flagship Columbus, Cessna said yesterday. Cessna noted that Vought also makes upper and lower wing panel assemblies for the Citation X in Nashville, Tennessee, where it will produce the Columbus wings. Cessna also yesterday disclosed that it has contracted Goodrich to design and manufacture the aircraft’s landing gear. California’s Argo-Tech, a unit of Eaton, will design and produce the fuel system for the Columbus. Cessna is at Booths 7492 and 7518. All is not wholly harmonious as Learjet brain trust eschews Bombardier Shorts for new composite jet. 6 May 20, 2008 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews
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