B/CA Show News - NBAA 2007 Day 2 - (Page 30)

N B A A 2 0 07 Mid-Size Spectrum 40 Put on Fast Track Linden Blue, chairman of Spectrum Aeronautical (Booth 8953), announced Monday that the firm will develop the 2,000-nmi range, mid-size Spectrum 40 Freedom a h e a d o f t h e s u p e r- l i g h t s i z e Spectrum 33 Independence. He claimed that Spectrum 40, slated for certifications and customer deliveries by late 2009, would have within two percent of the cabin volume of the best-selling Cessna Citation XLS+, 200 nmi more range and half the fuel consumption. It will climb directly to FL 450 and cruise at 442 KTAS. “We put the Freedom in first position because it will take the same time to develop as the Independence and we have no competition [sic] in the mid-size class,” Blue claimed. However, he compared the S 40’s cabin size, speed, range and fuel consumption to both Embraer Phenom 300 and Citation XLS during his presentation. Blue chose the Phenom 300 for the comparison because of its competitive price and the XLS+ because “Cessna makes the best aluminum airplanes.” He said that Freedom will have a six-ft-wide by six-ft-high cabin that will be about two ft shorter than that of Citation XLS. S 40’s cross-section—indeed will be the largest in the mid-size class. A wooden mockup of the Freedom’s interior is on display at Spectrum Aeronautical’s booth. Priced at $6.2 million in 2007year dollars, Freedom will have a 46% price advantage over the XLS+, and Blue claims its overhaul operating costs will be 50% lower. Freedom also will have one-third lower operating costs than the $6.7-million Embraer Phenom 300, Blue asserts. The aircraft’s super light-weight Fibex carbon fiber structure is why Blue has such confidence in his performance predictions. Fibex eliminates 99% of the carbon/filler/ carbon sandwich construction used in traditional composite structures, so it weighs up to one-third less and the filament winding process is highly automated. The wing and Linden Blue of Spectrum is putting Freedom ahead of Independence. portion of the operating cost savings, according to Blue. Rated for “We put the Freedom in first position because it will take the same time to develop as the Independence and we have no competition [sic] in the mid-size class.” —Linden Blue, chairman, Spectrum Aeronautical fuselage structures will be pressure and heat cured at 50 to 60 psi in a large autoclave recently purchased by Rocky Mountain Composites, Spectrum’s airframe supplier, which is co-located in Spanish Fork, Utah. The S 40’s GE/Honda HF 120 turbofans will yield another major takeoff at 2,095 pounds thrust, the HF 120 has a five-to- one thrust to weight ratio, a 5,000 hour TBO and no mid-life inspection. The combination of the Freedom’s 9,550 lb MTOW and the HF 120’s high altitude thrust output will allow the S 40 to climb directly to FL 450 on The $6.2 million Spectrum 40 Freedom jet is targeted for certification and first customer deliveries by late 2009. ISA days and cruise at 442 KTAS. “Mach .77 is the sweet spot for efficiency cruise for an unswept wing,” Blue explained. Ian Gilchrist at Seattle-based Analytical Methods designed the airfoil for both aircraft. Spectrum 40 will use Spectrum 33’s wing planform, but it will be wider at the root to accommodate the larger diameter fuselage, and have beefed up internal structure to carry the extra weight. Blue said that the development schedule of the Freedom is dependent upon availability of pre-certification HF 120 engines. GE/Honda officials expect to deliver the first flight-ready units to Spectrum in Spanish Fork, Utah by the end of 2008. Blue believes that first flight will follow shortly thereafter. Spectrum 33 development will start about a year later. Deliveries are slated for late 2010. The delay will enable Spectrum to upgrade to higher thrust FJ33-4A-19 turbofans, which are currently under development by Williams International. Spectrum’s $200-million development budget for the Spectrum 40, though, appears to be optimistic by historical business aircraft industry standards. In addition, no start-up general aviation manufacturer ever has certified a new jet in 12 months, so Blue’s development schedule may prove to be optimistic. —Fred George 30 September 26, 2007 www.aviationweek.com/shownews

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of B/CA Show News - NBAA 2007 Day 2

Contents Spectrum Stresses Freedom Adam Shows A700 Cabin User Fee War of Words Execujet Boosts Services Saab's Got Your Back CAE Covers the Field London Airports Roundup Pratt & Whitney Canada Another Show! A More Digital Jeppesen CMC Rides Bizjet Wave Thales Weighs In We Fly the Eclipse 500

B/CA Show News - NBAA 2007 Day 2

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