What jet makers have in store
By Kirby J. Harrison - July 1, 2010
The people who build airplanes believe better times are coming. So do many analysts, who predict that aircraft sales will gain momentum by the middle of next year. When that happens, manufacturers will be ready because they have continued to fund research and development of new airplanes.
Bombardier reports it has more than 60 orders for its 10-passenger midsize Learjet 85, which will be its first all-composite business airplane. The company anticipates certification and first customer deliveries in 2013. The Learjet 85 will fly at 470 knots and, with a range of 3,000 nautical miles, will be a true coast-to-coast airplane. Its $18.25 million list price places it neatly between the $13.86 million Learjet 60XR and Bombardier’s $24.275 million Challenger 300.
Cessna’s Citation CJ4, which the FAA certified in March, is the largest member of the popular CJ family. The Wichita-based manufacturer is ramping up production of the $9 million, five-passenger jet, for which deliveries began in April. Cessna lists the cruise speed at 389 knots and the range at 2,000 nautical miles.
The bad news from Cessna was the decision last July to cancel its large-cabin Citation Columbus, for which it had some 70 letters of intent from prospective buyers. CEO Jack Pelton has said that with sufficient demand the company might revive plans for the $27 million, eight-passenger twinjet, which was to have had a cruise speed of 480 knots and a range of 4,000 nautical miles. For now, Cessna continues to devote about 6 percent of revenues to research and development, “focusing on an existing market.”
At Dassault Aviation, work continues on a super-midsize aircraft dubbed the SMS but few details have been released. Last year, company CEO Charles Edelstenne announced that discussion had been reopened on design choices for the aircraft. According to a Falcon Jet spokesman, the France-based manufacturer is now finalizing technology choices, including selection of key partners for the project.
Meanwhile, development of the Falcon 900LX super-midsize follow-on to the Falcon 900EX is proceeding. The large-cabin trijet will have winglets that the company expects will reduce drag by 7 percent; range, meanwhile, will jump from 4,500 to 4,800 nautical miles and maximum cruise speed will be 560 knots. Certification had been anticipated early this year but has been pushed back to the second half of the year.
Brazil’s Embraer has three projects in the works. The first is the large-cabin Legacy 650, an upgrade of its Legacy 600. The $25.9 million Legacy 650 will carry 13 passengers in standard configuration and have a range of 3,800 nautical miles, approximately 500 nautical miles more than the Legacy 600. Embraer expects certification in the latter half of this year.
Share This Article With Others