Looking Back At 2019: Business Aviation

AS2

Poland’s Flaris flew its LAR 01 single-engine personal jet for the first time on April 5 at Babimost Airport in Zielona Gora. The five-seater is powered by a single 1,900-lb.-thrust Williams FJ33-5A turbofan. It also has a targeted top speed of 380 kt., stall speed of 62 kt. and estimated maximum range of 1,400 nm.

Praetor 600

Gulfstream’s long-range, large-cabin G600 earned its FAA type and production certificates in July. Sister to the smaller G500 certified in 2018, the all-new model can fly nonstop from Paris to Los Angeles or Hong Kong at Mach 0.90 and reach 6,500 nm at Mach 0.85. The G500/G600 family features Pratt & Whitney PW800 engines and a flight deck with active sidestick controls and 10 touchscreens.

In June, French manufacturer Daher Group announced the acquisition of Quest Aircraft, manufacturer of the Kodiak 100 utility turboprop. The Sandpoint, Idaho-based company, renamed Kodiak Aircraft, boosts the U.S. footprint of Daher, which manufactures the TBM 940 and TBM 910 high-performance business turboprops as well as aerospace components and systems.

Textron Aviation suspended the Cessna Citation Hemisphere large-cabin business jet program in July after the aircraft’s Safran Silvercrest engine failed to demonstrate the required performance. The move marked the second time the aircraft was suspended from Textron’s business jet program. Launched in 2015, Hemisphere development initially was put on ice in 2018. The initial interruption also occurred because of problems with the Safran engine.

In July, Bombardier unveiled the Learjet 75 Liberty—a revamped and lower-cost version of the aircraft with fewer seats and options aimed at reaching a new segment of buyers. At $9.9 million, down from $13.8 million, the lower purchase price and operating costs are in line with competing light jets. The aircraft is expected to enter service in 2020.

Longitude

Bombardier’s improved, longer-range Global 5500 and Global 6500 were certified in September—the 6,600-nm-range 6500 entering service shortly after. The 5500, its range now increased to 5,900 nm, will follow in 2020. Both large-cabin jets are powered by Rolls-Royce Pearl 15 engines.

G700

Pilatus PC-12

SyberJet Aircraft flew its upgraded SJ30i light jet for the first time on Oct. 9 in San Antonio. Based on the Swearingen SJ30-2 first flown in 1996, the twinjet features an all-new cockpit based on Honeywell Primus Epic 2.0 avionics. The flight marked the start of an 18-month certification test effort.

Avionics manufacturer Garmin International introduced the first emergency autoland system for general aviation in October, as part of the latest G3000 integrated flight deck on the Cirrus Vision Jet and Piper M600. The system can take control and land the aircraft when a pilot cannot. In an emergency, the pilot or passengers can activate the autoland system by pushing a guarded red button.

After a seven-year effort, Epic Aircraft earned FAA certification for its single-engine, all-composite E1000 in October. The six-seat aircraft is based on the Epic LT, a high-performance kitplane introduced in 2005. Powered by a 1,200-shp Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67A, the E1000 is certified to 34,000 ft. and has a maximum speed of 325 kt. and a cruise range of 1,385 nm.