Developing Brazilian aircraft industry, consolidated last year under the government-sponsored Empresa Brasileria de Aeronautica S.A (Embraer), is moving to gain production experience through licensed construction of European-originated aircraft while developing a number of in-house designs.
Swearingen Aircraft's Merlin 3 teams long range, high-speed and high-altitude capabilities into a high performance business tool. The Merlin 3, larger and faster than its predecessor, the Merlin 2B, is the first turboprop with a gross weight of 12,500 lb. or less designed and built in the U.S. which delivers cruise speeds near 300 mph. with maximum payload.
Cessna's new twin-turbofan Citation is an easy-handling, simple-to-fly aircraft that combines field-length capabilities of light turboprop aircraft with turbojet cruise speeds. The Citation, first of the lower-price / medium-performance turbofan-powered airplanes to appear on the world market, could develop as the major competitor to today's 6-10 place turboprop aircraft.
Aerospatiale's SN-600 Corvette prototype, flown here by Aviation Week & Space Technology shortly before it was lost in a crash late last month, proved to be a rugged light twin-turbofan transport with simple flight characteristics designed to ease the transition training of pilots now flying twin-turboprop business aircraft.
Avions Marcel Dassault is continuing to draw the maximum potential from its successful Falcon 20 business jet design to develop an expanded line of small- to medium-size twin-turbofan aircraft that meet the needs of a variety of markets.
First production Cessna Citation nears completion in the 115,000-sq.ft. assembly area the company has established adjacent to Wichita Municipal Airport, Kan. The fuselage is supported on a dolly with sufficient clearance to allow cycling of landing gear.
North American Rockwell's General Aviation Div. has delivered two new turboprop-powered, pressurized Aero Commanders and has 25 orders for the aircraft.
Saunders ST-27 twin turboprop feederliner transport, now entering production at Gimli, Manitoba, Canada, is a rugged and simple design aimed at extending the life of the de Havilland Heron four-engine aircraft from which it is derived.
Continued development of corporate aviation in the U.S. could hinge on users' and manufacturers' abilities to operate under more demanding regulation and economic restraints.
New emphasis on marketing its single-engine aircraft for business use signals a major shift in sales strategy by Cessna Aircraft Co. In recent years, Cessna has been promoting its single-engine models primarily for personal or pleasure use.
Certification program of the Garrett TFE-731-2 advanced turbofan for business jets is progressing rapidly under an extensive ground and flight test program. The turbofan, which is specified for the Dassault Falcon 10-02 Learjet 26 and Swearingen SA-28T, is expected to be certified in April, 1972.
From Brazil pushing five major business aviation projects in January to the Cessna Citation jet production nearing completion in June. Take a look at some business aviation highlights from AWST in the year 1971.
