Spotlight on Beechjet 400A: Third-Generation Diamond II Is A Gem
This is an abbreviated version of 'Beechjet 400A: Third-Generation Diamond II Is A Gem' by Fred George.
For $2.7 million, you can a buy a fully reconditioned 1991 to 2003 Beechjet 400A (RK-0002 to RJ-0353) that climbs directly to FL 430, cruises at 420-440 KTAS and can carry four passengers more than 1,600 nm, says Dwayne Clemens of the aviation company that bears his name at Lloyd Stearman Field (1K1) east of Wichita. Clemens buys low-time Beechjet 400As and reconditions them with Garmin G5000 avionics, factory-approved winglets, fresh paint and new interiors.
While there are plenty of choices in today’s pre-owned light- jet market, few offer this aircraft’s blend of speed, flat-floor, oval cross-section cabin and tanks-full payload. About 350 units were built and 290-plus aircraft remain in active service. Clemens operates 16 of them, mostly in quarter-share fractional ownership programs.
The Beechjet 400A has a 305-cu.-ft. cabin volume, so it’s one of the roomiest light jets of its vintage. Most of these aircraft originally had BOWs close to 10,700 lb., so they could only carry 638 lb. with full tanks.
Read more about the aircraft advanced capabilities here.
The key to the Beechjet 400A’s cruise speed is its supercritical airfoil and 20 deg. of sweep. It operates efficiently at Mach 0.72-0.78 cruise. Transonic drag divergence (drag rise) occurs significantly above its Mach 0.785 redline.
Factory-approved winglets increase cruise altitude and boost range. But Clemens stays away from upgrading the Pratt & Whitney Canada JT-15D-5s with Williams FJ44 engines because he believes the $2.2 million price tag is cost prohibitive.
Read more about the aircraft specifications in the full article.
Scheduled maintenance checks are 200 hr. for A inspections (about $7,000), 400 hr. for B checks (estimated $21,000), 1,200 hr. for C inspections ($40,000) and 5,000 hr. for D checks ($81,000), according to Clemens. The biggest unscheduled tasks are rebuilding the horizontal tail structure that can cost upward of $50,000, replacing cracked PPG windshields, overhauling the landing gear at 15,000 hr. for $80,000 and repairing the impressively complex, electrical stab anti-ice system. Plan on $370,000 for engine overhaul at the 3,600-hr. TBO. Clemens plans on $700 per hour for fuel, $110-120 for each engine reserve and $480-490 per hour for maintenance.
Read more about what Clemens offers and the base price for candidate used aircraft here.
Beechjet 400A’s principal competitors are Citation V Ultra with more range, better runway performance and smaller cabin cross-section, and the Learjet 45 with a longer cabin, externally serviced lavatory, slightly higher cruise speeds, better fuel efficiency and considerably longer range.
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