Hope Springs Eternal

The good news for jet-pilot wannabes is that there are quite a few manufacturers, some new and some not so new, still eager to create a small jet with four to six seats at a price tag (mostly) below $3 million. Driven by the idea of a single engine and by new, efficient engine technologies, there are a lot of possibilities.

With apologies to Dan Hicks, you have to wonder, how can we miss them if they won't go away? Yep, Eclipse is still around, though it's a completely reformulated company with new owners, a new name, a strong partner and a new strategy. With Sikorsky Aircraft as a partner, and renamed Eclipse Aerospace, the company is on a completely new path. The first thing to go was the low price---a "new" refurbished and upgraded EA-500 jet will now set you back $2.15 million. Next, it reestablished support with service centers in Albuquerque, Chicago, Boca Raton and Istanbul. Finally, Eclipse is working on upgrades to bring all existing EA-500 jets up to the same standards and equipment. The 375-knot twin-engine EA-500 now comes with the Avio Integrated Flight Management System made by ISS. This WAAS-enabled package provides full flight management, chart display and weather-datalink capability. Current EA-500s are now fully deiced and ready to cruise up to FL410. About 60% of the 260 airplanes in the fleet have been upgraded at this time. The company is still on track to restart the production of new EA-500 jets in another year or so. Although costs still are being evaluated, the company hopes to reintroduce brand-new EA-500s at a price below $3 million. Contact: www.eclipseaerospace.net.

Aimed at owner-pilots and corporate users demanding more cost-effective executive aircraft, the new single engine from Piper promises to be among the most efficient jets in the sky. With a maximum certified ceiling of FL 350, the Altaire will operate above most weather. A Williams FJ44-3AP engine will produce a projected maximum speed of 360 ktas while burning only about 77 gph. Piper projects that at a long-range power setting, the Altaire will cruise 1,300 nm with NBAA-standard reserves.

The Altaire has a bigger cabin than the original Piper jet prototype (which was based on the Meridian fuselage), and features the latest Garmin G3000 avionics suite. Six seats and a number of interior trim options provide a first-class cabin experience. Options include a seventh seat, a lavatory or a closet. A heated nose compartment and rear cargo area in the cabin provide a total of 47 cubic feet of space that together can handle over 400 pounds of baggage. Trailing link gear, FADEC engine control and speed brakes, always popular with pilots, will be standard. Piper hasn't yet determined if anti-lock brakes will be standard or an option.

The Altaire program is currently in full swing with final design reviews in process, production tooling being fabricated and space at the Vero Beach factory undergoing refurbishment for production. Currently, the only aircraft flying is the proof-of-concept airplane, but plans include building five or six conforming aircraft. One will be used for static ground testing, and one dedicated to lifetime testing. The rest will go into the flight-test program. Piper says that the program is on track to deliver the first customer airplanes by late 2013 or early 2014, with a training partner soon to be announced. The current price is $2.5 million with a CPI price escalator. Piper currently has enough orders to fill the first three years of production. Contact: www.piper.com.

The D-Jet isn't meant to be a miniaturized business jet. Instead, it's optimized for short- to medium-range missions, low acquisition and operating cost, efficiency in the lower flight levels, and insurability for single-pilot owner-operators. Systems simplicity and high aerodynamic stability coupled with autopilot flight-envelope protection and lower altitude performance make the aircraft more suitable for pilots with moderate levels of proficiency and experience who may be moving up from piston aircraft.

The single-engine, all-composite, 5,650-pound D-Jet will cruise at 315 ktas, be certified to a ceiling of FL 250 and have a range of 1350 nm at a long-range power setting. With surprisingly spacious seating for four (five optional), the D-Jet incorporates a 1,900-pound thrust, FADEC-controlled Williams FJ33-5A turbofan and Garmin G1000 avionics.

D-Jet development hit a speed bump in 2008 when Diamond was faced with the bankruptcy of Thielert, which supplied engines for the DA42 twin. The cost of developing and certifying the new Austro diesel engine and the new DA42NG aircraft diverted funds from the D-Jet program. New development stalled while the company dealt with these issues in a slow economy.

Today, Diamond is close to signing an agreement with an undisclosed financial partner in order to ramp D-Jet development back into full swing sometime in mid-October. Technically, the program is in great shape, and 215 orders are on the books. Diamond already has three prototypes flying with performance flight testing already restarted in early September. If everything goes according to plan, type certification can be achieved in about two years with first deliveries starting shortly afterward. The current price of the D-Jet is $1.89 million in 2008 dollars with a CPI price escalator. Contact: www.diamondaircraft.com.

In 2006, Cirrus first began taking deposits on a vaguely specified single-engine personal jet. By the time a prototype was built, around 400 deposits were taken at a projected price of around $1.25 million. In 2008, the prototype had accumulated about 120 hours of flight time, and the price increased to about $1.55 million, which later jumped to $1.72 million. By early 2010, the program was put into suspended animation due to funding concerns. In June of this year, Cirrus Aircraft completed its sale to the China Aviation Industry General Aircraft (CAIGA), which is owned through a parent company by the People's Republic of China.

The SF50 Vision Jet is targeted at Cirrus owner-operators who want a simple, safe and cost-effective step-up jet aircraft. With a target cruise speed of 300 ktas and a maximum operating altitude of FL 280, five standard seats (two small jump seats are optional) and a Williams FJ33-5A engine, the aircraft is planned to have a maximum range of over 1400 nm at a long-range power setting. It will feature trailing link gear, differential steering, a fluid-deiced windshield with deice boots on the wings and tail and a ballistic parachute recovery system. The design has completed concept testing and preliminary design and safety reviews. The company estimates that the program is a third of the way to certification.

The new Cirrus owners and management team are currently looking at new financing options to bring the Vision Jet program back on line. First, they had to solve a unique problem due to the fact that Cirrus is now a Chinese company. Because Williams engines are derived from cruise-missile technology, the U.S. State Department issued ITAR export restrictions on the FJ33 engines, forcing Williams to impound the SF50 prototype. Cirrus just received word that the government has removed these restrictions, and that the aircraft and engines soon will be returned to the company. This will enable the resumption of flight testing as soon as funding issues are resolved. Cirrus estimates that with funding in hand, they could complete FAA certification in about three-and-a-half years. Contact www.cirrusaircraft.com.

Based in Bend, Ore., Stratos Aircraft is aiming at performance-conscious owner-operators with the single-engine Stratos 714 jet. This sleek all-composite aircraft will offer speed and range that has, until now, been the domain of larger and much more expensive business jets.

Designed to cruise at 400 knots, the four-seat Stratos 714 boasts a maximum range of 1,500 nm with reserves. That means that any trip within the continental United States can be made with a single stop. Even against average head winds, a trip from Miami to Seattle would require less than seven flight hours. But what really sets the Stratos apart from other single-engine jets is its projected certified ceiling of FL 410. That's above almost all weather at an altitude where jets operate most efficiently.

To achieve such performance, Stratos Aircraft started with a clean-sheet design, optimized the aerodynamics and selected the Williams International FJ44-3AP engine. With 3,030 pounds of static thrust, the Stratos 714 has a higher thrust-to-weight ratio than any light jet, and yet the aircraft will safely land at much lower speeds than twin-engine jets with similar performance.

A set-and-forget environmental system, autopilot and single-lever FADEC-controlled engine minimize pilot workload. The cockpit features the latest glass avionics and side-stick controls. The seats and rudder pedals are adjustable, and cockpit visibility is excellent. At 4.7 feet wide by 4.8 feet high, the cabin is larger than many other aircraft in its class. There's even enough space for an optional fifth seat between the co-pilot and rear seats.

Engineering is on track, having recently completed scale-model wind-tunnel tests to verify aerodynamic performance. Only a limited number of delivery positions remain at an initial price of $2 million. As with many of these programs, funding is a critical issue, but Stratos is hoping to have a first prototype flying in about two years. Contact www.stratosaircraft.com.

The reports of the death of the turboprop are greatly exaggerated. Turboprops provide efficient power through the midlevel altitudes, and continue to power some of the most successful airplanes in history. Here's a look at what's happening with a few of the newer players.

Lead by aviation rock star Alan Klapmeier, the folks at Kestrel Aircraft Company are "really excited" to be working on a new, certified high-performance, single-engine turboprop. Once entwined with Epic Aircraft, the Kestrel design shares the same good looks as the Epic LT, however, it's a very different airplane. First, the Kestrel isn't a kit. It'll be a fully certified, all-composite aircraft, with a target maximum cruise speed of 325 ktas and a ceiling of FL 280. Power will come from a Honeywell TPE331-14GR turboprop engine capable of a thermodynamic output of about 1,800 shp but de-rated to 1,000 hp for consistent climb and high-altitude performance. Next, the cabin will feature six to eight seats with an enclosed lavatory in the rear. The cabin door will be behind the seats, so that passengers will enter through the lavatory/baggage area into the cabin. Kestrel is targeting a full-fuel range of 1300 nm at maximum cruise speed. The target price will be in the range of $2.8 million. Klapmeier believes that this new aircraft will grow the market, and his goal is to produce a lot of "very happy customers." As with any new aircraft development program, the big hurdle is funding. Klapmeier has assembled a very experienced staff, and sees no significant technical hurdles to the program, which should enable a milestone-based funding strategy. Once funding is secured, look for certification in about three years. Contact: www.kestrel.aero.

As a leader in the single-engine turboprop market with the very successful TBM 850, Daher-Socata is looking to expand its product line with a twin-turbine aircraft. At this time, they're looking internally at a new aircraft code named NTx for "new twin" with "x" seats. The company is tight lipped about details, but they're looking at a wide variety of options. One program being evaluated is the Grob SPn all-composite, 10-seat, Mach 0.7, long-range, twin-turbofan aircraft. Although flying prototypes were produced, the Grob SPn was never certified, and development was suspended when Grob Aerospace went out of business in 2008. Daher-Socata hasn't completed their evaluation, and isn't yet ready to make any announcements about future plans. Contact: www.tbm850.com.

In 2010, Epic rose out of bankruptcy with new ownership split between a group of former customers (LT Builders Group, LLC) and a state-owned Chinese investment company (China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co. Ltd.). You heard that right---the same Chinese company that owns Cirrus also owns part of Epic. The company, managed by the Builders Group, has reopened the original factory and service center in Bend, Ore., and has been improving the core Epic LT product. This all-composite single-engine, pressurized turboprop homebuilt boasts a normal cruise speed of 305 to 310 ktas on only 50 gph. New improvements include cleaned-up aerodynamics, upgraded landing gear, a quieter cabin and much improved environmental controls. For a finished price tag of $1.9 million and some sweat equity, the Epic LT includes a factory-new PT6-67A engine, six seats, a glass cockpit and an extremely roomy cabin. Killer good looks are supplied at no extra charge. There are currently 32 LTs flying in the fleet.

Epic also is working on rereleasing the Epic Escape. Slightly smaller than the LT, the Escape features a 1,000 hp Honeywell engine, six seats and considerably better performance numbers. Another bonus is that the airplane will fit in a standard 40-foot hangar. So far, only one Escape has been built, and the company is working to refine the design and performance numbers. The projected price will be $1.25 million with an overhauled engine.

At this time, the single-engine Victory jet prototype currently sits disassembled in a corner of the Bend factory, and Epic has suspended plans to develop a turbofan product. They've concluded that as a kit, jets present significant barriers so the company will focus on their core turboprop products going forward. Contact: www.epicaircraft.com.

So whether you're hoping for more speed, lower cost, simpler operation or a more efficient turbine experience, all you have to do is stand by to see what develops. In this business, hope does indeed spring eternal.

John Hayes is a retired entrepreneur with a Ph.D. in optical engineering. He has owned numerous airplanes including an Extra 300L, a TBM 700 and a Citation Mustang. He was a founder and past president of the TBMOPA and the Citation Jet Pilots owner-pilot associations. He's an instructor with an ATP, a couple of type ratings and more than 4,000 hours.