Swearingen’s SJ30-2 Cold Soak Successful

Swearingen Aircraft Corp. yesterday announced successful completion of cold soak testing as required for FAA certification of the company’s new SJ30-2 twinjet. The testing was conducted at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., in a facility that lowers temperatures to -40 degrees C. Testing conducted at that temperature includes avionics performance, pre-start, engine start and operation, landing-gear retraction and extension, hydraulic system operations, plus other systems and controls. Dr. Carl L. Chen, CEO and president of Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corporation said, “For the second phase of Cold Soak Testing the aircraft will be flown to northern Canada or other severe cold areas in the world. There the aircraft will be operated in the very harsh environment of cold temperatures, with high winds and freezing precipitation to verify all systems operate correctly when in these extreme airport surface conditions.” The SJ30-2 is designed to feature 2875-sm range, cruise at Mach 0.83, and climb to FL490, maintaining a sea-level cabin to FL410. Swearingen plans to certify the bizjet for single-pilot operations. The company says its certification efforts are on schedule and plans to achieve that milestone in the second half of 2005.