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Carl Marbach |
At a press conference a few years ago, Cessna had a one-word answer to a
question about when it might resume production of its popular C-340 light twin:
"Never." The light twins on the market have always been known as
demanding to fly, particularly when an engine fails. Piston twins, most of them
underpowered, tend to have engine-out performance that ranges from marginal to
nonexistent.
Several companies — including RAM and Colemill — have made good businesses
out of retrofitting increased horsepower on light twins, but none have come up
with "the" answer. Even the up-engined versions of the aircraft are a
real handful on one fan.
A study of accident statistics shows that turbine aircraft enjoy a much
better safety record than piston-powered ones. Part of that is pilot training,
part is the lower incidence of engine failure, and part is the excess power
available if an engine does decide to go toes up. A King Air pilot told me that
an engine failure on takeoff is a "non-event," thanks to the huge
excess of power available at sea level from the turboprop engines. "All
that happens is the airplane climbs at about 700 fpm instead of 1,600," he
said.
So it makes sense that the next generation of light twins would not be
piston-powered. What took me by surprise is that it looks like these new
airplanes are going to bypass props altogether and go directly to pure jet
engines.
As an enabling technology, the Williams FJ33-1 and other Williams engines
definitely qualify. These newer generation engines are less expensive than
traditional jets and offer superior fuel specifics and guaranteed operating
costs. Williams will provide a Total Assurance Program that will cap engine
operating costs at $55/engine/hour. That figure includes all maintenance,
inspections and overhaul costs for the engine. But now that we have pure jet
engines that are beginning to rival the older piston powerplants in cost and
efficiency, we need airframes to put them on.
Enter The Aerostar Jet
There are several companies now in development of light twinjets, but none
appear as close to having a real airplane than the Aerostar Aircraft Corporation
of Hayden Lake, Idaho. Aerostar Aircraft owns the type certificate for the
currently flying Aerostar originally designed and built by Ted Smith, and then
acquired by Piper Aircraft. Piper sold the type certificate, engineering data,
tooling, and all the parts they had to Aerostar Aircraft shortly before Piper's
bankruptcy. Aerostar Aircraft has been supplying parts and upgrades to the
existing fleet for many years and now they want to get back into the business of
building aircraft.
When Ted Smith originally designed the Aerostar, he had in mind a whole
series of models starting with normally-aspirated piston engines, and
progressing through turbocharged, turboprop, pure jet. So from the very
beginning, the airplane had jets in its future. This isn't the first airplane
Ted Smith designed — he also did the B-25 bomber and the Aero Commader light
twins. Remember what happened to the Aero Commanders? First the made them a
turboprop and finally a pure jet. So Ted Smith designs have been through this
process before.
So, how do you get to the future? According to Jim Christy, president of
Aerostar Aircraft, the Aerostar Jet has a tremendous head start because so much
of the work has been done. Ted Smith actually flew a model with the longer
fuselage the Jet will have, and he did it with the new tail that will also be on
the Jet. "There are always some unknowns in a project like this," he
told AVweb, "but we can get a prototype flying a lot easier than if we
started with a clean sheet of paper." He estimates that Aerostar can build
and fly a prototype jet by March 2001 and have it certificated a year later with
deliveries scheduled in early 2002. "We have a production certificate now
for the piston powered 600/700 series Aerostars, and it isn't such a big leap to
move into the new model," he said.
The jet airplane's projected performance numbers are impressive. Designed for
6 to 8 seats and with a gross weight of 7,300 pounds, the Aerostar Jet will
cruise at 400 knots, climb to 41,000 feet with a cabin altitude of 10,000 feet,
and have a range exceeding 1,200 nautical miles. The Williams FJ-33-1 turbofan
engines will provide a maximum thrust of 1,200 pounds each. Keep in mind that
the current Aerostar Super 700 is the fastest piston twin, capable of more than
250 knots at 25,000 feet. The jump to 400 knots with the Williams engines seems
within reach.
Christy believes that since the Aerostar was originally designed with the jet
model in mind, doing the work to get it there will be reasonably straightforward
and much easier than what most companies face when they start from scratch. With
this in mind, Aerostar Aircraft is taking orders for delivery positions
beginning in early 2002. Each buyer puts down a fully-refundable $10,000 deposit
(you even earn the interest on your money). After the first flight of the
Aerostar Jet, the buyer must either commit to a purchase and make a second
deposit of $50,000, or decide not to buy in which case his original $10,000
(plus interest) will be returned. Projected delivery rates are about 50 aircraft
per year and Aerostar Corporation is looking for the first 100 buyers.
But Will It Fly?
I have to plead some non-indifference here as I am a happy owner of my own
Aerostar 700. The airplane is a true pleasure to fly and I have no doubt that a
jet version would be even better. Of all the things I would like for my own
airplane, it is a longer cabin to make it a true six-place airplane and two more
powerful and reliable motors. Both or these are accomplished in the Aerostar Jet
and much more.
Predicting success or failure of new aircraft ventures is a tricky business,
but Aerostar has a lot going for it — not the least of which is that they have
a flying model that isn't too far from the newer jet model they hope to produce.
The question they are asking the public today is: Do you want a 6 to 8 passenger
jet that will cruise at 400 knots at 35,000 feet at about $1 per mile, all for
an acquisition cost of $1,875,000 in 1999 dollars? If you do, you can vote with
your check for $10,000. The first ten positions are already filled, and when
they get the 100 buyers the flying prototype won't be far behind.
You can reach Aerostar Corporation at 800-442-4242 or 208-762-0338. The
current Superstar 700 model is on display at EAA AirVenture near Exhibit Hangar
B.
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