Adam “Sells” 75 Jets

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Is it Adam Aircraft’s foothold in the potentially lucrative mini-jet market or just another one of those on-again, off-again deals that have seemingly marked the (so far) speculative and seemingly illusory air-taxi industry? Whatever it is, the Colorado-based plane-maker is crowing about a $150 million order for 75 of its A700 jets, which it claims it can start delivering in less than a year. The buyer is iFly, a Connecticut company put together by Donald Burr and Robert Crandall. But as AVweb‘s business publication BizAv notes, there could be some significant details to overcome before the deal, the air-taxi company and the industry can launch with Adam jets. Although Adam has the undisputed lead in the mini-jet race by virtue of the fact that it actually has one in the air, the plane paraded at air shows and on a publicity tour earlier this year is not a production model. In fact, certification is in its infancy for the aircraft, which has about 150 hours on it. Adam has said the fact that the A700 is based on the A500 piston twin should speed certification, but the A500 isn’t certified yet and, regardless of the shared fuselage and other components, there are some major differences between a push/pull prop aircraft and a twinjet.

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