Emivest Flies S/N 007 From London To Dubai In Just Over 7 Hours

Hoping to attract some positive headlines for what has been an extremely troubled light jet program, Emivest Aerospace Corporation recently touted a new speed record for the SJ30 business aircraft -- flying from London to Dubai on November 10 in seven hours and seven minutes, including a 41-minute fuel stop in Istanbul.

Emivest -- which bailed out the former Sino-Swearingen earlier this year, acquiring an 80 percent stake in the company that was originally incorporated in 1997 as a 50/50 partnership between US planemaker Swearingen Aircraft Company and the government of Taiwan -- says the record was accomplished by serial number '007' as it flew to Dubai for the Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA) 2008 show.

If your eyebrows raised, too, over the preponderance of "7s" in the first two paragraphs... Emivest notes the record has already been certified by the National Aeronautical Association. The flight, captained by Action Aviation's Chairman Hamish Harding and co-pilot Emivest Aerospace's Bryan Dennison, covered a great circle distance of 3470 statute miles route at an average speed of 488 mph.

"As the world's fastest light business jet, the SJ30 is completely built for speed using innovative concepts in wing design ensuring it is aerodynamic and has the ability to cancel out gusts of wind. Since its first introduction, the SJ30 has been making world speed record flights including its record-breaking journey from Texas, USA to Dubai last year for the Dubai Airshow," said Emivest Chairman Buti Saeed Al Ghandi.

Billed by the company as the world's fastest, longest range and highest flying light jet, the SJ30 also retains a sea level cabin pressure up to 41,000 feet and reach a top flying height of 49,000 feet. The SJ30 is certified for single-pilot operations, with a range of 2,500 nautical miles and the highest cruise speed in the light jet industry of Mach .83 (486 kts).

The aircraft was certified in November 2005... but to date, only two production planes have been delivered to customers.

FMI: www.emivestaerospace.com