Fri, Jun 02, 2006
In Fact, It Was Done Last Friday... Before FAA Deadline
Days after reporting the company had
asked for an extension on the time granted by the FAA to complete
certification testing for its Hawker 4000 super-midsized business
jet, officials at Raytheon have announced a major milestone on that
journey has been completed.
Raytheon reports that Function and Reliability tests of its
composite-bodied, aluminum-winged jet were completed May 26 -- five
days before the end of the five-year, FAA-mandated timeframe for
Part 25 certification of the aircraft. Officials with the company
report Raytheon is now working with the FAA to finalize the
required documentation that will allow the FAA to issue the Type
Certificate.
As Aero-News reported
Tuesday, Raytheon had requested an extension to that
deadline from the FAA, to give the company more time to wrap up
testing on the aircraft. Had the deadline passed without such an
extension, Raytheon may have had to start over from the beginning
on its efforts to certify the bizjet, which was first announced in
1996.
Analysts have speculated the length of time needed by Raytheon
to get the Hawker 4000 certificated may stem from the jet's use of
an all-composite fuselage... common on new GA aircraft, but still a
relative rarity for larger bizjets.
"It's very uncommon," said FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Cory at the
time. "We're exploring the options with them. We haven't made any
decisions yet."
So... did Raytheon beat the clock? And what other hurdles -- if
any -- remain on the 4000's path to certification? Raytheon isn't
saying just yet, and our calls to a representative at Raytheon
Thursday have yet to be returned.
Raytheon has 50 orders placed for the Hawker 4000, from
fractional operator NetJets. Deliveries of the first planes are
scheduled for 2007.
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