Formal Type Certification Received Last Month

Adam Aircraft says Williams International has received FAA Type Certification for the FJ33-4A-15 turbofan engine, which will be used to power the A700 AdamJet. Adam's spinmeisters say that this makes "the AdamJet the first flying aircraft in the closely followed personal jet market to have a certified powerplant."

"This is a huge milestone for our A700 development program," said Rick Adam, CEO of Adam Aircraft. "In 180 hours of flight test on the A700 (which is not a conforming vehicle), the FJ33 has performed flawlessly. In addition, we are seeing fuel flows and other operating economics that are at least a third better than any jet on the market."

Gregg Williams, President of Williams International, announced that the formal Type Certificate for the 1568 pound thrust FJ33-4A-15 Turbofan Engine was received from the FAA on September 10, 2004. "We couldn't be more pleased with the results of our development and certification program," said Gregg Williams. "We achieved all performance goals with large efficiency and temperature margins, and all certification testing went extremely well. We believe we also achieved an industry first, in that, other than software modifications, we did not have to make any configuration changes to the engine from the beginning of the program. This validated our decision to make the very first engine from full-scale production tooling. In addition, all certification and durability testing was conducted at speeds and thrust levels well above the initial certification levels, and we expect the engine to have a trouble-free entry into service."

Williams International says it will also provide the option of a Total Assurance Program (TAP) on FJ33-powered A700s. As the most comprehensive "power-by-the-hour" program in the industry, TAP will offer superior coverage at a very competitive hourly rate. For more detailed information on TAP, contact an Adam Aircraft sales representative at 866-AdamAir.

With the speed and reliability of a jet and the direct operating cost of a propeller aircraft, Adam claims that the A700 will have a significant impact on the turboprop market. "The A700 is an ideal replacement aircraft for our customers who own turboprops," said Joe Walker, President of Adam Aircraft. "In the past, when a customer stepped into a jet, they were faced with a much higher acquisition cost and poor operating economics on short hops. The FJ33-powered AdamJet makes no compromise in these areas."

After 180 hours of flight time, the A700 program continues to make progress, and initial Type Certification is (quite optimistically) scheduled for 2005. The standard equipped A700 will be delivered in a seven-seat configuration with a fully enclosed aft lavatory. The aircraft is designed to reach speeds of 340ktas at high-speed cruise, an altitude of 41,000 feet, and a range of 1,100nm. At a current price of $2.1 million, the A700 is less than half the price of today's entry-level business jets.

FMI: www.adamaircraft.com