First Appearance As Private Company In 25 Years

When Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) comes to the Paris Air Show this year, it will do so as a private company for the first time in 25 years. The company will be featuring a selection of its product line including the Hawker 4000, Hawker 850XP, Beechcraft Premier IA and Beechcraft King Air 350ER. 

"The international market, and Europe in particular, is growing at a rapid pace with recent industry forecasts expecting this to continue through 2009," said Jim Schuster, chairman and CEO. "One of the largest aviation tradeshows in the world, the Paris Air Show provides us with an excellent venue to meet customers and display our aircraft. As a new company with a long and proud heritage, Hawker Beechcraft Corporation is looking forward to joining the industry at the show."

The Hawker 4000 is the flagship of the Hawker line, and offers best-in-class field performance in the super-midsize category, including Takeoff Field Length (ISA, SL, MGTOW) of just 4,509 feet. The Pratt & Whitney Canada PW308A engines deliver 6,900 lb of thrust each and combined with the Hawker 4000’s advanced wing design provide stunning high/hot and short field performance, according to the company.

The Hawker 850XP to be on display is part of what the company calls "a strategically planned sequence of upgrades for the company’s entire fleet of aircraft" and notes the Hawker 850XP will be replaced by the new Hawker 900XP and Hawker 750 aircraft currently in development. The Hawker 900XP will include winglets developed by HBC and the new Honeywell TFE731-50R jet engines. Range on the airplane will increase to 2,900 nautical miles.

The Hawker 750 introduces a new segment for the Hawker fleet and offers the largest-cabin aircraft to the light-midsize market segment. It takes the Hawker 800-series airframe, and replaces the aft-ventral fuel tank with a heated baggage compartment. With a 2,100 nautical mile range, the Hawker 750 will have the largest cabin in the light-midsize segment. Certification and deliveries of the Hawker 900XP will occur by late summer. Certification and deliveries of the Hawker 750 will occur before the end of the year.

Over on the Beechcraft side, the company calls its Premier IA the largest and fastest single-pilot business jet in the world. It features a high-strength composite, carbon fiber/epoxy/honeycomb fuselage, produced by computer-controlled, automated machines, giving the aircraft a medium-jet sized cabin at light jet acquisition and operating costs. The powerplants are Williams International FJ44-2A engines that are built on themes of simplicity, low fuel consumption, and high-altitude thrust performance.

Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics includes IFIS with total system integration and instrument placement designed to make single-pilot operation easy, simple and safe. With a 450 knot cruise speed, customers around the world purchase the airplane for its speed and large cabin.

The Beechcraft King Air 350ER is a derivative of the successful Beechcraft King Air 350 -- and the latest in a line of proven special mission aircraft.

"Whether the mission is patrolling economic exclusion zones, conducting maritime search and rescue activities, flying air ambulance service or providing overland surveillance, the Beechcraft King Air 350ER provides proven reliability and unparalleled cost-effectiveness over a wide variety of military and civilian special missions," said Heather Shoup, acting vice president, Special Mission Aircraft Systems, Hawker Beechcraft Corporation.

First hinted at by the company in 2005, the Extended Range variant of the heavy-lifter King Air 350 sports the addition of nacelle fuel tanks, along with an increase in gross weight from 15,000 lbs to 16,500 lbs, plus the incorporation of heavy-weight landing gear. These enhancements provide the Beechcraft King Air 350ER with over eight hours of endurance, and the flexibility to loiter low and slow, or cruise at 300 knots and 35,000 feet. Taking off at gross weight with full fuel and full payload, the Beechcraft King Air 350ER can fly out 100 nautical miles, perform a low altitude surveillance mission for 7 hours and 20 minutes, fly back 100 nautical miles, and still land with over 45 minutes of fuel on board. Certification of the airplane is scheduled for later this year.

HBC has over 100 authorized service centers worldwide and over 3,000 field service representatives committed to Beechcraft and Hawker service; a dedicated AOG and flight critical team with 24/7 availability; and the only major aircraft OEM to offer lifetime support for all of its legacy aircraft.

FMI: www.hawkerbeechcraft.com