Twin Engine Micro-Jet for Under $2 Mil

By ANN Correspondent Rose Dorcey

Looking for a twin-engine micro-jet for less than $2 million? Aircraft Investor Resources LLC (AIR) announced the next aircraft in the Epic family at AOPA Expo 2004. Partnering with TAM of Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia, the new company, TAM-AIR, will provide the aircraft in two versions - certificated and experimental. Test aircraft are expected to fly Spring 2005.

Developed by the same team that produced the Epic LT, the TAM-AIR Twinjet will be a full size cabin class twinjet with six passenger capacity, 385 knot cruise speed, 41,000 service ceiling, and a range of 1,300 nautical miles.

The Twinjet will be based on the Epic LT, utilizing the same fuselage, wing and horizontal stabilizer. Target price for the experimental version is $1.4 Million; production version is planned for just under $2 Million. Rick Schrameck, AIR President and CEO (pictured below) said, "We already know how to make this, we make it now."

TAM, Ltd, the former Tbilisi Aircraft State Association, was established December 15, 1941. TAM built fighter aircraft for the then Soviet military during World War II. Later they built the Soviet's first jet fighter, the Yak-15, they also built MiG 15, 17 and 21 aircraft. Today, TAM employs 2,300 people and is ISO 9001 certified.

AIR, through its affiliate EPIC AIR LLC, based in Bend (OR) developed the EPIC LT six-place turboprop in an impressive fourteen months and is currently in production. The aircraft was built on time, flying within nine days of the originally planned date and nearly on budget, ending development at just $60,000 over original estimates.

The first delivery of an experimental version of the Epic LT will be February 2005. There are currently five aircraft in production with an estimated total 2005 production of 25 aircraft. Type Certification (TC) of the Epic LT is on schedule for early 2006. The Production Certificate is expected sometime later. Experimental aircraft will continue to be available after certificated aircraft are available.

FMI: www.epicaircraft.com