Brazilian Aircraft Builder Embraer Achieves New Success In The Global Market

The Miami Herald reports on the rise of Brazilian aircraft builder Embraer and the opening of their new U.S. headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Embraer is now number three among commercial aircraft builders in the world, behind Boeing and Airbus, and recently announced plans to build a $50 million dollar assembly plant in Florida for light and executive jets.

After overcoming financial problems in the 1990s, business is booming for Embraer with over four years worth of orders for commercial and executive jets to fill. The Miami Herald article explores how Embraer managed to overcome obstacles to find succcess and what challenges the company faces from global competitors.

Source: The Miami Herald

Cessna Seeks To Go Green By Establishing Environmental Strategy Council

Cessna's homepage reports on the announcement by Cessna Chairman, President and CEO Jack Pelton of the establishment of the Cessna Environmental Strategy Council.

According to Cessna, the council will assess the company’s impact on the environment and formalize initiatives to minimize that impact. The council is comprised of representatives from every part of the company.

“This is an important part of our long-term strategy,” Pelton said. “We are looking at boosting our efforts in recycling – both personal and industrial – conserving energy, aircraft operations and aircraft design,” he said.

The council is looking at how the company interfaces with the environment, with the goal of developing an action plan to lessen Cessna’s impact on the environment. The effort will also reach out to Cessna’s employees, encouraging them to embrace an environment-friendly approach to their everyday lives.

Pelton said Cessna is coordinating with industry and government groups, including the Federal Aviation Administration, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, the Aerospace Industries Association and the National Business Aviation Association.

Cessna already is thinking green in a number of ways: recycling materials such as aluminum and paper, designing lighter airplanes to complete the same mission and working with suppliers – especially engine makers – to develop more efficient systems.

Source: Cessna

Hawker 4000 Receives FAA Approval To Begin Customer Deliveries

Hawker Beechcraft Corporation recently announced Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Type Certification for the new flagship Hawker 4000 super-midsize business jet, allowing the company to begin delivering this revolutionary aircraft to customers this month.

The Hawker 4000 features innovative composite construction and considered one of the world’s most advanced business jets . HBC concurrently received the FAA production certificate for the Hawker 4000.

“This is a historic step forward for Hawker Beechcraft, as our hard work and dedication on the Hawker 4000 program has resulted in the most luxurious, most innovative and most advanced super-midsize business jet in the world.” said Jim Schuster, HBC chairman and CEO. “We’ve put a tremendous amount of effort into the Hawker 4000 and are eager to fulfill our substantial backlog of worldwide customer orders.”

Source: Hawker Beechcraft

Gulfstream Celebrates Roll-Out Of 200th Gulfstream G550/G500

Gulfstream Aerospace recently announced the roll out the 200th Gulfstream G550/G500 at its manufacturing plant in Savannah.

“The roll-out of this aircraft represents a significant milestone,” said Joe Lombardo, president, Gulfstream. “In less than five years, our work force has assembled 200 aircraft of the G550/G500 family. This roll-out reflects the hard work, dedication, and innovation of Gulfstream’s employees, as well as the popularity of the aircraft in the business-aviation industry.”

The G550/G500 was officially introduced on Sept. 9, 2002, in Orlando, Fla. In a first for Gulfstream, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued the Type and Production certificates for the G550 on the same day, Aug. 14, 2003.

Source: Gulfstream Aerospace

Cessna Citation XLS+ Earns FAA Certification

Cessna Aircraft Company recently reported that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted type certification (TC) to Cessna’s Citation XLS+. With nearly 600 hours of flight testing, the XLS+ met Cessna’s certification timeline goal.

According to Cessna, the XLS+ features the fully integrated Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite and electronically controlled (FADEC) engines from Pratt & Whitney Canada. Exterior and interior restyling is also integrated into the new model, most prominently the extended contour of the nose and expanded seat widths, both introduced to more closely resemble Cessna’s Citation X and Citation Sovereign models.

The Citation XLS+ at maximum takeoff weight will depart from runways as short as 3,560 feet (1,085 meters) at standard, sea-level conditions, travel as fast as 440 knots (815 kilometers per hour), have a range of more than 1,858 nautical miles (3,441 kilometers) and land on runways as short as 2,700 feet (823 meters) at its typical landing weight.

The original Citation Excel was delivered in May 1998, followed by the Citation XLS in July 2004. The 500th Excel/XLS was delivered in June 2006, making the Excel/XLS the best-selling aircraft of all business jet models since its introduction. The fleet of Excel/XLS aircraft comprises of nearly 650 planes with an accumulated total of more than 1.4 million flight hours.

The first XLS+ delivery is expected before the end of 2008.

Source: Cessna

Eclipse Aviation Introduces Eclipse 400 Single-Engine Jet

© Eclipse Aviation Corporation, 2008

Eclipse Aviation recently announced they are taking orders for the Eclipse 400 single-engine jet, a production version of the Eclipse Concept Jet first displayed at EAA AirVenture 2007.

© Eclipse Aviation Corporation, 2008

According to Eclipse Aviation, they are rewarding many loyal Eclipse 500 customers by allowing them to be the first to place deposits on an Eclipse 400. Additionally, Eclipse 500 customers will receive an exclusive $125,000 discount off the final delivery price provided their deposits are placed prior to July 25, 2008. Deposits from all others will be accepted starting at EAA AirVenture in July 2008.

© Eclipse Aviation Corporation, 2008

"Ten months of quantitative and qualitative Eclipse Concept Jet (ECJ) research has convinced us that this is absolutely the right airplane for the emerging single-engine jet market," said Vern Raburn, Eclipse Aviation president and CEO. "The ECJ has elicited a tremendous emotional response from current and potential customers alike – people just love this airplane. We are excited to formally add this new aircraft to the Eclipse Aviation product family as the Eclipse 400."

© Eclipse Aviation Corporation, 2008

At an estimated 330 knots, the environmentally-friendly Eclipse 400 uses less than one pound of fuel per nautical mile — making it the world's most fuel-efficient jet aircraft.

© Eclipse Aviation Corporation, 2008
Source: Eclipse Aviation