A VERY Close Look At Piper's Most Exciting Aircraft Program Yet
ANN had extensive access to the exciting new PiperJet just a few days ago... inside, outside and in the air! Piper's most aggressive new airplane program, the FJ44-powered PiperJet is set to make aviation history as one of the new generation of high-performance single-engine jets that is setting the aviation world abuzz.
ANN broke the news, worldwide, of the first flight of the PiperJet during Oshkosh 2008. The new aircraft, the first pure, jet-powered, turbofan design in the company's 71-year history, made its first flight at 11:11 AM, July 30th, from Piper Headquarters in Vero Beach, Fla.
Piper was ebullient over this new development... "Today marks the beginning of a new era for Piper Aircraft as the company literally takes flight into a whole new realm of performance, luxury and capability," said Piper President & CEO James K. Bass. "With this major milestone in the PiperJet's development, we are witnessing our future - one that is built on a strong and lasting heritage and reputation for innovation and excellence."
The PiperJet flew for one hour, reaching a maximum altitude of 10,000 feet and a speed of 160 KTAS as per the flight test plan. Piper Test Pilots Dave Schwartz and Buddy Sessoms were at the controls.
The PiperJet incorporates many new design features, and the first flight was focused on taking an early look at basic handling characteristics, the effects on pitch trim with power changes, and basic operation of the engine's FADEC control system.
"The PiperJet exhibited excellent control response around all three axes," said Schwartz. "The ergonomics and the basic operation of the side stick control were excellent, with well-balanced and harmonized control inputs required for the air speeds that we tested. Moreover, the expected level of pitch trim change with power applications was minimal and easy to overcome."
The PiperJet is powered by a single Williams FJ44-3AP engine rated at 3,000 pounds of thrust. In ...
