Learjet 55 & 60

Learjet 55 & 60

The Learjet 55 and its followon successor, the Learjet 60, are the largest members of the Learjet family, and date back to development work undertaken in the late 1970s.
 

In designing the 55, Learjet (or Gates Learjet as the company was then known as) took the wing of the earlier Longhorn 28/29 series and married it to an all new larger 10 seat fuselage. The original Model 55 Longhorn prototype first flew on November 15 1979. The first production aircraft meanwhile flew on August 11 1980, with the first delivered in late April 1981 (after FAA certification was granted in March that year). 
 

Development of the 55 led to a number of sub variants, including the 55B which introduced a digital flightdeck, modified wings, improved interior, and most importantly, the previous optional higher takeoff weights becoming standard. The 55C introduced `Delta Fins' which gave a number of performance and handling advantages, the 55C/ER is an extended range version with additional fuel in the tail cone (the additional tank can be retrofitted to earlier aircraft), while the 55C/LR introduced more fuel capacity. 
 

The improved Learjet 60 first flew in its basic definitive form in June 1991 (the modified Learjet 55 prototype earlier served as a proof of concept aircraft for the 60 with Garrett engines). It differs from the 55 in having a 1.09m (43in) fuselage stretch and new Pratt & Whitney Canada PW305 turbofans. Certification of the 60 was awarded in January 1993, with first deliveries following shortly afterwards.
 

Hawker 700 & 800

Hawker 700 & 800

The HS-125-700 and Hawker 800 are two more recent versions of the world's longest running corporate jet production program.
 

The 125-700 and Hawker 800 are direct developments of the DH-125 (later the HS-125), which first flew in August 1962. This aircraft was developed into a number of variants through to the HS-125-600, all of which are powered by the RollsRoyce Viper turbojet and are described separately under Hawker Siddeley. 
 

The introduction of the HS-125-700 in 1976 brought with it significant performance and fuel economy benefits as the -700 incorporated Garrett TFE-731 turbofans. The 125-700 first flew on June 19 1976, and the model remained in production until it was replaced by the 125-800 in 1984. 
 

The 125-800 first flew on May 26 1983 and it introduced a number of improvements. Aerodynamic changes included a reprofiled nose and windscreen, extended fin leading edge, and greater span wing which decreased drag and increased lift and fuel capacity. Range was boosted further by a larger ventral fuel tank. More powerful TFE-731s improved field performance, while a redesigned interior made more efficient use of the space available. The 800 was also the first corporate jet to feature an EFIS cockpit and is now available with the Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite. The 800A was specifically aimed at the US market, the 800B for non US markets. 
 

The 125-800 became the Hawker 800 from mid 1993 when Raytheon purchased BAe's Corporate Jets division. Production has been transferred to Wichita in the USA (the first US built 800 flew on November 5 1996, the last UK built 800 on April 29 1997). 
 

Current production is of the 800XP (Extended Performance) which was certificated in 1995 and has improved engines for better climb and cruise performance. A new interior is being introduced in 1999.
 

Hawker 600

Hawker 600

One of the British aviation industry's most successful postwar designs, the Hawker Siddeley HS-125 was one of the most successful first generation business jets and in developed form remains in production with Raytheon (refer separate entry).  

The HS-125 started life as a De Havilland project before that company became part of the Hawker Siddeley group. As the DH-125 this mid size corporate jet flew for the first time on August 13 1962. For a time the DH-125 was named the Jet Dragon, while just eight initial Series 1 production aircraft were built before deliveries switched to the more powerful Series 1A (the A suffix denoting North America) and Series 1B (the B denoting sales for world markets). A total of 77 was built. The Series 2 meanwhile was a military derivative built for Britain's RAF as the Dominie T1 navigation trainer.

The improved Series 3A and 3B (29 built) had a higher gross weight, while the 3A/RA and 3B/RA (36 built) were heavier still with extra fuel for greater range.
 

When De Havilland merged into Hawker Siddeley the Series 4, which featured numerous minor refinements, was marketed as the Series 400A and 400B and 116 were built. 
 

The final Viper turbojet powered 125 built was the Series 600A and 600B. The Series 600 features a stretched fuselage taking standard main cabin seating from six to eight, or up to 14 in a high density configuration. Other changes included more powerful RollsRoyce Viper 601-22 turbojets, lengthened vertical tail and ventral fin and a fuel tank in the extended dorsal fin. 
 

The 600 first flew on January 21 1971 and it became the standard production model until the Garrett TFE-731 turbofan powered 700 series was introduced (described separately under Raytheon) in 1976. Some Series 600s were re-engined with TFE-731s as HS-125-F600s.

Hawker 400

Hawker 400

The Hawker 400 is a small twin-engine corporate aircraft which was designed by Raytheon's Beech Aircraft Company subsidiary (now a part of Hawker Beechcraft).
The aircraft was originally designed as the Mitsubishi MU-300 Diamond. Beechcraft bought the production rights and began manufacturing it as their own model. The Hawker 400 was initially redesignated as the Beechjet 400 and was certified by the FAA in May 1985.
Beechcraft further developed their own improvements to the Beechjet 400 model leading to the 400A in 1990.

In 1993, Beechcraft purchased Hawker business jet products from British Aerospace.

The Hawker 400XP is the latest model, incorporating further aerodynamic, mechanical and interior improvements gleaned from the Hawker 800XP.

Hawker 400XP general characteristics include 2 pilot seats for crews, capacity of 7 passengers and a maximum speed of 518 mph.

The Hawker 400XP is a unique aircraft offering value, flexibility and low operating costs combined with the ruggedness, spaciousness and technological sophistication of a much larger jet.

The Hawker 400XP is powered by Pratt and Whitney Canada engines. The aircraft is the fastest light-jet market. Its innovative design includes a well-equipped galley, four-space center-club seating and has the largest cabin of any comparable aircraft.
 

Falcon 20 & 200

Falcon 20 & 200

The Mystère or Falcon 20 and 200 family remains Dassault's most successful business jet program thus far, with more than 500 built. 

Development of the original Mystère 20 traces back to a joint collaboration between Sud Aviation (which later merged into Aerospatiale) and Dassault in the late 1950s. Prototype construction began in January 1962, leading to a first flight on May 4 1963. This first prototype shared the production aircraft's overall configuration, but differed in the powerplant. The prototype was initially powered by 14.7kN (3300lb) Pratt & Whitney JT12A8 turbojets, whereas production Mystère 20s (or Falcon 20s outside France) were powered with General Electric CF700s. The first GE powered 20 flew on New Year's Day 1965. Throughout the type's production life Aerospatiale remained responsible for building the tail and rear fuselage. 

The Falcon 200 is a re-engined development of the 20 which Dassault first publicly announced at the 1979 Paris Airshow. A converted Falcon 20 served as the prototype, and first flew with the new Garrett ATF 3-6A-4C engines on April 30 1980. French DGAC certification was awarded in June 1981.

Apart from the Garrett engines, the Falcon 200 (initially the 20H) introduced greater fuel tankage and much longer range, redesigned wing root fairings and some systems and equipment changes. The 200 remained in production until 1988.

The Guardian is a maritime surveillance variant of the Falcon 200 sold the French navy (as the Gardian) and the US Coast Guard (HU-2J).

AlliedSignal offers a Falcon 20 re-engine program with its TFE731 turbofan. More than 100 Falcon 20s have now been re-engined with 21.1kN (4750lb) TFE731-5ARs or -5BRs.

Citation X

Citation X

The Citation X is Cessna's largest, fastest and longest range aircraft yet, and Cessna claims it to be the fastest civil transport in service other than the supersonic Concorde.
 

The Citation X (as in the Roman numeral, not the letter, and Cessna's Model 750) is also the largest member of business aviation's biggest corporate jet family, the Citation series. 
 

The design objectives behind the Citation X included transcontinental USA and trans Atlantic range in a mid size package that cruises faster than any other business jet available. This high speed cruise capability, which Cessna says is 105 to 210km/h (55 to 113kt) faster than other mid size corporate jet, means the X can save up to one hour's flight time on transcontinental US flights, flying from Los Angeles to New York with normal wind conditions in 4 hours 10 minutes. Because of its ability to cruise at high speed at high altitudes, Cessna also says the Citation X will consume less fuel than current jets on such a transcontinental flight.
 

The X's FADEC equipped Allison AE 3007A turbofans are very powerful for an aircraft of the X's size, while the highly swept (37°) wings are also long in span. 
 

Other design features of the Citation X include the fuselage cross section of the Citation III, VI and VII but with more efficient use of internal space that allows greater head and shoulder room, an area ruled, waisted rear fuselage, trailing link main undercarriage units and a modern Honeywell Primus 2000 EFIS avionics suite with five colour CRT displays. 
 

Cessna announced that it was developing the Citation X in October 1990 at that year's NBAA conference. The prototype was publicly rolled out in September 1993 and flew for the first time on December 21 that year. Certification was granted on June 3 1996, with the first customer delivery (to golfer Arnold Palmer) that month. 
 

A Citation X was the 2500th Citation to be delivered, handed over on September 10 1997. The USA's National Aeronautics Association awarded its prestigious Collier Trophy to the Citation X design team in February 1997.

Citation III, IV & VII

Citation III, IV & VII

The all new Cessna Model 650 Citation III was designed as a high performance, mid size long range corporate jet to supplement the much smaller Citation I and II.

Development of this very different Citation began in 1978. As it evolved, the III had little in common with the previous Citation models other than the name. The new design featured a swept supercritical wing optimised for high speed long range flight, new Garrett TFE731 turbofans, a Ttail, and a new fuselage.

The new jet made its first flight on May 30 1979 with a second prototype flying on May 2 1980. Certification was granted on April 30 1982, first customer deliveries occurring the following year. The Citation III set two time to height records for its class in 1983 and a class speed record by flying from Gander to Le Bourget in 5hr 13min.

Production improvements to the Citation III were first proposed in the cancelled Citation IV. This model was announced in 1989 and was to feature longer range through greater fuel tankage, and better short field performance. In its place instead Cessna developed the Citation VI and VII. The Citation VI was offered as a low cost development of the III with a different avionics package and a standard interior layout, with customised interiors unavailable. First flight of the Citation VI took place in 1991 but only 39 were built when production was wound up in May 1995.

The Citation VII meanwhile features a number of improvements including more powerful engines for improved hot and high performance. The first Citation VII prototype flew in February 1991 and the type was certificated in January 1992. The Citation VII remains in production as the only member of the Citation III/VI/VII currently available new build.

A recent significant customer for the Citation VII was Executive Jet Aviation which ordered 20 for its NetJets fractional ownership scheme for delivery from 1997.

Citation Excel

Citation Excel

One of the latest members of Cessna's extensive line of Citation business jets, the Citation Excel combines the cabin width and standup headroom comfort of the Citation X in a new small/medium size package. 
 

The new Excel resulted from customer consultation over what they wanted in a light corporate jet plus advances in engine and airframe technology. The basis of the Excel is a shortened Citation X fuselage (the same fuselage cross section as was used in the Citation III, VI and VII), combined with a modified unswept supercritical wing based on the Citation V Ultra's, the V's cruciform tail configuration and new Pratt & Whitney Canada PW-545A series turbofans. 
 

Other design features include trailing link main undercarriage units and a standard Honeywell Primus 1000 three 20 x 18cm (8 x 7in) screen EFIS avionics package (two Primary Flight Displays, one for each pilot, and a multifunction display). 
 

Cessna claims the Citation Excel's cabin is the largest of any light business jet. It features standup headroom and a dropped aisle that runs the length of the main cabin. Seated head and elbow room is greater than that in the Citation II and V, while the cabin length is similar to the Citation I, II, VI and VII. 
 

The Excel was one of the first applications for the new generation PW-500 series engines. The Excel's 16.9kN (3804lb) PW-545As (derated from 19.9kN/4450lb, with a TBO of 5000 hours) are fitted with Nordam thrust reversers as standard and the engines allow it to cruise at 801km/h (432kt). 
 

Cessna announced it was developing the Excel at the NBAA convention in October 1994. Prototype construction began in February 1995 and it flew for the first time on February 29 1996. The first production Excel rolled out in November 1997 and the type was certificated in April 1998, with first deliveries beginning mid that year at which stage over 200 were on order. 
 

Cesna delivered the 100th Excel in August 2000, at which time the company was building one every three days. Cessna says this is the fastest ramp-up of production of any Citation jet yet

King Air 300 & 350

King Air 300 & 350

The King Air 300 is an updated version of the successful B200 series, and it itself was replaced by the further improved King Air 350, the latest model in this long running and successful line of corporate and utility transports.

Design of an improved development of the successful King Air B200 began in August 1981, the 14 month design effort culminating in the first flight of the modernised 300 model in October the following year. Improvements to the B200 were many, with the main change being the installation of more powerful PT6A60A turboprops in place of the 42s of the earlier model. Other changes included reprofiled and more aerodynamically clean engine cowls and exhausts and extended wing leading edges, plus minor internal changes. Both empty and max takeoff weights were also increased.

The max weight was reduced for the 300LW or `Light Weight', intended to minimise the effects of weight based airways user fees, particularly in Europe. The 300AT was an airline pilot trainer.

The King Air 300 has been replaced by the 350, its major improvements being a stretched fuselage lengthened by 86cm (2ft 10in) and the addition of winglets. The latest member of the King Air family, it had its first flight in 1988, and has been in production since late 1989. The King Air 350C features a builtin airstair and a 132 x 132cm (52 x 52in) freight door. The 350 is also available in a range of special missions and military variants.

The `Super' prefix was dropped from the King Air name in 1996.
 

King Air 200

King Air 200

The King Air 200 is a continuation of the King Air line, with new features including the distinctive Ttail, more powerful engines, greater wing area and span, increased cabin pressurisation, greater fuel capacity and higher operating weights compared to the King Air 100.
 

Beech began design work on the Super King Air 200 in October 1970, resulting in the type's first flight on October 27 1972. Certificated in mid December 1973, the King Air 200 went on to be the most successful aircraft in its class, eclipsing such rivals as the Cessna Conquest and Piper Cheyenne. Today the King Air 200 is the only one of the three in production. 
 

The improved B200 entered production in May 1980, this version features more efficient PT6A42 engines, increased zero fuel max weight and increased cabin pressurisation. Sub variants include the B200C with a 1.32m x 1.32m (4ft 4in x 4ft 4in) cargo door, the B200T with removable tip tanks, and the B200CT with tip tanks and cargo door. The Special Edition B200SE was certificated in October 1995 and features an EFIS avionics suite as standard. 
 

Various special mission King Air 200s and B200s have been built, including for navaid calibration, maritime patrol and resource exploration. In addition several hundred Super King Airs have been built for the US military under the designation C12. C12s perform a range of missions from electronic surveillance to VIP transport. 
 

The 1500th commercial King Air 200 was built in 1995. In 1996 Raytheon dropped the `Super' prefix for all 200, 300 and 350 model King Airs.

King Air 100

King Air 100

The Model 100 is a stretched derivative of the Model 90 featuring five cabin windows instead of the Model 90's three; MTOW increased by 1,300 lb (590 kg) over the 90, to 10,600 lb (4,810 kg). The 100 used the wings, tail, and engines (two PT6A-28 engines rated at 620 shp) from the Model 99 airline, itself a development of the Queen Air (as was the Model 90).

The Model 100 was flown for the first time on 17 March 1969 and unveiled to the public in May. 89 Model 100s were built before it was superseded by the Model A100 in 1972, with a further increase in MTOW to 11,500 lb (5,220 kg), fuel capacity increased by 94 US Gallons (357 litres), and four-bladed propellers. A total of 157 A100s were built by the time production of this model ceased in 1979. The next in the series was the B100, which featured 715 shp (533 kW) Garrett AiResearch TPE-331 engines as an alternative to the Pratt & Whitneys offered on other King Airs, and another increase in MTOW to 11,800 lb (5,350 kg). The B100 was introduced in 1976 and was produced concurrently with the A100 for several years; manufacture ceased in 1983 after 137 were built. The Model 200 Super King Air was developed from the Model 100, with the same fuselage design (with some differences, mainly associated with the different tails) being used for both models. The Model 200 had different wings and a T-tail and entered service in 1974.
 

King Air 90

 

King Air 90

The Model 90 King Air was conceived as the Model 120 in 1961. In May 1963, Beechcraft began test flights of the proof-of-concept Model 87, a modified Queen Air with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-6 engines. On 14 July, Beech announced a new type, and a month later began accepting orders for the "King Air", with deliveries to commence in Autumn 1964. After 10 months of test flying, in 1964 the Model 87 was delivered to the United States Army as the NU-8F. On 24 January, the first definitive prototype, by now designated Model 65-90 and also fitted with PT6A-6 engines, flew for the first time. The first production aircraft was delivered on 8 October, and by the end of the month ,152 aircraft had been ordered; by year's end, seven had been built.

In 1966, after 112 65-90s were completed, production switched to the Model 65-A90 with PT6A-20 engines. As a measure of the type's popularity, 206 65-A90s were built in less than two years when production switched to the Model B90, the first of these rolling off the production line in 1968. Military versions built during these years included the 65-A90-1, 65-A90-2, 65-A90-3, and 65-A90-4, all being unpressurised models based on the Model 87. These were produced for the US Army which designated them U-21s of various sub-models; many were fitted out for electronic battlefield surveillance. A total of 162 of these were built between 1967 and 1971.

A total of 184 B90 models were produced before the Model C90 was introduced in 1971, with wingspan increased over earlier models by 4 ft 11 in (1.50 m) to 50 ft 3 in (15.32 m), Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) increased by 350 lb (160 kg) to 9,650 lb (4,378 kg), and PT6A-20A engines. The broadly similar Model E90 was introduced the following year, with PT6A-28 engines; the two were produced in parallel. Further refinement of the 90 series resulted in the Model F90 and follow-on Model F90-1. The F-models featured the T-tail of the Model 200 King Air mated to the fuselage and wings of the E90, with PT6A-135 engines of 750 shp (560 kW) driving four-bladed propellers. The F90 prototype flew on 16 January 1978 and 203 production versions followed between 1979 and 1983, when the F90 was superseded by the F90-1. The F90 prototype was re-engined with Garrett AiResearch TPE-331 engines to test the feasibility of a Model G90, but this model was not put into production.

The Model C90-1 entered production in 1982 after 507 C90s and 347 E90s had been built, and featured PT6A-21 engines and improvements to the pressurisation system. 54 were built. The following year the F90-1 was put into production with redesigned engine cowlings, upgraded PT6A-135A engines, hydraulic landing gear, and triple-fed electrical bus; only 33 were built by the time production terminated in 1985. The C90-1 was soon followed by the Model C90A, which featured the redesigned engine cowlings of the F90-1. The C90A received an increase in MTOW in 1987, being certified to 10,100 lb (4,580 kg). The C90A model was in production until 1992, by which time 235 had been built, all but 74 with the increased MTOW.

Only two C90As were built in 1992, the Model C90B followed that year with airframe improvements, four-bladed propellers, and propeller synchrophasing, all in an effort to reduce cabin noise. This model also had PT6A-21s; the first production C90B was fitted with the 10,000th PT6 engine delivered to Beechcraft. In 1994 a cheaper version was introduced as the C90SE (Special Edition), with three-bladed propellers, standardised interior and mechanical instruments instead of the Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) fitted to the C90B. A total of 456 C90Bs and C90SEs were delivered by the time production of these models ended in late 2005.

In July 2005, during the Oshkosh Airshow, Beechcraft introduced the C90GT. The C90GT was fitted with 750 shp (560 kW) PT6A-135As, flat rated to the same 550 shp (410 kW) as the earlier King Airs. This engine change increased performance due to lower operating temperatures, improving both cruise speed and climb rate. With a 275 kt (509 km/h, 316 mph) cruise speed, the C90GT was highly competitive with the new generation of Very Light Jets over short to medium distances, while providing a larger and more luxurious cabin. C90GT deliveries commenced at the beginning of 2006. On 21 May 2007, during the 7th Annual European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Geneva, Beechcraft announced the Model C90GTi updated version of the C90GT, featuring the Rockwell Collins Proline 21 avionics package previously only offered for the B200 and B300 King Airs. Deliveries commenced in 2008 after 97 C90GTs were delilvered to customers over the previous two years.