Fairchild Dornier's Improved Envoy 7
Has 'Shark' Winglets, Lower Weights

"Super Shark" winglet is a key Envoy 7 improvement, as low-drag shape helps increase lift without needing a beefier wing.

Headlining the Envoy 7 changes are the newly developed "Super Shark" blended winglets that Dean Rush, president of Fairchild Dornier's Corporate Aircraft Division, thinks will revolutionize the aircraft's performance.

"We are going to be talking a lot about the Super Shark," says Rush. "If our tunnel test results are proven on the real aircraft, then these winglets will make a huge difference to performance. We just can't wait to get them into the air to see."

The new winglet, which, as its name suggests, has the swept lines of a shark's fin, takes advantage of its blended shape to increase aerodynamic lift while at the same time lowering the level of induced drag. According to Rush, the Envoy's evolved wing design "is a very sexy looking thing. It will also allow us to increase our rate of climb, reduce buffet, and give us substantially more range."

A revised fuselage mockup of the Envoy 7 is on show here at the NBAA convention in New Orleans, though Rush notes that many of the most important changes will not immediately be obvious.

"We have changed a lot of the aircraft's functionality, but that work is largely hidden. What is important is that, along with our completion partners, we have introduced a range of weight-saving ideas that do make a difference.

"One example is the curved-screen CRTs in the cabin. These screens have an embedded soundboard in their fascias, so there is no need for speakers."

Fairchild Dornier comes to NBAA 2001 with its current range of corporate 328JETs now certified to FL350 and ready for the addition of new long-range fuel tanks.
However, attention is turning firmly to the dedicated Envoy 3, which is offered in three specific versions. The first of these is the Executive, which will be fitted with extended-range tanks and a flat cabin floor. By dispensing with the airline seat-raisers fitted to the standard 328JET, the Envoy 3 Executive's VIP cabin will provide 74-inches of headroom. The Envoy 3 Business Jet will retain the floor of the airliner, allowing it be fitted with an interchangeable VIP interior or airline-style seating. The final variant is the Envoy 3 Shuttle, which comes with a high-density cabin layout as standard.

Fairchild Dornier is putting a whole new emphasis on corporate customer support, and will soon introduce a power-by-the-hour maintenance program. Parts depots are being established in the U.S. and Europe to provide 24-hour service, and a three-to four-hour response to AOG situations. An enhanced customer support structure will offer personalized service to corporateand individual owners alike.

The manufacturer is also introducing a new training package, with simulator support, as it aims to provide an integrated aircraft program, not just aircraft sales.

-Robert Hewson