Carroll Beeler Named Chief Test Pilot at Sino-Swearingen Carroll Beeler, a Vietnam veteran pilot, former NAS Miramar pilot instructor and an associate fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, has been named chief test pilot by San Antonio, Texas-based Sino-Swearingen Aircraft Corporation. Beeler, having flown a wide range of aircraft from crop dusters to Mach 2 fighters, has logged more than 11,000 flight hours during his 35-plus years aviation carrier. Beeler also holds a Master of Science degree from University of Southern California. Beeler made the first flight of the SJ30-2 on November 30, 2000. Prior to the first flight of the production-conforming SJ30-2, Beeler flew the smaller and less powerful SJ30 proof-of-concept aircraft.

With a fresh $80 million infusion from its Taiwanese investors, Sino-Swearingen's SJ30-2 first production-conforming prototype is back on track at the firm's San Antonio, TX headquarters. Chief flight test pilot Carroll Beeler and test pilot Chuck Walls now have flown more than 32 hours in the flight test program, undertaking such preliminary flight test tasks as basic stability and control checks, engine performance analysis and various flight control configuration changes. The flight test envelope has been opened from 150 KIAS to 200 KIAS.

Two additional flight test aircraft are under construction, but they won't enter the program until early next year. As a result, FAR 23 commuter category certification of the 2,500 nmi range, one pilot plus six passenger light jet has been rolled back to fourth quarter 2002. Initial customer deliveries are slated for early 2003.

By Fred George