Representing the growing Hawker range of business jets at Paris
is the Hawker 800XP, soon to lose its place as head of the family
when the Hawker Horizon super-midsize becomes available next year.
This follows another addition to the family just last month at
the EBACE show in Geneva, when parent Raytheon Aircraft Company
launched an improved version of the Beechjet 400A as the Hawker
400XP.
"With three Hawkers to choose from, customers can stay within
the Hawker family to fulfill all their corporate flight missions,"
said Brad Hatt, president/general manager of RAC's Hawker Division.
"Hawkers are known for their proven value by being flexible,
no-compromising workhorses for companies throughout the world."
Always popular among the midsize business jets for its versatility,
roomy walk-round interior and dependability, the 800XP was further
boosted by a 2001 upgrade that put Collins Pro Line 21 avionics
in its cockpit.
The top-of-range Horizon is on track for customer deliveries in
2004, according to latest reports from Wichita. In April the third
flight test aircraft, RC-3, made the longest test flight in the
history of Beechcraft and Hawker. During the 7.6-hour trip, which
started and ended at Beech Field, the crew validated performance
predictions, evaluated extended system operation, and checked
navigation, communications and autopilot systems.
Several days later all three flight test articles jointly made
seven flights in a day for a total of 11.6 hours, assessing stall
speed, systems development and autopilot turn coordination.
The Horizon is returning performance in excess of predictions.
For example, time-to-climb from sea level to 37,000 feet is just
over 13 minutes, against an estimated 15 minutes, and the current
gross weight takeoff field length estimate is 5,088 feet, beating
the performance guarantee of 5,250 feet.
Another significant milestone passed recently was the first interior
fitting was made in the fourth test article, RC-4, which revealed
a precise fit inside the Horizon's advanced composites fuselage.
This will reduce installation time and provide versatile component
interchangeability, according to Raytheon. RC-4, the type inspection
aircraft, will be on the flight line at the NBAA convention in
October.
To the untrained eye Hawker 400XP ('XP' for eXtra Payload) may
look like an identical twin to the Beechjet 400A. Not so, according
to Hatt, who says the 8- to 9-passenger, $6.7 million light jet
is "more than a re-branding." Along with the new name,
Hawker 400XP buyers will now receive the same tip-to-tail five-year
warranty as on the 800XP, plus a 200-pound increase in maximum
gross weight. "Customers have the additional capability to
add another passenger, or operate with the same number of passengers
and increase fuel onboard for increased range," he points
out.
