Grob Aerospace showed off two of its corporate hot rods at a
recent 'meet the press' event at the company's headquarters airfield at
Tussenhausen-Mattsies in Bavaria.
The Grob G 180 SPn Utility Jet (the world's first
all-composite business jet to fly) gave a spirited flight display with just 24
flight hours logged since its maiden flight on July 20.
The unfurnished and lightweight SPn prototype took-off after
an estimated roll of between 300 and 350 meters, climbed steeply, and was
displayed at low level in the hands of Grob chief test pilot Gerard Guillaumaud
and Alan Lawless.
The aircraft's short field performance (it is designed to
operate from unpaved 3,000 ft strips) is vital to its success in attacking a
market dominated by Beech King Airs, says the company.
After just two weeks and eleven flights the test program
received a boost. Test flying, which started at a former military base, was
switched to Grob's own airfield, which has only 940 meters of available runway.
The company is also checking out suitable grass sites to really shakeout the
aircraft's rough field performance.
Also flying at the event was Grob's prototype G 160 Ranger,
a PT6A-42A powered, six-place corporate turboprop single. This program has been
slowed because of SPn priority, but certification is still planned for mid-2006
and the two test programs are being run in parallel.
The prototype Ranger has grown winglets, which will be
standard on production airplanes. A second, production-conforming, aircraft is
in production. Spin testing has been completed and the forecast cruise speed of
270 KTAS has been confirmed, says Grob, which will not begin taking orders for
the Ranger until the aircraft is much closer to certification.
