Conspicuously absent from this year's NBAA Convention will
be Ibis Aerospace and its soon-to-be-certified Ae270 turboprop single. The
aircraft, say its makers, is too heavy to compete effectively in today's
business aircraft market.
"We're rethinking everything," said Wayne Plucker, the North
American representative for the joint venture company that includes the
Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC) of Taiwan ROC and Aero Vodochody
of the Czech Republic.
"We don't feel that the aircraft to be certified is
competitive in today's market," Plucker continued. "We are presently examining
the cost of redesign and seeking refinancing." Given the sensitive nature of
the negotiations, Plucker declined to be more specific about the new financing
package.
If built, the so-called "B" model will have a redesigned
wing and employ other weight-reducing features. The current model is expected
to achieve Czech CAA/EASA certification late this year. The certified model
will weigh approximately 8,350 lbs. While the planemaker attempts to lighten
the aircraft, however, the maximum gross weight could be increased to 9,040
lbs, Plucker allowed. The lighter B model will require partial recertification.
It also will be faster than the present article, which has a maximum speed of
around 270 kts.
Because of the plan to redesign the Ae270, the "old sales no
longer apply," Plucker admitted. As of late last year, Ibis had received firm
orders for 79 Ae270s. The aircraft were to have been earmarked for Ibis' 11
distributors worldwide, six of them in North America. The distributors have
since signed a contract amendment extending these orders. "But the orders are
dependent on our release of new guaranteed specifications for the B model," he
explained.
Plucker said that the site for final assembly of the
redesigned aircraft would not be announced until the refinancing is secure.
Most likely, final assembly will remain in the Czech Republic because the
aircraft is to be certified there under EASA guidelines.
Powered by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-66A, the
Ae270 can carry up to 10 people and six or seven passengers in Spirit executive
transport configuration. It can be configured to carry bulk cargo as well.
