Fairchild Dornier Launches Envoy 7

Fairchild Aerospace has officially launched the Envoy 7-the corporate version of its 70-seat 728JET regional jet. Priced for the first 10 customers at $28.5 million, the aircraft is forecast to transport 16 to 19 passengers 4,200 nmi at an altitude of FL 410 and a Mach cruise of 0.80. Because it is based on a regional-jet design that will fly from 2,500 to 3,000 hours per year, for the corporate operator it means, "When you push the button, it is going to work," said Craig Fahning, the former Gulfstream hand who is now Fairchild VP for corporate aircraft sales.

"The Envoy 7 offers $40 million accommodations, such as a cabin fully six-feet, 11 inches high and 55.5-feet long (width is 128 inches)- for less than $30 million," said Fairchild chairman and principal Carl Albert. "Like our Envoy 3 (the corporate version of the 33-seat 328JET), the Envoy 7 leads its class in comfort for executive travelers, low price and operating costs, outstanding performance and the reliability of materials and systems designed for high-utilization airline operations."

Albert said the Envoy 7 is seen "as a powerful and successful competitor in the class populated today by the G-IV, the Falcon 900EX and the Challenger 604.

"Certification is planned for the end of 2001 with deliveries beginning by the end of the second quarter of 2002," he said.

Expectations for launch orders for the 728JET have stretched from year-end until next spring, according to Albert. The company had hoped to sign Crossair of Switzerland and Lufthansa CityLine of Germany, both of which have supervisory-board meetings this fall, before the end of the year. The two still are expected to be launch customers, however, with 60 firm orders and 60 options each.

Other early customers are expected to be Eurowings of Germany and Proteus of France. Fairchild president Jim Robinson, when asked why the new crop of 70- to 90-seat regional jets have not been selling well, cited the existing scope clauses in airline pilot contracts that restrict the number of seats regional affiliates may fly.

"The scope-clause issue has to be sorted out," Robinson said. "It has slowed down the process, but it is coming. It is going to happen, whether (these airplanes) fly with the majors or with the regionals."

Robinson said the Envoy 7's $28.5 million price tag includes completion, and that the company wants to do as many of the completions as possible at its San Antonio headquarters, although final assembly will be in Germany. The interior mock-up, to be unveiled at 10 a.m. Monday in Fairchild's Booth 8376, was built in San Antonio, where the company is constructing a new completion center.

Also on display at the Fairchild booth is a cabin mock-up of the Envoy 3. Robinson said he expects that 25% of 328JET production will be in the corporate Envoy 3 configuration for a total of about 250 aircraft during the life of the program. He sees a market for the Envoy 7 family of airplanes as 500 units, or 15% to 20% of 728JET production. That family in the regional-jet version will include 50- and 90-seaters as well.

Major suppliers for the Envoy 7 include: General Electric for CF34-8D turbofans; Honeywell Primus Epic avionics; AlliedSignal APU and environmental control system; BFGoodrich landing gear, wheels, tires, brakes and fuel system; Lucas Aerospace flight controls; Sundstrand Aerospace electrical system; and Parker aerospace hydraulics.

Major component manufacturers and risk-sharing partners for the airframe have not been disclosed.

By Arnold Lewis