Adam Aircraft prepares to
join VLJ onslaught
By Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside
 |
|
Joe Walker, (L)
president of Adam Aircraft, and Rick Adam, founder and CEO,
welcome attendees aboard their A500 centerline piston twin.
Photo by Phil Weston |
Adam Aircraft’s senior
managers took time Thursday at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh to update the
media on the changes and challenges the company is facing as it prepares
its forthcoming A700 jet to join the herd of very light jets (VLJs)
taking to the skies in coming months. Adam, which also manufacturers the
A500 centerline piston twin, says it is hard at work managing the
transition from a product development company to one focused mainly on
production of new airplanes. The company also discussed its
"Tip-to-Tail" maintenance cost guarantee program for both
airplanes and reminded AirVenture attendees they can see the A500 in
action in the new film Miami Vice, which opens today in theaters
around the United States.
Presently, the mix of
piston- and jet-powered aircraft in Adam’s fleet has racked up more
than 3,600 total hours, and despite restrictions imposed on the A500’s
original certification, the company expects to be delivering two of the
piston twins each month by the end of the year. The 20th A500 copy is in
the production flow while the company expects to deliver serial number
eight next month. Regarding progress toward A500 full certification,
Adam says all of its facilities have passed the FAA inspection required
for the agency to issue a production certificate, and night/IFR
certification is "pending." The company expects to receive the
production certificate during the third quarter of the year.
But while Adam stressed
it is both manufacturing and delivering new A500 piston twins, its real
dream clearly is getting the A700 jet completely through the
certification process. That might not be as hard as getting complete
certification on the A500, since the two types share many common parts.
Among things, that means the static and flight testing required for the
A700 will be less.
Presently, the two flying
A700 prototypes have more than 550 flight hours between them, with S/N 2
setting a Denver-to-Oshkosh record on July 7. The aircraft covered the
distance between the two cities in 2.62 hours, for an average speed of
more than 348 mph.
Adam says its A700—with
as many as eight seats in its cabin—will be the best value among the
VLJs. At $2.25 million, it will cost more than the $1.71 million Eclipse
500—if you can get in line to buy one—while featuring much more
cabin volume. And, the A700 also has more space than the forthcoming
Cessna Citation Mustang, which is priced at $2.65 million.
They just have to get it certificated.
