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Workers tow the sole example of Honda's entry into the Very Light Jet sweepstakes. The Honda jet is making it's second
appearance at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and will be on display in the Honda
Pavilion. Photo by Dave Higdon
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Many attending EAA
AirVenture Oshkosh 2006 have a keen interest in the growing light-sport
aircraft (LSA) market. And no one can refute the fact that LSA
certification, and now, general availability, has changed forever the
face of sport and general aviation.
But there is another
major shift occurring in general aviation: very light jets, or VLJs.
Virtually all of the VLJ manufacturers have exhibits here, along with
mockups or complete airplanes.
The VLJ segment is
defined by most as small, jet-powered aircraft, usually with six seats
including the cockpit, intended to be flown by their pilot-owners. They
are faster and incorporate newer technology than the larger
turbine-powered singles and twins they are likely to replace. Most are
expected to cost only slightly more than a new reciprocating-engined
light twin.
Eclipse Longtime
AirVenture exhibitor Eclipse Aviation is right on the cusp of
certification for its Eclipse 500 six-seat twinjet. Production airplanes
are rolling off their Albuquerque, New Mexico, assembly line, and
customer deliveries will begin just as soon as the certification is in
hand—which could be this week at AirVenture.
Adam Aircraft Adam’s
A700 is a jet-powered derivative of the piston-powered A500 twin. With
eight seats, the A700 is a bit larger than its competition, and Adam is
well along in the certification process.
Cessna Cessna’s entry
into the VLJ space is the Citation Mustang. Also well along in the
certification process, Cessna has a number of customer airplanes under
construction at its Independence, Kansas, production facility, the same
location where the company’s piston-powered singles are produced.
Embraer Embraer’s
Phenom 100 is a relatively new entrant into the VLJ arena. The Brazilian
company is a longtime builder of regional airline jets and military
aircraft, and offers business jets based on its regional jet models.
Still under development, the Phenom 100 and a larger sibling version,
the 300, are all-new designs.
Diamond Diamond’s VLJ
differs from the competition in a significant way: the company’s D-Jet
has only a single engine. The all-new design is under development at the
company’s main headquarters in Germany and at its Ontario, Canada,
facility. The D-Jet made its first flight in April.
Honda Honda has yet to
announce whether its proof-of-concept HondaJet will become a commercial
offering. The design is unique in that the engines, also developed by
Honda, are mounted on pylons over the wing.
Aviation Technology Group
Aviation Technology Group’s Javelin is another departure from what one
might expect a VLJ to look like. Appearing more like an advanced
military trainer than a business jet, the two-seat javelin is still
intended to be owner-flown. It is planned to be faster than the more
conventionally configured competitors.
Excel-Jet Excel-Jet’s Sport-Jet
prototype took to the air only a short while ago and unfortunately was
damaged in an accident last month. Like the Diamond, the Sport-Jet has a
single engine. Excel-Jet brought the prototype fuselage here to
AirVenture and development is continuing.
