On May 31, Raytheon Aircraft reached the FAA’s five-year time limit for certification of the Hawker 4000 (née Horizon) under Part 25 amendments that existed at the time of the type certification application. In anticipation of not receiving type certification before the deadline, Raytheon applied for an extension on May 11, and early last month the FAA granted an extension of seven months, to December 31.

After busting the five-year limit, the company faced the possibility of having to comply with all Part 25 amendments adopted between the May 31, 2001, certification application date and the application date for the deadline extension. Although Raytheon Aircraft has dodged that bullet, the extension does not relieve
the company of ensuring that the Hawker 4000 complies with Part 25 amendments adopted between May 31, 2001, and Dec. 31, 2001.

Raytheon Aircraft said the super-midsize Hawker 4000 completed function-and-reliability testing on May 26 and at press time the manufacturer was working with the FAA “to finalize the required documentation that will allow the FAA to issue the type certification.” The agency granted provisional certification for the Hawker 4000 on Dec. 23, 2004.