With 2016 ending on an off note in terms of overall aircraft deliveries and total billings, many in the industry believe a business aviation resurgence is on the horizon, and when it comes, it will be fueled by the arrival of new aircraft on market. As Pete Bunce, president and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), noted, “What is encouraging is that every GAMA airplane and rotorcraft manufacturer has a new product development program recently completed or currently under way, so optimism for the future runs high.”

This past year saw its share of milestones from the airframers, from new product introductions to first flights, and from long anticipated certifications, to entries-into-service. Likewise, the OEMs trimmed some once popular products from their lineups, either with the advent of improved replacement models, or in an effort to occupy their particular niches more fully.

 ​Cessna Dropped Citation CJ2+ from Lineup

The Cessna Citation CJ2+ is no longer in production, as the Citation M2—an upgraded CJ1 with Garmin G3000 avionics—and CJ3+ “have proved to be a great fit for our customers,” a Textron Aviation spokeswoman confirmed in early January. The CJ2+ (525A) has been built on the same production line as the CJ3+ and CJ4, so “we could build it if required for a customer mission,” she said. However, the CJ2+ is no longer listed in the Citation product line-up.

The CJ2 entered service in 2000 and was the first derivative—a five-foot stretch—of the original CitationJet that spawned the CJ series. The original CJ2 was produced from 1999 until mid-2005; the updated CJ2+—which introduced Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics, better performance and Fadec—had been in production since late 2005.

Unlike the other CJs and Citations (with the exception of the XLS+), Cessna did not invest in a changeover to Garmin avionics in new-production CJ2+s, foreshadowing its eventual phaseout. (It did, however, offer a Garmin G3000 retrofit for CJ2+s early last year.) According to data from GAMA’s aircraft shipment reports, Cessna had not delivered a CJ2+ since the second quarter of 2014.

 ​Daher Introduced Upgraded TBM with Garmin G3000

In early April, Daher introduced the TBM 930, equipped with the high-resolution, touchscreen-controlled Garmin G3000 avionics suite. The instrument panel features three wide-format WXGA displays that can operate in a split-screen mode, enabling maps and flight plans to remain on the screen side-by-side with primary traffic and weather information. The touchscreen controls communication and navigation. Thanks to the higher resolution, synthetic vision better depicts terrain in 3D.

The TBM 900 and the TBM 930 share the same performance and technical specs, apart from the human-machine interface. The TBM 930 features flight envelope protection, thus retaining the “e-copilot” concept of the TBM 900’s 2016 edition.

The price difference between the two models is about $225,000. The most expensive version of the TBM 930 sells for $4.1 million.

 ​Ka-62 Medium Twin Helo Took to the Sky after Years of Delays

After years of unexplained delays, the first prototype of the Russian Helicopters Ka-62 medium twin made its maiden flight on April 28. Taking off from the company’s Arsenyev development and production site in Eastern Russia, the helicopter stayed in hover mode during the flight, which lasted less than 10 minutes, according to Russian website PrimaMedia. Russian Helicopters described the test as successful.

In 2014, Russian Helicopters was indicating a list price of about $10 million for the Ka-62. The company had found two launch customers—Brazil’s Atlas Taxi Aereo and Colombia’s Vertical de Aviacion—for the 12- to 15-seat rotorcraft.

The Ka-62 is powered by a pair of 1,680-shp Turbomeca Ardiden 3Gs. Another French company, Zodiac Aerospace, has supplied the fuel system, and the transmission is made by Austria’s Zoerkler. Russia-based Transas provided the avionics.

 ​First U.S.-built Embraer Legacy Rolled Down Line in May

Embraer Executive Jets officially opened its expanded assembly facility in Melbourne, Fla., on May 16, adding Legacy 450 and 500 production to the existing Phenom 100 and 300 line. Florida Gov. Rick Scott, U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and other elected officials joined company president and CEO Marco Tulio Pellegrini and Gary Spulak, president of Embraer’s North American division, in cutting the ceremonial ribbon.

The expansion, started in October 2014, more than doubled the size of the facility, to 149,000 sq ft/124,600 sq m, allowing the Legacy 450/500 and Phenom 100/300 lines to be side-by-side under one roof. On May 13 the Phenom line was moved into its new position, which is 90 degrees to the previous production flow, while the first Legacy 450 started rolling down the line on May 16.

An adjoining 31,000-sq-ft/25,920-sq-m completion center/flight-prep building—which, unlike the previous flight-prep area, has a fire-suppression system to accommodate fueled aircraft—opened June 17. A separate two-bay paint facility and two-bay delivery center for the Legacy midsize jets opened at the end of the year.

 ​Embraer Closed Legacy 650 Assembly Facility in China

Embraer and Avic subsidiaries Harbin Aviation Industry and Harbin Hafei Aviation Industry “phased out” their Chinese joint-venture company Harbin Embraer Aircraft Industry (HEAI) after 13 years of manufacturing and delivering commercial and executive jets in China, the companies announced in early June. The Harbin plant’s last aircraft—a Legacy 650—was delivered in March.


Embraer ERJ-145 regional airliners and, later, Legacy 650 business jets were assembled in Harbin, using subassemblies shipped from Embraer’s facilities in Brazil. Forty ERJ-145s were assembled in China from 2004 to 2010, and five Legacy 650s were built there from 2012 through last year.

“Embraer remains fully committed to and will continue to serve the Chinese commercial and executive aircraft markets,” the Brazilian OEM said. “Embraer has enjoyed an excellent relationship with its Chinese joint-venture partners over the last decade and looks forward to other opportunities [for] collaboration…to contribute to the continuous development of civil aviation in China.”


 ​FAA Papers in Hand, R44 Cadet Ready for Duty

Robinson Helicopter’s R44 Cadet trainer received FAA certification on June 3, and the California-based airframer delivered the first two examples to launch customer Heliflite Australia the following month.

The Cadet has the same airframe, rotor system and Lycoming O-540-F1B5 as the R44 Raven I, but the Cadet’s rear seats are removed, maximum takeoff weight is lowered to 2,200 pounds and the engine is derated to 210 hp for takeoff and 185 hp continuous.

Robinson began taking orders in February for the Cadet, which at $339,000 costs $40,000 less than the R44 Raven I. A float-equipped Cadet is available for $367,000. Among the options on the Cadet are air-conditioning—thus far available only on the Raven II—stability augmentation system, autopilot and VFR and IFR training avionics packages.

 ​FAA OKed Williams FJ33-5A Turbofan

Williams International received FAA Part 33 type approval for the FJ33-5A on June 6. The turbofan employs aerodynamic and structural enhancements similar to those developed for the previously certified FJ44-3AP and -4A, giving the FJ33-5A more than 2,000 pounds of thrust, better fuel economy and a thrust-to-weight ratio greater than 6:1.

Since the new FJ33 variant has been selected to power the Cirrus SF50 Vision and Flaris LAR1, it also includes sensor suite redundancy and software revisions needed for the single-engine jet market. The engine was originally developed to power the single-engine Diamond D-Jet, which was shelved in 2013.

Williams said the FJ33-5A joins a “comprehensive” FJ33 and FJ44 product line that provides from 1,000 to 3,800 pounds of thrust.

 ​Piper M600 Received FAA Certification

The FAA awarded type certification for the M600 turboprop single during a mid-June ceremony at Piper’s headquarters in Vero Beach, Fla. Several months later, in September, the agency granted the company a production certificate for the airplane, allowing the manufacturer to produce, flight test and issue airworthiness certificates for the M600 for customer deliveries.

The $2.853 million M600 is a more powerful and extensively updated version of the M500, with a new wing and Garmin G3000 touchscreen-controlled avionics. Both share the same Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42A engine, but the M600’s is flat-rated to 600 shp, up from the M500’s 500 shp. The boost in power provides a significant increase in performance, and the M600’s final performance numbers showed improvements beyond the originally projected figures.

According to Piper, the M600’s maximum NBAA IFR range is 1,484 nm/2,748 km and max cruise speed rounds out at 274 ktas. The M600’s mtow is 6,000 pounds, allowing for greater fuel capacity: 260 gallons versus the M500’s 170 gallons. Full-fuel payload for the M600 is 645 pounds.

 ​Falcon 8X Awarded European and U.S. Approval

Dassault’s flagship Falcon 8X won EASA and FAA certification at the end of July, following a global proving tour, during which Falcon 8X S/N 03 demonstrated the capabilities of the aircraft under diverse operating conditions, with a focus on cabin comfort and connectivity. The 65-flight, 55,000-nm campaign took the aircraft to 46 destinations, from North, Central and South America to Europe, the Middle East, China and Southeast Asia.

The first of the ultra-long-range trijets was delivered in early October. Derived from the Falcon 7X, the 6,450-nm 8X was unveiled at EBACE 2014 and first flew on Feb. 6, 2015.

Falcon 8X production is continuing to ramp up, with 11 aircraft currently in final assembly at Dassault’s Mérignac production plant near Bordeaux. In addition, 16 Falcon 8Xs are in cabin outfitting at the company’s completion facility in Little Rock, Ark.

 ​Cessna Christened Turboprop Single the Denali

In July at EAA AirVenture 2016, Textron Aviation officially named its long-awaited new single-engine turboprop the Cessna Denali. First flight is anticipated in 2018 and letters of intent for the $4.5 million (introductory price), single-pilot-capable, six- to nine-passenger aircraft are being accepted. The Denali is expected to have a range of 1,600 nm, a maximum cruise speed of 285 knots and a full-fuel payload of 1,100 pounds. It features a flat-floor cabin, a 53-inch by 59-inch rear cargo door, a digital pressurization system that maintains a 6,130-foot cabin to 31,000 feet and an optional externally serviceable belted lavatory with pocket door enclosure in the aft cabin. The interior also incorporates large passenger windows, LED lighting, a refreshment cabinet and a baggage compartment accessible in flight.

The aircraft will be powered by a new 1,240-shp GE Aviation Fadec-equipped turboprop with single-lever power and propeller control. In the cockpit, the Denali has a Garmin G3000 touchscreen avionics suite with weather radar, advanced terrain awareness warning system (Taws) and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) capabilities.

 ​Gulfstream Dropping G150 To Focus on Large Bizjets

Gulfstream Aerospace will cease production of the midsize G150 this year so it can “focus on the super-midsize and large-cabin jet markets,” said Mark Burns, president of the Savannah, Ga.-based aircraft manufacturer, in late September. The company’s line-up will thus consist of the G280 in the super-midsize category and the G450, G500, G550, G600 and G650/650ER in the large-jet segment.

The G150—a derivative of the G100/Astra SPX—has been manufactured under contract by Israel Aerospace Industries in Tel Aviv. According to Gulfstream, the last G150 will be delivered this year.

“The G150 has had a distinguished history, spanning more than a decade,” said Burns, “and it remains an important part of our business. Our product support organization will continue to provide support to our G150 owners and ensure there are enough parts, tooling, sustaining engineering and personnel available [for] the worldwide G150 fleet.”


Nearly 120 G150s are currently in service around the world and the twinjet is certified in 45 countries, among them the U.S., Brazil, Canada, China, England, Germany, Israel and Switzerland.

 ​Right on Time, Cessna Citation Longitude Logged First Flight

The Cessna Citation Longitude made its maiden flight from the company’s east campus Beech Field Airport in Wichita on October 8, a milestone that was passed less than a year after Textron Aviation unveiled the new super-midsize business jet at the 2015 NBAA Convention. Experimental test pilots Ed Wenninger and Stuart Rogerson put the Longitude through its paces, testing the flaps, landing gear, pressurization system, stability and control during the two-hour two-minute maiden sortie.

The prototype, registered as N9227L, saw its electrical system powered on for the first time in mid-June. It will continue to expand the performance envelope, focusing on testing flight controls and aerodynamics, while the first production model will be used primarily for systems testing, Textron Aviation said. FAA certification and entry into service is expected late this year.

 ​End of an Era: Gulfstream To Cease G450 Production Next Year

Gulfstream Aerospace announced on October 21 that it will cease production of the G450 to make way for service entry of the fly-by-wire G500 early this year. The final G450 will be delivered next year, providing a seamless product transition between the two business jets.

The G450 was built on the success of the GIV and GIV-SP, which themselves were derived from the GIII and GII twinjets, which in turn share the fuselage cross section of the Gulfstream I turboprop twin. The GIV first flew on Sept. 19, 1985, and entered service in August 1987. Gulfstream produced 870 GIVs, GIV-SPs and G450s over the past 29 years. The GIV line also begat the ultra-long-range GV series.

Powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PW814GAs, the 5,000-nm G500 has Gulfstream’s Symmetry Flight Deck and a fly-by-wire system with active control sidesticks. Five G500s are currently in flight-test, with FAA certification expected this year. A G500 simulator is already in use at FlightSafety International in Savannah, Ga.


 ​Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet Earned FAA Nod

Cirrus Aircraft received full FAA type certification for the SF50 Vision single-engine jet at the end of October. Deliveries were slated to begin in December and Cirrus plans to hand over one aircraft per week this year, according to Pat Waddick, Cirrus president for innovation and operations. In late October Cirrus had 10 SF50s in final assembly, and Waddick told AIN that plans are in place to raise the production rate beyond that number.

The SF50 has a top cruise speed of 300 knots, a service ceiling of 28,000 feet and a maximum range of 1,250 nm at 240 knots. The aircraft has the Garmin 3000-based Cirrus Perspective Touch avionics suite and is powered by an 1,840-pound-thrust Williams International FJ33-5A with dual-channel Fadec.

The company flew the first production version on May 5. Test pilot Terry LeSage, said, “Pilot feedback on P1 is simple. The aircraft handled just great. It was not noticeably different from C2 [the third conforming test article], with handling qualities matching those of its predecessors and all systems working as intended.” 

Cirrus says it holds orders for north of 600 SF50s.

 ​Silvercrest Will Power Cessna Citation Hemisphere

Textron Aviation chose the Safran Silvercrest to power the Cessna Citation Hemisphere. A significant boost for the French engine maker’s ambitions in the business aviation market, the announcement followed confirmation that the engine will earn certification in the spring of next year under the revised development timetable for the Dassault Falcon 5X twinjet, now slated to enter service in the first half of 2020.

The Silvercrest being developed for the Hemisphere will be designated the -2C. It will share the same architecture as the -2D for the Falcon 5X but with some features tailored to the new Citation, according to Silvercrest program general manager Michel Brioude. The Cessna team has visited Safran’s facility in San Antonio, Texas, where they have been flight-testing the engine for the 5X.

Since 2015, the Safran engineering team has been quietly developing fixes for several technical problems that had prevented the Silvercrest from meeting its promised performance standards. The hardware changes now being implemented have focused on improving clearance and vibration controls, as well as reducing airflow leakage.

 ​Global 7000 Took to The Sky

Bombardier’s flagship Global 7000 felt the wind beneath its wings for the first time on November 4, completing a two-hour, 27-minute maiden flight from the company’s facility in Toronto. Under the control of captain Ed Grabman, copilot Jeff Karnes and flight-test engineer Jason Nickel, the aircraft departed at 10:25 a.m. local time, climbed to 20,000 feet and reached the planned test speed of 240 knots. During the flight the crew tested basic system functionality and assessed the handling and flying qualities.

The long-anticipated inaugural flight set in motion a flight-test campaign that is expected to encompass five aircraft and culminate in certification and market entry by late 2018. The aircraft, Flight Test Vehicle (FTV 1), continued initial trials in Toronto before it moved to Wichita to embark on the full flight-test campaign. Bombardier had powered up the GE Passport engines for the first time earlier in the year.

Announced in 2010, the Global 7000 will sit atop Bombardier’s business aircraft product line with a four-zone cabin, 7,400 nm range and a speed of Mach 0.925. While the Canadian OEM has not released specifics for the order status of the $72.5 million jet, executives have noted that the 7000/8000 program has been a large contributor to Bombardier Business Aircraft’s backlog, which at midyear stood at $17 billion.

The company plans to deliver the first customer aircraft in the latter part of next year.