A prototype Grob SPn ” one of a number of very light jets under development ” was the star attraction at the Business & General Aviation Day (BGAD), hosted by Cambridge Airport.
The Cambridge show was organised as a one day get together of European professionals involved in business aviation. Participants included visitors from the Middle East, and both North and South America. Embraer's Phenom 300 light jet was represented by a full-size mock up.
First unveiled to the public at the 2005 Paris Air Show, the Grob SPn is expected to be certificated by next summer for single pilot operations in the US. More than 60 orders have already been taken.
While it can carry up to nine passengers, with six passengers and one pilot, it can fly non-stop London ” Cairo (1,800nm / 3,334km / 2,071mi) with full reserves. The aircraft features a total cabin volume of 405cu ft (11.5m”), by far the largest among light business jets.
Priced at around $7.5m, approximately 20 units are expected to be completed in 2008, with production set at 40 a year at the Grob factory near Munich.
”We are delighted to be making the BGAD Show at Cambridge Airport, the first opportunity to present the SPn in the UK,” said Grob Aerospace CEO Niall Olver.
”The UK is a market that we are confident will be very successful for us with the planned expansion at many tertiary airports, including the very successful premier business airport Farnborough and of course London City Airport, which the SPn will be certificated for in due course.” The aircraft has also been designed to operate from unpaved and grass strips as our photograph shows.
Grob Aerospace has been one of the world”s largest and most experienced composite aircraft manufacturers since 1971. During its 35 years of history, Grob has delivered more than 3,500 aircraft that have flown more than seven million hours across five continents.
Its product range evolved from pioneering gliders of the ”70s, the record-breaking high-altitude aircraft of the ”80s and ”90s, and training, as well as special mission aircraft.