Beechcraft Premier IA

Beechcraft For Sale at BusinessJet.com

The Model 390 Premier I is the first all new product of the Raytheon Aircraft Beech/Hawker combine to fly, and is an all new entry level corporate jet designed to compete head on with Cessna's highly successful CitationJet/CJ1 series.

Design work on the Premier I began in early 1994 under the designation PD-374. Development go-ahead was authorised in early 1995, and initial details of the new jet were released in mid 1995. Raytheon publicly launched the Premier I at the NBAA (National Business Aircraft Association) convention in Las Vegas in September 1995, where a full size cabin mockup was on display.

Construction of the first Premier I began in late 1996 and rollout was on August 19 1998. Four Premier Is were used in the flight test program with the first flying on December 22 1998. Certification was achieved in early 2001. First Flight was on December 22, 1998 flown by Charlie Volk and Warren Gould. On March 23, 2001, the FAA issued type certification for the Beechcraft Premier I. On September 22, 2005, the Premier IA was certified.

The Premier I was designed using CATIA computer aided design. Features include its composite carbonfibre/epoxy honeycomb fuselage, swept metal construction wings, T-tail and two WilliamsRolls FJ-44 turbofans.

The composite fuselage is an important feature for a number of reasons. Firstly, advanced production techniques (using computer controlled automated machines) means a Premier I fuselage can be constructed in just one day, whereas a conventional airframe would require one to two weeks to complete. The composite construction also allows greater (approx 13%) internal cabin space compared with a conventional construction fuselage of the same external dimensions.

With the introduction of the Premier IA business jet program, Raytheon Aircraft has established itself as the world leader in composite technology for general aviation aircraft. The fuselage is designed on computer using CATIA (Computer-Aided Three-Dimensional InterActive Application). The data is then programmed into the fiber placement machine. This process between Engineering and Manufacturing ensures the final product is precisely constructed and conforms to quality specifications.

The fuselage is fabricated on special tooling utilizing a $6 million automated fiber placement machine, the Cincinnati “Viper” System. The machine fabricates the fuselage in two pieces: the forward fuselage (the cabin and nose section) and the aft fuselage (the non-pressurized section supporting the tail, engines and most of the electrical and air systems as well as the main baggage compartment).

The “Viper” machine is controlled by “Acraplace” software that translates the CATIA electronic solid models representing the fuselage composite shell designs into precise three-dimensional instructions. This enables the machine to place every strip of carbon fiber “prepreg” (pre-impregnated with resin) in exact position as designed to achieve maximum strength with minimum weight.

The fiber placement machine is able to produce the entire pressure vessel in about 1 week, which is considerably faster and more efficient than the traditional hand-lay-up process. Composites have a positive effect on operating costs. The carbon fiber fuselage is highly resistant to fatigue and corrosion and has no life limit. Minor damage is considerably easier and less costly to repair.

The Premier I is certificated for single pilot operations. The flightdeck features the new Collins Pro Line 21 EFIS avionics suite with two 20 x 25cm (8 x 10in) flat panel LCDs.

Powerplants
Two 10.2kN (2300lb) WilliamsRolls FJ442A turbofans.

Performance
Max cruising speed 854km/h (461kt). Max certificated operating altitude 41,000ft. Takeoff length at MTOW at S/L less than 915m (3000ft). Max range at long range cruising speed with IFR reserves 2780km (1500nm). Time to climb to 37,000ft at max takeoff weight at SL 15min.

Weights
Basic operating 3626kg (7996lb). Max takeoff 5670kg (12,500lb) Payload with full fuel and one pilot 429kg (946lb).

Dimensions
Wing span 13.56m (44ft 6in), length 13.81m (45ft 4in), height 4.66m (15ft 4in).

Capacity
One or two pilots on flightdeck (will be certificated for single pilot). Main cabin seats six in standard configuration with four seats in a club arrangement and two seats behind them. Toilet in rear fuselage. Baggage compartments in nose and tail.

Information gathered from various internet sources. Reasonable attempts have been made to ensure accuracy and veracity of sources. However, this information should not be used for flight planning or official purposes.

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