VLJC: very light jet Corp.
A very light jet (VLJ), previously known as a microjet, is, by convention, a
small jet aircraft approved for single-pilot operation with a maximum take-off
weight of under 10,000 lb (4,540 kg). They are lighter than what is commonly
termed business jets and typically seat between three and seven passengers plus
one crew member.
Development
A number of designs are currently in development, and will feature advanced
avionics with glass cockpit technology. VLJs are intended to have lower
operating costs than conventional jets, and will be able to operate from runways
as short as 3,000 feet (900 m). In the United States, where the majority of
these jets are being designed, NASA and the FAA have encouraged their
development and foresee their widespread use in point-to-point air taxi service.
The Small Aircraft Transportation System would provide air service to areas
ignored by airlines.
These "on-demand" air taxi services depend on low cost projections and high
demand to become a reality. The viability of these services is the subject of
much debate among industry experts. Richard Aboulafia, an aviation industry
expert and a self-described "VLJ agnostic", believes that the VLJ phenomenon may
turn out to be one of the greatest disappointments in the aviation industry, due
to the hype and economic infeasibility of large-scale air-taxi operations.
In total, over 3,000 VLJs have been ordered from three manufacturers. Cessna
Aircraft Company, based in Wichita, Kansas, delivered the first ever production
VLJ, the six-seater Citation Mustang, to Mustang Management Group of Fresno,
California on November 23, 2006. Cessna has over 300 orders for the Mustang,
mainly from owner-operators. Cessna received full certification for the Mustang
on September 8, 2006. Cessna received FAA certification to fly into "known icing
conditions" on November 9, 2006. Cessna received its FAA Production Certificate
for the Mustang on November 23, 2006.
Eclipse Aviation, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has 2,500 of its Eclipse 500
aircraft on back order. Eclipse received their full certification for their
Eclipse 500 three weeks after Cessna's Mustang on September 30, 2006. Eclipse
expects to receive certification for flight into known icing conditions in 2007.
Eclipse has announced that they intend to deliver 515 airplanes in 2007 and
eventually plan to have a production capacity of 4 airplanes per day. In a
letter to customers and investors, Eclipse Aviation CEO Vern Raburn on Monday,
November 26, 2006 addressed concerns that the company has not yet delivered its
first aircraft. Raburn explained that the delay was caused because the FAA was
concerned about the Eclipse not meeting conformity requirements, but he wrote
that he still expected Eclipse to deliver the planned 10 aircraft in 2006.
Eclipse did not meet Raburn's delivery expectation, but they were eventually
able to deliver a single copy of its VLJ on December 31, 2006. The official
delivery ceremony and keys were handed over on January 4, 2007. Eclipse has now
received its FAA production certificate.
Adam Aircraft announced that they have an order backlog of 282 of its Adam A700
VLJ offering. Adam Aircraft is located in a suburb of Denver, Colorado. The
Company has over 80,000 square feet of office and manufacturing space in
Englewood, Colorado, 22,000 square feet of manufacturing and testing space in
Pueblo, Colorado and 22,000 square feet of assembly space in Ogden, Utah. Adam
has a prototype plane flying now, with full certification expected in 2007. 101
copies of the Adam A700 were ordered by future air taxi provider, Magnum Jet.
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