The Beechcraft Premier I is a light jet manufactured by the Beechcraft division of Hawker Beechcraft. The plane was designed to rival the Cessna CitationJet series of aircraft.The Premier I might be the fastest civilian aircraft to be certified for flight by a single pilot under IFR conditions (at night and in limited visibility weather conditions).
In early 1994, design of the Premier I began, under the designation PD-374 (PD for Preliminary Design). Development was authorized to continue early the following year. The aircraft was officially launched at the annual National Business Aviation Association Convention in September 1995 and construction of the first prototype started in late 1996.
The Premier I prototype premiered on 19 August 1998 and its first flight took off on December 22, 1998; four prototypes were used in the flight test program and its FAA Type Certificate was granted on 23 March 2001. On 22 September 2005, the upgraded Premier IA was certified.
Astronaut Robert "Hoot" Gibson with the Premier IA on 10 May 2009 set a new speed record for the 1,000 km (545 nm) trip from Hawker Beechcraft's international headquarters in Chester in the United Kingdom to Geneva, Switzerland in 1h 13min 30s, maintaining an average speed of 823.8 km/h (445kt). Gibson, at the controls, was accompanied by aircraft owner Robert Kay and Hawker Beechcraft pilot Aaron Comber. The company has submitted the data to the National Aeronautic Association for verification.
Design
The Premier I is built with high-strength composite, carbon fiber/epoxy honeycomb fuselage. The Premier I and IA can be certified as light aircraft for operation by a single pilot. The powerplants are Williams International FJ44-2A engines.
The Premier I has a roomy cabin for a light jet aircraft: 13'6" (4,11 m) long x 5'6" (1,68 m) wide x 5'5" (1,65 m) tall, with folding table, four club type seats, two forward-facing seats, and a partitioned aft toilet.
Variants
Premier I - basic version, introduced in 2001.
Premier IA - new cabin interior and improved systems.
Premier II - new engines and wingtips, range increase achieved with no extra fuel. Rebranded as the Hawker 200 in October 2010.
General Info |
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|---|---|---|
| Category | Light Executive Jet | |
| Crew | 1-2 | |
| Passengers | 6-7 | |
| Top Speed | 854kmh | 461kts |
| Max Range | 2,648 km | 1,430NM |
| URL | www.hawkerbeechcraft.com | |
| Powerplants | Two Williams FJ44-2A turbofan, 2,300 lbf (10.23 kN) each | |
Dimensions (External) |
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| Wingspan | 13.56m | 44ft. 6in. |
| Wing area | 22.95m² | 247ft.² |
| Height | 4.67m | 15ft. 4in. |
Dimensions (Internal) Cabin |
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| Length | 4.11m | 13ft. 6in. |
| Width | 1.68m | 5ft. 6in. |
| Height | 1.65m | 5ft. 5in. |
Baggage Capacity |
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| Internal Volume | 2.2m³ | 76.9ft³ |
Weights |
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| Max Ramp Weight | 5,711kgs. | 12,590lbs. |
| Max Takeoff Weight | 5,670kgs. | 12,500lbs. |
| Max Zero Fuel Weight | 4,536kgs. | 10,000lbs. |
| Max Landing Weight | 5,262kgs. | 11,600lbs. |
| Basic Operating Weight | 3,901kgs. | 8,600lbs. |
| Max Payload | 635kgs. | 1,400lbs. |
| Useful Load | 1,810kgs. | 3,990lbs. |
Performance |
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| Max Cruise Speed | 841km/h | 454kts |
| Range: Max Payload | 1,530kms | 826nm |
| Max Operating Altitude | 12,497m | 41,000ft. |
| Take Off Field Length | 1,156m | 3,792ft. |
| Landing Field Length | 968m | 3,177ft. |
http://www.flyingmag.com/pilot-reports/jets/beech-premier-ia-hits-its-stride
