The PiperJet very light jet single will cruise the airways at more than 300 knots and glide almost as well as some gliders. At a news conference at EAA AirVenture, Piper Vice President of Sales Bob Kromer said that a one-fifth scale model of the jet recently completed wind-tunnel evaluation and the results not only validated the basic design but revealed a surprise. The high aspect ratio of the wing appears to give the jet a 17:1 glide ratio, something Kromer said adds to the overall safety of the aircraft. He said Piper has settled on a 6.45-psi pressure differential for the cabin and said the aircraft is well suited to cruise between 25,000 and 31,000 feet. At 35,000 feet, Kromer said the jet single will cruise at 360 knots and have a 1,300-nm range. Certification is set for mid-2010 and first deliveries by the end of 2010. The wind tunnel tests also mandated design changes including a new wing root fairing and a 30-degree sweep on the horizontal stabilizer.
Kromer also said there’s been no decision on where the airplane will be built. Its current home of Vero Beach, Fla., is competing with Oklahoma City and Albuquerque, N.M., for the location of not only the PiperJet plant but all the company’s piston and turboprop manufacturing. He said the Vero plant will make 216 airplanes in the coming year and the bestseller is the Meridian, with 50 to be produced this year.
