Beechcraft Premier I

Premier I/IA
Role Business Jet
Manufacturer Raytheon/Hawker Beechcraft
First flight December 22, 1998
Status Active
Produced 2001-2012[1]
Number built 292[1]
Unit cost
US$ 7.1 million (2012)[2]
Variants Hawker 200

The Beechcraft Premier I is a light business jet aircraft manufactured by the Beechcraft division of Hawker Beechcraft. The aircraft was designed to compete with the Cessna CitationJet series of aircraft.[3]

Development

Design of the Premier I began early in 1994 under the designation PD-374 (PD for Preliminary Design), and 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 commenced late in 1996.[3]

The Premier I prototype was rolled out on 19 August 1998 and its first flight was on 22 December 1998; four prototypes were used in the flight test program[3] and its FAA Type Certificate was issued on 23 March 2001. On 22 September 2005, the upgraded Premier IA was certified.

Design

The Premier I is constructed with a high-strength composite, carbon fiber/epoxy honeycomb structure 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 cabin internal dimensions are: 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m) long by 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) wide by 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) tall, with a 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, but did not enter production.

Specifications (Premier I)

A Premier IA photographed during climb-out

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004[4]

General characteristics

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 530 mph (461 knots, 854 km/h) at 33,000 ft (10,060 m) (max cruise)
  • Range: 1,645 mi (1,430 nmi, 2,648 km) with single pilot and four passengers
  • Service ceiling: 41,000 ft (12,500 m)

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

Notes
  1. 1 2 Murdo Morrison (12 Oct 2018). "NBAA: Business jet designs that changed the industry". FlightGlobal.
  2. ↑ "Operations Planning Guide" (PDF). Business & Commercial Aviation. Aviation Week. August 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 Airliners.net Premier I page. Retrieved: 23 August 2008.
  4. ↑ Jackson 2003, pp. 538–539.
Bibliography
  • Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0-7106-2537-5.
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