The Spectrum S-40 Freedom is a
business jet
A business jet, private jet, or bizjet is a jet aircraft designed for transporting small groups of people, typically business executives and high-ranking coworker, associates. Business jets are generally designed for faster air travel and more ...
under development by
Spectrum Aeronautical. The aircraft was announced at the 2006
NBAA Conference in
Orlando, Florida
Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
.
Design and development
The S-40 is expected to be classified as a
very light jet
A very light jet (VLJ), entry-level jet or personal jet, previously known as a microjet, is a category of small business jets that seat four to eight people. VLJs are considered the lightest business jets and are approved for single-pilot opera ...
, albeit it is planned to feature a cabin comparable to the Lear 60, Hawker 800, Phenom 300 and the Citation XLS, at a Maximum Take-Off Weight of less than .
It will be built using a graphite-epoxy construction process that makes the aircraft one third the weight of comparably sized aluminium airplanes. The aircraft is designed to cruise at at speeds up to 435 knots (Mach 0.76) and fly as far as 4170 km - while consuming about 40% less fuel than conventionally built planes - using two
GE Honda HF120
The GE Honda HF120 is a small turbofan for the light business jet market, the first engine to be produced by GE Honda Aero Engines.
Development
Succeeding Honda's original HF118 prototype, the HF120 was undergoing testing in July 2008, with ...
engines.
The retail sales price of the aircraft is supposed to be US-$6.8 million. In May 2011 Spectrum president Austin Blue is quoted: "We are still trying to get the programmes advancing, but it is not easy" The aircraft is to be released about 12 months before the smaller
Spectrum S-33 Independence. FAA and JAA Type Certifications of the S-40 Freedom were initially estimated for 2010.
In 2016, the company stated that it was looking for funding to produce the S-40 in Mexico.
Specifications
See also
References
{{Reflist
External links
Spectrum Aeronautical
S-40
Abandoned civil aircraft projects
Very light jets
Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear
Low-wing aircraft
Twinjets
T-tail aircraft
2010s United States business aircraft