The AASI Jetcruzer was an American single
turboprop
A turboprop is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller.
A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction gearbox, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propelling nozzle. Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. ...
light civil transport made by
Advanced Aerodynamics and Structures Inc. The Jetcruzer had an unusual configuration, with a single
turboprop
A turboprop is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller.
A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction gearbox, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propelling nozzle. Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. ...
engine driving a
pusher propeller
In an aircraft with a pusher configuration (as opposed to a tractor configuration), the propeller(s) are mounted behind their respective engine(s). Since a pusher propeller is mounted behind the engine, the drive shaft is in compression in nor ...
, a prominent
canard, and
fins
A fin is a thin component or appendage attached to a larger body or structure. Fins typically function as foils that produce lift or thrust, or provide the ability to steer or stabilize motion while traveling in water, air, or other fluids. Fin ...
mounted at the ends of its swept wings. The plane has seating for up to six people including the pilot. The Jetcruzer is noteworthy for being the first aircraft to have achieved a
spin resistance certification from the United States
FAA
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...
.
Development
Jetcruzer 450
Design work on the Jetcruzer commenced in March
1983
The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call.
Events January
* January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning ...
, with
prototype construction starting in 1988. The aerodynamic design was undertaken in the UK by Sandy Burns from 1984-1985, layout prepared by Ladislao Pazmany, structural design undertaken by David Kent of Light Transport Design in the UK, and the wind tunnel test done by University of San Diego. Prototype construction started in June 1988 and was first exhibited at the NBAA show in October 1988 with a 420 horsepower Rolls-Royce 250-C20S engine. The
Allison 250-C20S prototype first flew on January 11, 1989. This initial version, designated the Jetcruzer 450 seated six people (including the pilot). The first flight of the Jetcruzer 450 forerunner was 11 January 1989 (N5369M). Preproduction prototype (N102JC) made its first flight in April 1991 while the first flight on production form (N450JC) was done on September 13 1992.
It received its
Federal Aviation Regulations Part 23 certification on 14 June, 1994, and was intending on receiving a single-engine FAA Part 135 public transport IFR certification Three prototypes were built, but AASI chose not to market this aircraft, in order to focus on more advanced versions. A
spin recovery system for use in the flight test program was designed for the aircraft by
Butler Parachute Systems which also worked on one for the
Sino Swearingen SJ-30.
Jetcruzer 500
The first version developed from the 450 was the Jetcruzer 500, a slightly stretched version powered by a
Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A
The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 is a turboprop aircraft engine produced by Pratt & Whitney Canada.
Its design was started in 1958, it first ran in February 1960, first flew on 30 May 1961, entered service in 1964 and has been continuously upda ...
-66A featuring
cabin pressurization
Cabin pressurization is a process in which conditioned air is pumped into the cabin of an aircraft or spacecraft in order to create a safe and comfortable environment for passengers and crew flying at high altitudes. For aircraft, this air is u ...
. Two of the model 450 prototypes were converted to this configuration. The prototype Jetcruzer 500 (N102JC) made its first flight on August 22, 1997 with the second prototype (N200JC) making its first flight on 7 November 1997. The first public appearance was at NBAA Las Vegas October 1998. The third prototype (N136JC) of the new build was scheduled to be flown in early 2000. This was the version selected for production, and at one point, AASI had orders for some 200 aircraft at $US 1.6 million each. A military version, the ML-2 had also been offered, as well as a
UAV
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controlle ...
, the ML-1.
[Frawley, 1997. p. 10]
None of these orders would be filled, however, as the Jetcruzer 500 remained uncertified and its development slowly stagnated. Specific problems with the aircraft's noise, high
stall speed
In fluid dynamics, a stall is a reduction in the lift coefficient generated by a foil as angle of attack increases.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', p. 486. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. This occurs when t ...
, and
center of gravity
In physics, the center of mass of a distribution of mass in space (sometimes referred to as the balance point) is the unique point where the weighted relative position of the distributed mass sums to zero. This is the point to which a force ma ...
were not overcome before all work on it was suspended in
2002. Nearly 20 years of work had still not resulted in a marketable aircraft.
Jetcruzer 650
In December
1992, construction work began on the prototype of an even larger variant, the Jetcruzer 650, which was to seat up to thirteen. This was quickly abandoned as the company's financial problems required resources to be focused on the 500. A military version would have been the ML-4.
Stratocruzer 1250
Similarly, a
turbofan
The turbofan or fanjet is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used in aircraft propulsion. The word "turbofan" is a portmanteau of "turbine" and "fan": the ''turbo'' portion refers to a gas turbine engine which achieves mechanic ...
-powered version was planned as the Stratocruzer 1250, but never left the drawing board. Design work had started in September
1991
File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phi ...
to provide a business jet with intercontinental range. A military version, the ML-5 intended for surveillance duties, was also planned. Work was abandoned after AASI failed to attract financial backers for the project in
1995
File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The Great Hanshin earthquake str ...
.
Post AASI Era
![Jetcruzer_500E](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Jetcruzer_500E.jpg)
In November 2003, AASI (by now, MASG) offered the entire Jetcruzer project for auction, and sold it to
Innova Aircraft in February
2004. Shortly after the purchase, Innova announced its intentions of offering a new version of the aircraft in kit form, marketed by a new
subsidiary,
Jetcruzer LLC. This will feature a modified wing to overcome the problems faced by the Jetcruzer 500, and will be powered by a pair of
Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D
The Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D is a small turbofan engine built by Pratt & Whitney Canada. It was introduced in 1971 at thrust, and has since undergone a series of upgrades to just over thrust in the latest versions. It is the primary powerp ...
turbofans. It was expected to fly by late 2004 or early 2005, but development ceased before the flight can happen.
In 2017, all the aircraft and intellectual properties were acquired by
Jetcruzer International, LLC., based in Ontario, California, and production resumed. All Jetcruzer components and subassemblies including wings, landing gear, fins, control surfaces and fittings are manufactured in the company's Ontario facility. The composite fuselage is subcontracted to a composite manufacturing company currently producing advanced composite parts for the transport aerospace industry. A Jetcruzer 500E was restored with new avionics, electrical wirings and a new engine. The first flight of this aircraft is planned in September 2022.
Specifications (Jetcruzer 450)
See also
References
Citations
Bibliography
* Frawley, Gerard. ''The International Directory of Civil Aircraft''. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 1997
* Taylor, Michael. (ed.) ''Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1996/97''. London: Brassey's (US) Ltd., 1996.
External links
AIN Online on the cruzer
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aasi Jetcruzer
Canard aircraft
1980s United States civil utility aircraft
Single-engined pusher aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1989
Low-wing aircraft