Today's WSJ...aviation articles 2/2

The second WSJ article in today's paper is an announcement of the
PiperJet

Maker of Small Planes Prepares
Model for 'High-End' Travelers
Single-Engine Jet Is Likely
To Start Service in 2010
And Sell for $2.2 Million
By J. LYNN LUNSFORD
October 17, 2006; Page D6

Piper Aircraft Inc., one of the nation's oldest small-airplane
companies, is expected to announce today that it is entering the rapidly
expanding market for small jets, with a model that will be powered by a
single engine.

The plane, called the PiperJet, is expected to sell for about $2.2
million, have a range of about 1,300 nautical miles and seat up to seven
people. Piper said the jet, which should be ready for service in 2010,
is aimed at "high-end" private owners, as well as those who would use
the plane for business travel. "We think the PiperJet will be perfect
for somebody who wants to go golfing or skiing on the weekend and to
business meetings during the week," said Piper Chief Executive Jim Bass.
[Piper Aircraft]

The PiperJet is the latest entry into an increasingly crowded market for
so-called very light jets, or VLJs. Virtually unheard of five years ago,
these planes are expected to reach orders in the thousands in the next
15 years. In addition to replacing thousands of aging high-performance
propeller planes, these small jets are expected to become the backbone
of a new air-taxi industry as passengers seek to avoid the hassles of
traditional airlines.

Although the VLJ industry is still in its early stages, Piper already
lags behind Textron Inc.'s Cessna Aircraft Co. and closely held Eclipse
Aviation Corp., which are preparing to deliver the first of their new
light jets in the coming months. Piper's decision to enter the jet
market has been expected for months, but the company has kept the
program under wraps until this week's National Business Aircraft
Association convention in Orlando, Fla. Piper is owned by American
Capital Strategies Ltd. of Bethesda, Md.

Like other jets of its size, the PiperJet won't be as spacious as a
traditional corporate aircraft, but it will be a step up from existing
propeller-driven models. Piper says its plane will come standard with
the latest electronics, as well as leather seating and options including
a lavatory.

Piper is bucking conventional wisdom by offering a jet plane with only
one engine, which can be cheaper to maintain than two engines but
eliminates a backup many feel is important. So far, other major players
have chosen to stick with twin-engine designs. Diamond Aircraft
Industries Inc. of Canada is working on a five-seat, single-engine
"personal jet" priced at about $1.4 million. Cirrus Design Corp., which
in recent years has become one of the leading producers of
propeller-driven planes, is also considering a single-engine jet that
would include a built-in emergency parachute.

Mr. Bass said during an interview that the company's research showed
that 85% of potential buyers would be willing to purchase a
single-engine jet if it had the right blend of operating
characteristics. Piper says it hasn't selected an engine supplier, but
it has been in talks with United Technologies Corp.'s Pratt & Whitney as
well as small-engine maker Williams International.

"By taking the single-engine approach, Piper is making a very
interesting bet, but that's what the marketplace is about," said Vern
Raburn, founder and chief executive of Eclipse Aviation of Albuquerque,
N.M. Mr. Raburn predicted that one of the biggest obstacles Piper will
face is winning customers in a market that is more price-sensitive than
traditional business jets.

The PiperJet is $400,000 less than Cessna's Mustang and $600,000 higher
than the Eclipse 500, both of which have two engines and a healthy
backlog of orders from early adopters. So far, Eclipse is leading the
pack with more than 2,500 orders, followed by Cessna and Adam Aircraft
Inc., which have a few hundred orders each. Mr. Bass said Piper views
the potential market for the PiperJet as "in the hundreds, not
thousands" of units.

Write to J. Lynn Lunsford at 1
URL for this article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116104839299094675.html

Hyperlinks in this Article:
(1)

Wow, I'm surprised you were able to get a release to put this in the
public domain. Usually WSJ is very protective of their intelliectual
property and have been known to send lawyers after people who take
their material and distribute it without their approval.

-Robert (who's name once appeared in the WSJ)

In article . com,
"Robert M. Gary" wrote:

Wow, I'm surprised you were able to get a release to put this in the
public domain. Usually WSJ is very protective of their intelliectual
property and have been known to send lawyers after people who take
their material and distribute it without their approval.

-Robert (who's name once appeared in the WSJ)

Read 1/1.
It included the disclaimer for personal and non-commercial use.
I don't see rec.aviation.piloting as a commercial entity [except maybe
for the blatant spammers ;-))]

john smith wrote:
In article . com,
"Robert M. Gary" wrote:

Read 1/1.
It included the disclaimer for personal and non-commercial use.
I don't see rec.aviation.piloting as a commercial entity [except maybe
for the blatant spammers ;-))]

Their public domain release includes several clauses you may have
trouble with...
1) It is only valid for 7 days past publication. You need to ensure
that servers remove your post w/i 7 days.
2) For commercial reprints, Web links, e-mailings and other permission
types, please visit our copyright and reprint center. Your usage would
certainly fall under "e-mailings" or "other types". Notice, even web
links require authorization.

I have a complimentry acount so its harder for me to see what is
visible to the non-member, but I can see the contract that allows for
non-public use.

-Robert