After mounting speculation last week, Daher-Socata has officially announced initial plans that could see it develop a new business jet program.
As part of studies aimed at developing and expanding its aircraft range, European aircraft and equipment manufacturer Daher has signed an exclusive agreement to allow its Daher-Socata division to carry out an evaluation of a 100 per cent composite twin engine business aircraft program based on the Grob G180 SPn light jet platform.
The SPn light jet project from German aircraft manufacturer Grob Aerospace has had something of a stalled and checkered life to date. One of the SPn prototypes suffered a fatal crash during testing in 2006, killing Grob’s chief test pilot, and the program was halted following Grob Aerospace’s bankruptcy in 2008.
While another German company, H3 Aerospace, resurrected Grob Aerospace under the name Grob Aircraft in early 2009, creditors retained the assets, intellectual propery and brand rights to the SPn and have since been seeking buyers to restart the light jet program.
Over a period of several months, Daher Socata will evaluate the performance and technical characteristics of a twin-engine SPn prototype built entirely using composites. The French manufacturer will conduct the evaluation at its facility in Tarbes in south-west France.
Since the integration of Socata in 2009, aircraft manufacturing has become one of Daher’s strategic focus points. Daher says the evaluation of a new business aircraft program illustrates the group’s commitment to sustaining and developing aircraft construction.
An SPn light jet prototype during testing. (Grob)
