Premiere-Aviation, based in the San Francisco Bay Area at the Concord Jet Center had been using Cessna 400 series aircraft for Part 135 business for over 30 years providing corporate and medical users traveling convenience. Using that foundation, Premiere has turned their experience in flying and their aeronautical background from San Jose State University into improving the performance of the twin Cessna fleet by implementing cost-effective Aerodynamic Refinements. Analyzing over a half dozen ways of improving aerodynamics, airflow, drag reduction, Premiere settled initially on the main wheel Speed Covers giving the best speed gain possible with moderate increases in rate of climb in both single and multi-engine operations.; all with the least revision to the original TCDS.
Premiere will be adding the Cessna 425 and 441 in the late Summer 2014. In addition, the patented design for the Citation series Speed Covers with an integral impeller coolong system designed to cool brakes, wheels, rotors as well as scavenging brake dust has already been tested and shown to avoid any concerns the FAA had about temperatures as a result of covering up the outer wheel halves.
The Citation fleet lacks laminar airflow over and aft of the main wheels in the retracted position. Furthermore, the STC will be able to improve climb rates, reduce time-to-climb and improve cruise speed which will reduce fuel used from point A to B. The Series I Speed Covers have proven significant fuel savings in the industry in the last year and a half. Fuel efficiency improvements have been measured at 5-10% depending on flight length and how the extra performance is utilized by the flight crew.
Besides the fuel savings, the associated single-engine climb increase (measured at 25% using FAA guidelines) will certainly give the flight crew addition time and options which should improve the dafety record of all assaociated Cessna models.