WICHITA, Kan. (May 15, 2008) – Hawker Beechcraft Corporation’s (HBC) strong international sales have bolstered the company’s backlog to a record $6.8 billion – led by the Europe/Africa region. A number of factors contributed to the building momentum in Europe, including increased sales, the strengthening of the company’s international sales team, new European-exclusive demonstration aircraft and recent EASA and other international certifications. In an effort to show its robust product line to European customers, HBC is increasing its presence at this year’s European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE).
“The strong global demand for our products elevated our backlog to the highest level in the history of our company. Our added focus in this market is strengthening our position going forward,” said Sean McGeough, vice president, International Sales. “We look forward to showing our remarkable aircraft at this year’s EBACE and anticipate a very busy show.”
With the many new product upgrades recently announced, HBC is working diligently with appropriate international bodies to secure additional aircraft certifications worldwide. In the last year, the following new aircraft have been certified through the listed agencies or countries.
• Hawker® 900XP – FAA, EASA, Australia, Aruba, Canada, Czech Republic, Isle of Man, Macau, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and UAE
• Hawker 750 – FAA, EASA, India, Mexico and Saudi Arabia
• Beechcraft King Air B200GT – FAA, EASA, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Guatemala, India, Mexico and Venezuela
• Beechcraft King Air C90GTi – FAA, EASA, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Mexico, South Africa and Venezuela.
Hawker Beechcraft plans to display an impressive exhibit at EBACE 2008. The company will showcase eight of its aircraft, including:
• Hawker 4000 – The flagship of the Hawker line, the composite-fuselage Hawker 4000 is the most advanced super-midsize business jet in the world. It truly sets the standard for quality, performance and value in the super-midsize business jet class of aircraft.
• Hawker 900XP – From the world’s most popular midsized business jet lineage (the Hawker 800 series), the Hawker 900XP has combined new Honeywell engines with enhanced winglets and a large cabin for increased performance, range, efficiency, comfort and unprecedented value.
• Hawker 400XP – With the largest cabin of any comparable aircraft, this aircraft is the preferred light jet for the fractional market and corporations worldwide. The Hawker 400XP is the fastest light business jet of its class.
• Beechcraft Premier IA – Truly an advanced technology light jet, the Premier IA offers customers an industry-leading combination of speed, cabin size and efficiency with a new interior, upgraded avionics and five-year warranty.
• Beechcraft King Air 350 – The King Air series is the #1 turboprop lineup in the world. The flagship Beechcraft King Air model, the next-generation King Air 350, offers the utmost in versatility and capability and features a class leading heated, pressurized, and in-flight-accessible baggage area – the largest in its class. This aircraft can operate on runways as short as 3,300 feet with exceptional short-field performance.
• Beechcraft King Air C90GTi – Advanced Collins Pro Line 21™ fully-integrated avionics take the new Beechcraft King Air C90GTi cockpit to that of our other King Airs and larger jets, while retaining the same operational flexibility, a private lavatory, and a 50-percent larger cabin than most VLJs.
• Beechcraft Baron G58 – The piston twin that pilots aspire to own, the aircraft features fully integrated Garmin G1000® avionics with the new GFC 700 flight control system and new GWX 68 color weather radar.
• Beechcraft Bonanza G36 – The most prestigious high-performance single-engine piston in the market with the longest continual production line in the industry – 60 years in 2007. It features Garmin G1000® avionics and the new GFC 700 flight control system.
The Beechcraft® Bonanza G36 and Baron G58 on display are new demo aircraft to be used exclusively in Europe. Validation by the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) for the Bonanza G36 and Baron G58 is expected soon. They include Garmin G1000 avionics with WAAS and LPV approach capability and offer optional Jeppesen chart coverage for Europe and other worldwide regions. To support the anticipated increase in European piston sales, Hawker Beechcraft has added a dedicated piston sales person, Chris Hancock, to the European region sales team. He will be based in Chester, U.K.
Hawker Beechcraft Corporation is a world-leading manufacturer of business, special-mission and trainer aircraft – designing, marketing and supporting aviation products and services for businesses, governments and individuals worldwide. The company’s headquarters and major facilities are located in Wichita, Kan., with operations in Salina, Kan.; Little Rock, Ark.; and Chester, England, U.K. The company leads the industry with a global network of over 100 factory-owned and authorized service centers. For more information, visit www.hawkerbeechcraft.com.
