COLORADO SPRINGS, CO October 9, 2014 --Trine Aerospace & Defense announced it is developing a Stage 3-noise compliant hush kit for 20-series Learjets that will be available during the second quarter of 2015.
The Trine hush kit will allow Learjet 20-series airplanes to comply with the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 that prohibits airplanes with a maximum weight of 75,000 pounds or less from operating within the contiguous U.S. after December 31, 2015, unless they adhere to Stage 3 noise levels. The rule affects about 300 Learjet 20 series flying today. Aircraft modified with hush kits will be able to continue to fly. Those that remain unmodified will have to be operated outside the contiguous U.S., parted out or scrapped.
"As a company Trine is excited to take part in preserving a classic business aviation aircraft," said Roy Clennan, Trine's chairman. "We still own and operate a Lear 24DXR and several of our pilots stay current in the aircraft. It is impossible to replace what that this jet will do for the money, and current owners are not interested in simply scrapping their aircraft or selling them out of country. We saw an opportunity to offer our engineering and manufacturing experience to keep the aircraft flying, and we are able to manage the certification in-house. It just makes sense.”
The Trine hush kit will eventually be available for all 20-series Learjets but the company is currently concentrating on the Learjet 24 and 25 models. The hush kit installation involves a modification to the engine cowling and the exhaust nozzle.
"One of the key benefits of our design is that it saves the thrust reversers," said Clennan. "About two thirds of these aircraft have been outfitted with reversers, and we wanted to design a solution that allowed owners to keep them. Competing kits require owners to remove their thrust reversers." Clennan projects installation of the Trine hush kit will take approximately three days at a cost of seventy-five thousand dollars. "We hope to have STC approval and start installing our kits by May of 2015," Clennan added.
Last month Trine announced that it received a Federal Aviation Administration supplemental type certificate (STC) for the installation of its retractable camera mount system in the cargo pod of a Cessna 208 Caravan turbo-prop aircraft. In 2005, Trine revolutionized the way aerial surveillance cameras were mounted on aircraft with the introduction of its Retractable Camera Mount System (RCMS). The RCMS provides camera protection from foreign object damage on the ground, and protection from bird and lightning strikes in the air. It also enhances security for parked vehicles, improves covert surveillance and allows users to operate from unimproved airfields.
Based at Colorado Springs Airport (KCOS), Trine offers engineering, manufacturing, and aircraft modification on general aviation, commercial, and special mission aircraft, while also specializing in avionics installation and repair. Earlier this year, Trine earned Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 145 approval as a certified repair station, and FAA certification to perform maintenance, repair and overhaul services on rotary-wing aircraft.
For additional information about Trine Aerospace & Defense contact [email protected] or visit the corporate website at www.trineaero.com.
