This was a spinoff from the old Farnborough project.
They had a massive bust-up with the Epic project which curiously now claims to be certified!
But there has been no news for a long time…
But there has been no news for a long time…
Yet another turbine powered pressurised composite single. How many of them were spectacularly announced in glossy sales brochures and flashing websites and silently disappeared during the last 20 years? 10? 20? 50?
Many indeed. The Myasischev M101T at least got to 6 pieces flying… which must still have been a long way from a commercial success.
I have been in contact with one of the people on the Kestrel team and apparently the project is still moving along.
I wonder whether this is a US-type “merger” (i.e. a takeover but you can’t use that word anymore) or a strategic merger of some sort?
The Kestrel project got a lot of local govt funding but seems to have stalled for some years, due to a lack of money. One ferry pilot who flew it said it totally outclassed a TBM, but he flew an unpressurised prototype and AFAIK they never got as far as having a pressurised aircraft. I asked one guy involved with the project to comment here but he refused.
Eclipse in the meantime seem to have get a reasonable business going, buying up the original planes and sorting them out so they actually work as originally claimed. They are said to be very good now. Whether Eclipse have enough spare cash to take the Kestrel forward I find hard to believe.
I guess the two planes are complementary, to a degree.
I think it will be good for the two businesses. For Eclipse it brings some much needed prior aviation experience with Klapmeier and it may help fund some of Kestrel but more likely make it easier for Kestrel to fundraise (it’s always easier to raise money when you don’t need it!).
The stability of companies producing these new aircraft are always an issue for potential customers and their combining should help concerns.
I have known Alan K. for some twenty years from when he let me fly the first SR20 prototype, and I always had the impression that he is no “gambler” but a serious aviation enthusiast/entrepreneur, something like a Steve Jobs of aviation :-) I am pretty sure that he is serious about certifying the Kestrel, but if you see how expensive it was the SR20/22 you get an idea how much money has to be spent to get the Kestrel going … We will see in some years,
I don’t give much chance to the Eclipse and don’t think the new company has proven anything yet. Everything they’ve delivered so far is basically assembled from existing parts they got as part of the bankruptcy takeover. Also I consider a tiny jet with two engines to be rather pointless.
The Kestrel is more interesting. The TBM has been without any competition for many years. There is no other fast SET with good range and this is reflected by the price list of Socata (sorry, “Daher”). I’m sure the market could use another vendor.
The Kestrel will fall right between the TBM and the PC-12, and I guess that’s not coincedence. Not as bulky and big as the PC-12, but 8 seats and fast. If that plane is ever certified it will for sure take a part of the market of both these planes.
About the small jet business I don’t know much. I like the Cessna Mustang best, I admit. But I’d buy a used CJ3 if I needed such a thing and invest the rest of the money in fuel and maintenance. But first I have to develop a mission ;-) … (and look for a buyer for the company :-))
If it ever comes to market, it will outclass the competition in fuel economy and probably operating cost. Simply a fact that the Honeywell/TPE is about 20% more fuel efficient than a PT6 and costs less to maintain. But the market in that segment is getting crowded – by that time the similar looking Epic will probably be certified as well.
