Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&amp;P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.

Editor-in-Chief

Matt Thurber

On a warm morning in the Texas hill country about 70 miles west of San Antonio, Mark Huffstutler pushed the thrust levers forward and launched a re-engined Hawker Beechcraft 400XPR into the cloudy skies. The <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ainalerts/2012-05-03/upgraded-hawker-400xpr-takes-flight">first flight on May 3</a> was the culmination of 14 months of engineering and mechanical work, much of it done by Huffstutler’s Sierra Industries, a modification shop located at Garner Field Airport in Uvalde, Texas. The Hawker 400XPR is the second major modification program that Hawker Beechcraft Global Customer Support has launched; the first was the <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aviation-international-news/2011-08-26/faa-approves-hawker-800xpr-mod">800XPR</a> upgrade. These represent a key strategy by Hawker Beechcraft, to bring new value to airframes that are going to last a long time and can help the company earn new sources of revenue. (A competing Beechjet/Hawker 400 Williams engine and avionics upgrade is available from Nextant Aerospace.)
The 400XPR’s main upgrade swaps the original 3,000-pound-thrust Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada JT15D engines for Fadec-controlled 3,600-pound Williams International FJ44-4A-32s (flat-rated to 3,200 pounds). The two other 400XPR upgrades are Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics and Hawker Beechcraft-designed winglets, and each of the mods can be purchased individually or in combination.
Sierra Industries and its Swat engineering division in San Antonio provided manufacturing and engineering integration and did the mod work on both the 400XPR and the 800XPR. The 800XPR package offers winglets, Pro Line 21 avionics and replacement of the original Honeywell TFE731-5BRs with -50s. 
<a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/nbaa-convention-news/2011-10-10/xojet-places-50m-order-hawker-800xprs">XOJet is now operating seven 800XPRs</a> that used to be NetJets airplanes, and plans call for the charter operator to add five more of the modified Hawkers. “We’re really happy with the airplane,” said Dave Cox, XOJet senior v-p and COO. “Performance-wise it’s been great. The customers really like it, and it’s been a great addition to the fleet.” XOJet’s 800XPRs have the engine and winglet mods, but retained the original Honeywell avionics. 
The 400XPR that flew on May 3 had just the engine upgrade; another 400XP was in a Sierra Industries hangar getting the final touch on the Pro Line 21 upgrade, while winglets are currently being installed and will fly in about another six weeks. The avionics upgrade is certified and the winglets should be certified in August, followed by the engine mod in September. Sierra and Hawker Beechcraft incorporated other reliability improvements, including a nose-gear redesign that allows mechanics to service the nose strut’s hydraulic fluid without having to remove the strut; a bleed-air redesign to eliminate an AD; and a new starter generator that will operate for 1,500 hours instead of the current 500. Huffstutler said he’d like to add a single-point refueling system for the 400XP. “These airplanes last for 30 or 40 years. We can provide the same performance [as a new airplane] at half to a third of the price.”
Huffstutler prefers working with Hawker Beechcraft on the 400XPR instead of trying to do the 400XPR engine mod independently. “If we do it in cooperation with the manufacturer, we have access to its data and can get a lot more performance [from the modification],” he explained. Hawker Beechcraft’s change of attitude in recent years has led to its working with a variety of aftermarket modifiers. “I consider [Hawker Beechcraft] to be a leader in the industry with adoption of modifications,” he said. “I hope we’ll join with Hawker Beechcraft to develop more new products.”
There are 604 Beechjets/400XPs eligible for the 400XPR upgrades. Sierra Industries is building the modification kits and Hawker Beechcraft Services at Fulton County Airport in Atlanta will do the installations. 
“This thing just performed flawlessly,” said Huffstutler after the flight. He flew left seat with Hawker Beechcraft test pilot Dave Newton in the right seat. The flight-test 400XPR was not yet air conditioned or pressurized. After takeoff, the 400XPR climbed to 5,000 feet in one minute and reached 14,000 feet and 320 knots. Other testing done during the first flight included throttle transients and flight at minimum speed. Before landing, Huffstutler flew two low passes along Garner’s Runway 15-33, accompanied by his son Conrad flying a P-51 Mustang as wingman.

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

First Flight of 400XPR Adds to HBC Retrofit Programs

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Curt Epstein

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Museum is offering limited evening tours of The Mouse 

Air Museum To Allow Tours Inside Restored Disney Plane

Kerry Lynch

Results vary by aircraft model and category

AircraftPost: Bizjet Market Tightens with Fewer Sales

Charles Alcock

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

News and issues relating to civil and military unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) of all kinds and sizes, including those used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), combat (unmanned combat air vehicles, or UCAVs), law enforcement, research and other applications. Of particular focus is the FAA's planned integration of UAS into the U.S. national airspace system.

The National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence will host the fifth annual event

AAM Innovators Converge on Ohio for Industry Forum

Amy Wilder

New 112,000-sq-ft building will house production support functions

PPG Aero Investing $70 Million in Huntsville Expansion

Howard Hardee

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

‘Wing of Tomorrow’ saves fuel but won’t fit at today’s narrowbody gates

Folding Wingtips Present Challenge for Next Narrowbodies

Aircraft serial number two made its first takeoff from Mérignac in France on September 24

Dassault Confirms Two Falcon 10X Prototypes Now Flying

Hanneke Weitering

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

More In Aircraft

Air Museum To Allow Tours Inside Restored Disney Plane

Museum is offering limited evening tours of The Mouse

AircraftPost: Bizjet Market Tightens with Fewer Sales

Results vary by aircraft model and category

AAM Innovators Converge on Ohio for Industry Forum

The National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence will host the fifth annual event

PPG Aero Investing $70 Million in Huntsville Expansion

New 112,000-sq-ft building will house production support functions

Folding Wingtips Present Challenge for Next Narrowbodies

‘Wing of Tomorrow’ saves fuel but won’t fit at today’s narrowbody gates

Dassault Confirms Two Falcon 10X Prototypes Now Flying

Aircraft serial number two made its first takeoff from Mérignac in France on September 24

Inside Heart’s Hybrid-electric Airliner Redesign

CEO Anders Forslund explains why Heart returned to a series-hybrid design

IADA: Strong Demand in Tight Preowned Bizjet Market

Long OEM backlogs are one of the factors spurring the crunch

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN