Williams V-Jet II
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (July 2008) |
Williams V-Jet II | |
---|---|
Role | Light jet |
National origin | United States |
Manufacturer | Williams International, Scaled Composites |
Designer | Burt Rutan |
First flight | 1997 |
Introduction | 1997 |
Retired | 2001 |
Status | On display |
Number built | 1 |
Developed into | Eclipse 500 |
The Williams V-Jet II was designed and built by Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites for Williams International as a test bed and demonstrator aircraft for Williams' new FJX-1 turbofan engine.[1]
Development
Williams International had been building small turbofan engines for
Williams then contracted with
The V-Jet II was an all-composite structure with a forward-swept wing, a V-tail, each fin of which was mounted on the nacelle of one of the two engines. The overall design was quite reminiscent of the LearAvia Lear Fan, although much smaller.
Williams had not intended to produce the aircraft, but it attracted a lot of attention, and Eclipse Aviation was founded in 1998 to further develop and produce the aircraft. The airframe was significantly redesigned as an all-metal structure sporting a T-tail, and the name Eclipse 500. The prototype flew with a pair of EJ-22 engines, a variant of the FJX-2. However, performance was not satisfactory, and the design was changed to use two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW610F engines, which had been specifically designed by Pratt for the Eclipse.
The prototype and only V-Jet II aircraft was obtained by Eclipse Aviation along with the program, and was donated to the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 2001.
Specifications (V-Jet II)
General characteristics
- Length: 35 ft 1 in (10.69 m)
- Wingspan: 35 ft 4 in (10.77 m)
- Wing area: 118 sq ft (11.0 m2)
- Empty weight: 2,200 lb (998 kg)
- Gross weight: 3,800 lb (1,724 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Williams FJX-2 turbofan, 550 lbf (2.4 kN) thrust each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 300 kn (350 mph, 560 km/h)
- Service ceiling: 30,000 ft (9,100 m)
References
- Notes
- ^ "Scaled Composites V-Jet II". Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
- ^ "New Wings for the Jet Set". Popular Science. December 1997.
- Bibliography