Online Editor

Chad Trautvetter

Bend, Ore.-based Epic Aircraft today launched a pair of turbine twins at the Sun ’n’ Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Fla. Despite the current economic climate, company CEO Rick Schrameck told AIN that this is “just the time to invest” in developing more aircraft. The Elegance turboprop twin and Genesis twinjet announced this morning share the same basic fuselage as the eight-seat Dynasty turboprop single, although the Elegance is stretched to accommodate 10 occupants while the Genesis can accommodate six. The Genesis is projected to have a max cruise speed of 395 knots and a max VFR range of 1,260 nm; the Elegance will have a max cruise of 419 knots and a max VFR range of 1,700 nm. Schrameck dubbed the $5 million Elegance as a “next generation King Air 350,” while he called the $2.2 million Genesis “an Eclipse 500 killer.” First flight of the new twinjet is expected by year-end; the Elegance turboprop twin is slated to fly by July next year. No certification date estimates are available yet, though Schrameck said he will let the market decide which new model gets certified first. Meanwhile, flight testing of the $1.95 million Dynasty is continuing, with FAA certification planned “no later than 16 months from now,” Schrameck said. The funding deal with Indian businessman Vijay Mallya is on hold, he told AIN, but the company has found other sources of funding to continue development of its nine turbine aircraft models.

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