Civilian Fighter Takes Flight
ENGLEWOOD, CO-Aviation Technology Group Inc. (ATG) recently conducted the first flight for its Javelin Mk-10 aircraft, a twin engine, two-seat jet that it plans to market as both a military trainer and an airborne "hot rod" for general aviation pilots.
Powered by a pair of 1,700-pound-thrust FJ33-4A-17M turbofan engines, the airplane measures 36 feet long, weighs 6,200 pounds and will be able to fly at an altitude of over 40,000 feet at speeds up to 600 mph.
"ATG has achieved a great milestone today," said George Bye, chairman of ATG. "The Javelin prototype's first flight marks the beginning of more expansive airborne tests. We will now begin the process of correlating the Javelin prototype's performance against predicted engineering values."
Unlike many civilian aircraft programs, the Javelin prototype incorporates military-style ejection seats. Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd. (New York) is ATG's partner in the development and marketing of the military trainer derivatives of the Javelin.
Eventually, ATG hopes to build 10 aircraft at a time in a leased 56,000-square-foot manufacturing facility at Front Range Airport in Adams County Colorado. At full production the company plans to employ about 150. It hopes to build its own, permanent manufacturing facility by 2009.
ATG plans to begin delivering planes to customers in 2007. The price tag for the civilian model is $2.8 million.
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