SJ30 Light Jet Shows Long Legs

Sino Swearingen's SJ30 (nee SJ30-2) production-conforming test aircraft (S/N 5) with two pilots aboard this weekend established several speed and range records for a light jet during a two-leg flight from its headquarters in San Antonio to the Farnborough Air Show in England. On Saturday, the aircraft flew 2,230 nm in five hours from San Antonio to Goose Bay, Canada, landing with about 1.5 hours of fuel remaining. The aircraft then flew 2,370 nm from Goose Bay to Farnborough in 5 hours 24 minutes, landing with about one hour of fuel remaining. For maximum efficiency, the aircraft flew at Mach 0.76 for an average groundspeed of 442 knots. Altitude for the trip varied between FL410 and FL470. The wind was "relatively calm" according to Sino Swearingen, and the temperatures aloft "were higher than standard." The SJ30 received type certification last October and the first customer delivery is imminent.