Story ID: 1379Nextant
Nextant Delivering First 400XT
By: Mark Huber
Caption: Nextant Aerospace will deliver its first Nextant 400XT at NBAA 2011 on Monday.
Word Count: 230
Nextant Aerospace of Cleveland, Ohio, will hand over the keys to the first of its remanufactured 400XTs at the NBAA 2011 Convention in Las Vegas at 2 p.m. on Monday. The company received supplemental type certificate (STC) approval from the FAA last week for its $3.795 million twinjet, which incorporates new Williams International FJ44-3AP turbofan engines and Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics. 
Nextant said today that it is developing winglets for the jet that will extend its range 7 to 8 percent beyond the current maximum of 2,050 nm and is evaluating “three to four” other legacy aircraft models for its next refurbishment project. But an announcement on that is at least 12 months off, said Jay Heublein, company vice president .
Nextant currently holds orders from fractional provider Flight Options for forty 400XTs and orders for 12 more aircraft from retail customers. However, since receiving the STC last week, Heublein said customer inquiries had increased substantially. Nextant president James Miller estimates there is a market for between 200 and 250 Beechjet 400A/Hawker 400XP jets for 400XT conversions and that the company will ramp up to three per month by the end of 2013. The modified jet comes with a two-year, 800-hour warranty on the airframe, paint and systems. 
Nextant has appointed 10 authorized service centers in the U.S. and Europe. CAE will provide flight training in a level-D simulator.