1 February 2007
The Kestrel – featured in FLYER’s January 2007 issue – has made its public debut at the Middle East Business Aircraft Exhibition currently under way in Dubai. Now designated the JP100, the Kestrel, a JetProp (er – that’s their term for the Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67B turboprop powerplant), has a top speed of 350 knots and a service range of 1,500 nm. It boasts a particularly impressive interior fit (it was kitted out at <a href=’newsfeed.php?artnum=365′ target=’_blank’>Redhill in the UK</a> last year) which underlines the fact that this aircraft is intending to fight for space in the VLJ market.
The Kestrel was originally born in the UK, grew up in the States and is now being manufactured in the Middle East by the Gulf Aircraft Partnership. It is hoped that it will be the first aircraft manufactured in the Gulf. The marketing will be done by the Gulf Aircraft Partnership, formed by the Gulf Aircraft Maintenance Company (GAMCO) of Abu Dhabi and Farnborough Aircraft Corporation Ltd (FACL).
The Kestrel should be able to operate from small, semi-prepared landing strips, a bonus in the ever-evolving world of small airfields and taxi flights.
Priced at $2.5 Million, the Kestrel is expected to achieve Part 23 Type certification in 2009.
