Hawker Beechcraft Hawker 4000

The Hawker Beechcraft Hawker 4000 super mid-size business jet.

The Hawker 4000 features all-composite fuselage for lightness and strength and swept aluminium wings for speed.

The Hawker 4000 made its first flight on 11 August 2001.

The Hawker 4000 (previously known as the Hawker Horizon) entered service in December 2004.

The Hawker Beechcraft new family of business jets features the Hawker 4000 (foreground) and the Premier I (background).

The cabin can be configured for eight to 12 passengers.

The aircraft is powered by two PW308A turbofan engines from Pratt & Whitney Canada, with target thrust reversers and Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC).

Side view of the Hawker 4000.

The Hawker 4000 avionics suite includes a Honeywell Primus Epic integrated flight control and flight management system.

The Hawker 4000 super mid-size business jet is the largest aircraft in the Hawker family and features all-composite fuselage and swept aluminium wing design. The aircraft was known as the Hawker Horizon but was renamed the Hawker 4000 in November 2005. Other members of the Hawker family include the Hawker 800XP and the Hawker 400XP.

In December 2006, Raytheon announced the sale of Raytheon Aircraft to GS Capital Partners. The new company is called Hawker Beechcraft Inc and the sale was completed in March 2007.

The aircraft, with an NBAA IFR range of 3,100nm (5,741km) and a speed of Mach 0.82 (870km/h), is capable of crossing the USA non-stop and with a maximum range of 3,400nm (6,296km), has transatlantic flight capability.

The Hawker 4000 made its first flight on 11 August 2001. More than 130 aircraft have been ordered. In June 2003, in confirmation of its transatlantic capability, the Hawker 4000 flew a round from Wichita via Los Angeles and Seattle at an average speed of Mach 0.77 (943km/h).

The US FAA granted the Hawker 4000 type certification in December 2004 and the first aircraft was delivered to Jack DeBoer, a businessman of Wichita, Kansas, shortly after. Final type certification was granted in November 2006 but modifications required additional certification which was received in June 2008. The first production Hawker 4000 was delivered in June 2008.

Customers include the Jordan Grand Prix Racing Team, Flight Options LLC (formerly Raytheon Travel Air) and Executive Jets Inc for NetJets fractional ownership service.

In December 2005, NetJets placed a contract for 50 Hawker 4000 aircraft. Deliveries will begin in 2008 and continue through 2013.

In May 2007, NetJets Europe placed an order for 32 Hawker 4000 aircraft, for delivery between 2008 and 2016.

CONSTRUCTION

The Hawker 4000 fuselage is of advanced composite technology construction similar to that used on the Premier I entry level business jet, and including graphite / epoxy laminated material and honeycomb composites. The Hawker 4000 fuselage is built in three sections rather than in the two sections for the much smaller Premier I.

The wings are manufactured by Fuji Heavy Industries in Japan and transported to Raytheon’s manufacturing facility in Wichita for assembly.

FLIGHT DECK

The flight deck of the Hawker 4000 accommodates two crew. The aircraft’s avionics system provides full authority automatic throttle, moving map displays and vertical navigation.

The flight deck systems include a Primus Epic flight control system and flight management system. The navigation suite consists of a dual VHF omnidirectional radio navigation system, dual distance measuring equipment, dual inertial navigation system, dual global positioning system, an electronic ground proximity warner, a TCAS II terrain collision avoidance system and a Primus 880 colour weather radar.

The cockpit is also fitted with a flight data recorder and a cockpit voice recorder.

The flight deck is equipped with five 8in x 10in (203mm x 254mm) colour liquid crystal displays and two smaller multi-function displays. The large LCDs comprise two primary flight displays, two multi-function displays and an Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System (EICAS).

The aircraft’s Honeywell Primus Epic avionics suite is configured with virtual backplane network architecture. The avionics line replacable units are cabinet mounted behind the co-pilot’s seat. Interface to the avionics system is via a cursor control, touch-pad, light pen, joystick, trackball or on-screen touch key system.

The flight deck windscreen and the passenger cabin windows are fitted with an embedded electrically conductive film for demisting and anti-icing.

CABIN

The 72in (1.83m) stand-up cabin is 77.5in wide (1.97m). The flat floor runs the entire length of the cabin and leads to a 2.83m³ baggage compartment. Access to the baggage compartment during flight is through the cabin and on the ground is via the exterior of the aircraft.

The cabin can accommodate eight to 12 passengers. The eight-seat cabin is arranged with four pairs of club chairs with writing tables. The cabin air conditioning and pressurisation system is digitally controlled.

ENGINES

The aircraft is equipped with two rear-mounted PW308A turbofan engines from Pratt & Whitney Canada, each rated at 28.9kN. The engines, fitted with Nordam target thrust reversers and Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC), are mounted in pods on either side of the rear fuselage.

The aircraft has integral fuel tanks in the wings of total capacity 7,912l.

The aircraft’s auxiliary power unit, a Honeywell AE-36-150 (HH), is mounted in the tail cone.

LANDING GEAR

The aircraft is equipped with twin-wheeled hydraulically retractable tricycle-type Messier-Dowty landing gear. The landing gear is fitted with hydraulically operated, digitally controlled carbon disc brakes and an electronic anti-skid system.