Adam A700

The Adam A700 AdamJet was a proposed six-seat civil utility aircraft developed by Adam Aircraft Industries starting in 2003. The aircraft was developed in parallel with the generally similar Adam A500, although while that aircraft is piston-engined, the A700 is powered by two Williams FJ33 turbofans. The two models have about 80% commonality.[2]

A700 AdamJet
Role Civil utility aircraft
Manufacturer Adam Aircraft Industries
First flight 28 July 2003
Status Development ended April 2009
Number built 2[1]
Developed from Adam A500

The prototype A700 first flew on July 28, 2003. Two conforming prototypes were built.[1]

Development

Adam Aircraft ceased operations on 11 February 2008[3] and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation on 19 February 2008,[4] prior to the certification or delivery of any production A700s.

In April 2008 Adam Aircraft was purchased from bankruptcy by AAI Acquisition Inc who have indicated their intention to continue with certification of the aircraft.[5]

Industrial Investments, the Russian company that purchased Adam Aircraft, restarted work on the A700 and in May 2008 had 60 employees back at work. Industrial Investments reportedly ordered 75 A700s prior to Adam Aircraft's bankruptcy. AAI had initially intended to certify the A700 in the first quarter of 2010, but citing the economic crisis of 2008 President and CEO Jack Braly announced on 28 October 2008 that "Flight test and other development activity have been suspended". Braly indicated that the company's investment team and board of directors are reviewing the economic and market conditions and will decide on a new schedule for certifying the A700.[6][7][8][9]

The Federal Aviation Administration accepted the previous certification data that Adam Aircraft recorded, which would have greatly simplified certification efforts by the new company, however in April 2009 Adam Aircraft ceased operations and laid off all its staff, ending development of the A700.[7][10]

In April 2011 Triton Aerospace, the new holder of the type certificate, indicated that they will concentrate of the A500 and have no plans to continue development of the A700, even though they have two disassembled examples.[11]

Design
Diagram showing the external centerline fuel tank on the aircraft

As with the earlier-designed A500 piston-engined model, the A700 featured a straight tapered wing, a central fuselage, and twin wing-mounted booms which supported aft twin rudders linked by a high horizontal stabilizer. Unlike on the A500, the A700's two engines were mounted on the sides of the fuselage, in a non-centerline thrust arrangement, eliminating one of the design advantages of the A500 configuration.

In order to balance the twin rear-mounted engines properly, the forward fuselage was lengthened by 4 feet. In the A500, the front engine is balanced by the rear engine and empennage. In the A700, the longer front fuselage balances the rear engines and empennage.

Specifications (A700)

Data from Adam Aircraft website[12]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one or two pilots
  • Capacity: four to six passengers, depending on cabin configuration
  • Length: 40 ft 9 in (12.42 m)
  • Wingspan: 44 ft 0 in (13.41 m)
  • Height: 9 ft 7 in (2.92 m)
  • Airfoil: NASA LS(1)-0417[13]
  • Empty weight: 5,550 lb (2,517 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 9,350 lb (4,241 kg)
  • Powerplant: 2 × Williams FJ33-4A turbofan engine, 1,350 lbf (6.0 kN) thrust each

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 382 mph (615 km/h, 332 kn)
  • Stall speed: 73 mph (117 km/h, 63 kn)
  • Range: 1,611 mi (2,593 km, 1,400 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 41,000 ft (12,000 m)
  • Rate of climb: 2,550 ft/min (13.0 m/s)

Avionics

  • Avidyne Entegra (Glass Cockpit)

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References
  1. Adam Aircraft (January 2008). "Adam Aircraft 2007 Year End Review". Archived from the original on 4 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-26.
  2. Avweb News Stream (July 2003). "Adam Leads Mini-Jet Race". Retrieved 2008-07-15.
  3. Niles, Russ (February 2008). "Adam Aircraft Suspends Operations". Archived from the original on 17 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-11.
  4. Yamanouchi, Kelly (February 2008). "Adam Aircraft files Chapter 7". Denver Post. Archived from the original on 28 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-19.
  5. Niles, Russ (April 2008). "Court Approves Adam Sale To Russian-Backed Firm". Retrieved 2008-04-12.
  6. Niles, Russ (May 2008). "Adam Aircraft Reported Back In Business". Retrieved 2008-07-15.
  7. AVweb Editorial Staff (August 2008). "AVwebFlash Complete Issue: Volume 14, Number 31e". Archived from the original on 5 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
  8. Niles, Russ (October 2008). "A700 Certification Shelved". Retrieved 2008-10-30.
  9. AAI Acquisition (October 2008). "AAI Acquisition President and CEO Jack Braly Announces Strategic Realignment". Archived from the original on 11 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
  10. Thurber, Matt (May 2009). "Remnants of Adam Aircraft See Final Shutdown". Archived from the original on 2009-11-24. Retrieved 2009-05-01.
  11. Niles, Russ (April 2011). ""New" Adam 500 In The Works". AvWeb. Retrieved 20 April 2011.
  12. Adam Aircraft (n.d.). "A700 Specifications". Archived from the original on 11 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-26.
  13. Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
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