Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) today announced the delivery of the first Hawker 4000 business jet in China. Certified by the Civil Aviation Administration of China in November 2009, the Hawker 4000 is the flagship of the Hawker Beechcraft family and is the world’s most advanced business jet. Beyond its innovative composite construction, the Hawker 4000 offers best-in-class performance, a maximum cruise speed of Mach .84 and unsurpassed comfort for up to eight passengers. China’s first Hawker 4000 is based at the Beijing Capital International Airport and is being utilized for both business and leisure travel by the HBC customer.

“The first delivery of a Hawker 4000 to a customer in mainland China is a milestone for us and for aviation in a country with one of the world’s most rapidly expanding economies,” said Justin Firestone, president, Asia-Pacific. “The Hawker 4000 provides the range, performance and capacity needed to do business in a country as vast as China and throughout the Pacific Rim. This remarkable aircraft can seamlessly conduct non-stop missions such as Shanghai to Singapore, Beijing to Bangkok and Hong Kong to Tokyo.”

HBC recently exhibited the Hawker 4000, as well as the Hawker 750 and the Beechcraft King Air B200GT, at the Singapore Airshow. Additionally, the company will display the Hawker 4000, Hawker 750 and King Air 350 at the upcoming India Aviation 2010 in Hyderabad from March 3-7. The Hawker Beechcraft family of aircraft has generated considerable interest from customers throughout the Pacific region.

The Hawker 4000 is faster and delivers superior cruise and range performance than its closest competitors. With best-in-class field performance in its category, take-off field length (ISA, SL, MTOW) is just 1,545 m (5,068 ft.). Climb rate is exhilarating, going from sea level to 37,000 feet in just over 14 minutes. Once at altitude, the Hawker 4000 accelerates very quickly to its maximum cruise speed of Mach .84 (896 km/hr), maximizing customer productivity by getting them quickly to their destination. The Pratt & Whitney Canada PW308A engines deliver 6,900 pounds of thrust each flat rated at ISA +22° Celsius and, combined with the Hawker 4000’s advanced wing design, provide impressive high altitude/hot temperature and short field performance.

The Hawker 4000’s cockpit features a Honeywell Epic avionics suite with five high-resolution 20 x 25 cm (8 x 10 in.) LCD displays. It has enhanced situational awareness and flight management systems, backed by real-time system monitoring and status. The airplane comes standard with dual Inertial Reference System, dual air-cycle machines and auto-throttle that are ideally suited for long-range and trans-continental flights. Avionics and utility systems are fully integrated, and advanced composite material construction provides for lower part count, enhanced reliability and lower life-cycle costs.

The composite fuselage of the Hawker 4000 features a 1.83 m (6 ft.) stand-up cabin with a 1.97 m (6 ft. 5.5 in.) width. A flat floor runs the entire length of the aircraft, leading to an impressively large 2.51 cubic m (88.5 cubic ft.)/900 lb. baggage area, accessible from the cabin during flight and on the ground through a dedicated exterior baggage door. An eight-place interior configuration is standard with fully-articulating executive seats in double club format. The interior can be customized with a wide variety of materials and cabin finishes