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PiperJet Photo Tour

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PiperJet Photo Tour

**Piper is currently working on a proof-of-concept PiperJet at its Vero Beach, Florida, factory. During our visit in July, the fuselage was coming along nicely. Around that time, Piper announced a redesign to the tail, giving it a dramatic 30-degree? Photos By: Robert Goyer

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John Becker, who heads up the engineering for the PiperJet, next to the proof-of-concept, which is expected to fly sometime next year.
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Test articles that Piper is using to document a new method of sealing fuel tanks. So far so good.
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The extremely precise aluminum mold that Piper is using to form the wing skins for the PiperJet.
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Many of the skins on the PiperJet will be bonded using a technique known as foaming adhesive bonding (FAB). Here Becker points out the fuselage skins bonded to the built-up aluminum formers.
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The heart and soul of the PiperJet is the Williams FJ44 turbofan that will power it. Because it’s a single-engine jet, the airplane will need to stall as slowly as a piston single, 61 knots, and Piper intends for it to do just that.
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Taped to the fuselage of the proof-of-concept is the ultimate vision. This POC will fly sometime next year, and Piper plans to have the PiperJet certified by 2010.
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The fuselage of the PiperJet is based on the P&W; PT6 powered Meridian. Strong and time-tested, the fit is perfect, Piper believes, for the evolution of a jet-powered Piper.
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Looking into the forward fuselage of the PiperJet. While there are strong similarities to the Meridian, the design differences, including the addition of a tail-mounted engine, will require thousands of engineering changes to the model.
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