October 6, 2011 - Nextant Aerospace, which introduced the concept of remanufacturing to the business jet market, announced that it has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification for its Nextant 400XT aircraft, the world’s first completely remanufactured business jet.  

The FAA certification is the final step in the approval process for the 400XT, a plane that is the equivalent of a new jet at a cost approximately half that of competing models. The first retail deliveries of the planes will begin in October 2011, part of a 40-plane order from Flight Options, the nation’s second-largest fractional jet company.  

Nextant’s remanufacturing process, which requires more than 6,000 man-hours per plane, enables it to deliver a factory-standardized product that features significantly evolved technology, increased efficiency and cost-effectiveness, improved range and a life expectancy that meets or exceeds competitive products.  

The 400XT is delivered as a new aircraft with a two-year, tip-to-tail warranty and a full suite of support services previously available only in new aircraft. They include a national service network to support the plane with centers in seven key markets around the country as well as comprehensive flight training, including a common training curriculum and a Level D Full-Flight Simulator.  

“In developing the Nextant 400XT, we sought to deliver the latest in business jet technology without passing on the cost of ‘clean sheet’ design to our customers,” said Kenneth C. Ricci, chief executive officer of Nextant Aerospace. “We have created an entirely new category of business jet with more range, more speed and greater cost-effectiveness, all at half the cost of comparable planes. The Nextant 400XT is truly ‘what’s next’ – a jet designed for tomorrow’s business needs, available today.”  

The 400XT process employs a remanufactured airframe from the Beechjet 400A/XP aircraft, enhanced with new, state-of-the-art technology including the Williams FJ44-3AP turbofan engine, the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 integrated avionics suite, advanced electronics and completely rebuilt interiors.  

The remanufacturing process takes all life-limited components to zero-time status, either through replacement or complete overhaul, which effectively makes the 400XT a new plane in all material aspects even before the addition of advanced technology. The 400XT is considered to be a new type in Aircraft Bluebook. Further options include additional avionics features and cabin entertainment including high speed wireless internet.

The resulting aircraft supports a range of 2,005-nautical miles with four passengers and NBAA IFR Reserves, a 50 percent increase over the 400XP. Other performance improvements include a cruising speed of 460 nautical miles per hour; fuel efficiency improvements of 25-30 percent, depending on the length of the flight segment and noise compliance that exceeds Stage IV requirements.