Global Aviation Technologies (GAT) is developing a Beechcraft Premier 1A modification package that boosts payload, range and time-to-climb, and plans to begin upgrades in late 2018, the company announced on Tuesday at NBAA 2017. Dubbed Premier Elite, the upgrade includes adding composite winglets and three auxiliary fuel tanks.
According to GAT, the winglets will be installed over existing wing structure without additional modifications. The enhancements boost the aircraft's mtow to 13,400 pounds, add 90 gallons of fuel capacity and increase range to 1,770 nm.
GAT plans to offer the Premier Elite package at an "out the door" price of $479,632, said Woody Cottner, GAT's vice president of business development. "We will offer the airplane with optional avionics and interior upgrades to ensure operators that it complies with all next-generation air traffic, navigation and communication requirements." A proposed Rockwell Collins package that includes ADS-B and WAAS/LPV guidance is a possibility, GAT said.
"We have taken an airplane with already good design and operating characteristics and turned it into one that is truly elite," Cottner noted. "By applying the expertise and engineering for which we're known to this airplane, we believe we have come up with an affordable and practical modification that will be attractive to the more than 250 Premier operators."
GAT (Booth C8131), which specializes in legacy aircraft MRO and upgrades, plans to outfit a test aircraft for verification and certification testing in April. Modifications are expected to take six to eight weeks, making the upgrade possible "along with regularly scheduled maintenance to minimize the disruption of flight operations," Cottner said. GAT expects to begin work on the first customer aircraft in the fourth quarter of 2018.
The Premier Elite grew out of GAT's experience maintaining the original Beechcraft versions combined with customer interest in the aircraft, Cottner said.
"We also recalled nascent interest in an airplane that fell victim to the downturn in economic fortunes of the company about 10 years ago, but certainly had some potential," Cottner said. "So we subsequently had some discussions with the new owners about appealing to customers in that niche, and they were supportive. This is basically a rebirth of that airplane with some added features."
