JANUARY VISIT TO PRAGUE

It came to January 2008, all the festivities were over and we were into a new working year – and still NO aircraft delivery! Ok so we don’t need much more of an excuse than that to go and chase the factory for an up-date and see what they were up to. So the second week of January saw AVEOASIA in a very cold Czech Republic checking out the delights of that beautiful city Prague and looking at progress on the AVEO product range.

As with all aircraft programs – and I do mean ALL – targets have slipped and problems have occurred and been resolved. In the case of the “PHANTOM™” aircraft it has been a case of “refinement” rather than problem solving; typically the first prototype had been completed successfully only to reveal a “need” to improve the windshield, wing leading edge interface – “it did not look right” so the design team re-looked and re-designed this area of the aircraft with the result wrapping the windscreen over the top of the cabin – improving lines and improving visibility above the aircraft. Effect – considerable work for the factory delays in delivery to us distributors BUT an even more beautifully stunning aircraft.
Additionally, following analysis and testing the rear fuse was re-worked to reduce weight as it was found that the rear airframe was un-necessarily strong, and the nose undercarriage was changed to increase commonality of components between aircraft models (saying no more!)

During our trip we picked up our first set of AVEOFLASH aircraft light – launched in the UK in November. These lights are very efficient pieces of engineering and will look superb on any aircraft, replacing standard aircraft light at a very economic cost and with the benefit of significantly reduced power consumption, reducing weight due to NOT requiring shielded cabling and NOT requiring separate Strobe power supplies!

THE AVEO DFD units are now all in manufacture and first deliveries should be happening in second quarter of 2008. Delays have been due to the AVEO Design teams doing some more “REFINING” to the line of avionics and comms units – now un-believable in both appearance and operation and function!

So what can we do but wait “impatiently” until we get our hands on our SmartPlanes™ - to think we will be getting one of the first production PHANTOMS™ very soon! – rest of the world be jealous!!