The Dubai Creek was once much used by the flying boats of Imperial Airways in the 1930s. Now, by the application of new technology on a tried and trusted design, the prospect of a new era in personalized amphibious flying has opened up. Triple S Aviation of Texas (Stand No. 1032) has teamed with Antilles Seaplanes to offer the G-21 Super Goose.
Based on the Grumman Goose, the G-21 Super Goose boasts an all-new modern zero-time airframe and components, so with the exception of the prototype, which is flying and made use of an existing airframe, all production aircraft will be brand- new off the production line. The first two aircraft will be produced in May next year and thereafter a couple will be manufactured every other month.
Triple S Aviation aims to reach a production target of 28 aircraft by the fourth quarter of 2010 and will take stock then to decide what the market requires. At present the company has received refundable deposits for five aircraft but marketing the Super Goose has barely begun.
As well as featuring an all-new aluminum airframe, the new flying boat is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34 turboprop engines located farther inboard than the older aircraft’s piston engine to minimize single-engine-out control difficulties and achieve a 200-knot cruise speed. The aircraft also has advanced Garmin avionics.
Boasting a larger cabin than a King Air, seat-mile costs less than half that of a Caravan and also less than the Viking Twin Otter, the G-21 Super Goose could well find applications in the UAE, which has a growing number of offshore island developments.
But breathing new life into old flying boat designs is not the only offer promoted by Triple S Aviation–soon to open a facility in the Dubai Airport Free Zone. The company has teamed with Nextant Aerospace to develop a modernization retrofit program for the Beechjet 400. Dubbed the Nextant 400NXT, the retrofit has been developed to meet a perceived need for a modern medium-range business aircraft priced under $5 million.
New engines and aerodynamic enhancements confer reduced time to climb, higher cruise speeds and enhanced hot-and-high performance. The company claims a 35-percent improvement in fuel efficiency, while Proline 21 avionics bring the Nextant 400NXT into the 21st century.
