Maverick Jet Inc.
Marverick Air had been founded by Bob Bornhofen in 1997.
The company began to manufacture of the first Twinjet in 1998.
In 2001, Colorado business man, Jim McCotter aquired a majority share in Maverick Air Inc, renaming it Maverick Jets, and announced plans to etablish a new compagny, know as McCotter aviation, to develop a six seat, factory built, FAA-certified version of the Leader (ex Twinjet 1500), designated MC 2400.
Development has been delayed by loss of the prototype.
Maverick TwinJet 1500
Bob Bornhofen was retired when he got into the aviation business, and had no aviation background. He wondered why he couldn't buy a personal jet, and in 1998 he decided to create one. Bornhofen has been funding much of the project out of his own pocket.
To be marketed as a kit, the Twinjet has a pre-preg eglass composite airframe with carbon fiber control surfaces and empennage.
The TwinJet was not certified because it uses two converted surplus GE-T58 military helicopter engines (overhauled and zero-timed).
Maverick Twinjet 1500, Oskosh 2001, Photo Graig Vander Kolk
The TwinJet was designed in anticipation of the FJX-2 engine, which was being developed under the General Aviation Propulsion program. The FJX-2 was going to be a new generation turbofan engine producing 700-800 pounds of thrust.
When delays occurred for that engine, Bob Bornhofen elected to use the T58 engines so he wouldn't slow the TwinJet development.
Photo Flight Archive 04.2003
Characteristics
At 30,000 feet its maximum speed is 480 mph, with a 400-mph cruise and a 230-mph single-engine cruise speed.
Its initial rate of climb is 3,500 fpm, 1,000 fpm on one engine, and it stalls at 90 mph at its maximum gross weight of 5,100 pounds.
The Twinjet weighs 2,600 pounds empty and carries 270 gallons of fuel, with an optional 320-gallon capacity.
With standard fuel its range is 1,000 miles, and 1,300 miles with optional fuel.
The wing span, with tip tanks, is 34.5 feet and the length is 28.5 feet.
TwinJet Built
Three planes have been put in the air. The first prototype was flight tested to about 370 knots during a series of tests to determine if the aircraft had any major certification-related problems.
Two are still flying. One is not; it was involved in an incident.
Prototype N750TJ.
Serial number : 1,
First fligth 4 august 1999.
Public debut at EAA Air venture, Oskosh, August 2000.
Destroyed on Jan. 24, 2003 in Melbourne, Florida
Source : Don Mickey / Maverick Air
N411KT
Serial number : 2,
Owned by Mike Seavall (Longmont, COLORADO).
It was built from a Maverick Air's kit . Two years were spent to build it.
With courtesy of the photographer Tim Samples, N411KT Showed up at the Jeffco Open House back in May 2005
N699VA
Serial number : 3
Professionaly built in 2003.
This aircraft is currently for sale by BEAR AIRCRAFT.
It's fitted with 2 T850 engines, and had only 49.2 hours of flights.
For further information please visit
Photo, With courtesy of Bear Aircraft