J E T   S Q U A L U S

The Jet Squalus is a single engined jet trainer, initially designed for military ab-initio training (the same aircraft takes a pilot from zero hours up to advanced jet training (Hawk, T-38, ...)

Jet Squalus

First flight was in 1987. Promavia asked Stelio Frati to design this aircraft according the NGT (Next Generation Trainer) specifications of the USAF. The NGT was eventually cancelled and replaced by the JPATS, whose requirement called for a tandem seating cockpit. When that occured, around 1993, Promavia somehow managed to establish a partnership with Mikoyan Design Bureau and Boeing Defense Division to design a derivative of the Jet Squalus, the ATTA 3000.

The ATTA 3000 preliminary design was made for Promavia by Gene Kerrigan, who worked previously at the advanced design group with Rockwell.

Mikoyan Design Bureau then proceeded with detailed design. The ATTA 3000 was powered by two Williams FJ-44, avionics was Bendix King, fuel system Intertechnique, hydraulics Vickers, etc. Wind tunnel testing was performed at TsAGI, and metal started being cut when Boeing found out that the JPATS leaned heavily towards the lowest DOC, favoring single turboprops. And that stopped the program. Boeing had gathered significant political support for the entrance of MiG into the JPATS at that time.

Back to the Jet Squalus...

The ATTA 3000 cancellation burned the last financial ressources of Promavia, who was pronounced bankrupt a few months later.

Alberta Aerospace, one of its creditors, who had been negotiating the North American marketing rights with Promavia for some time, eventually acquired all assets of the Jet Squalus program. The aicraft then became the Phoenix Fanjet, and was aimed at the civilian training market, as well as a sport aircraft.

In November 2001, Alberta Aerospace ran out of money and the program was stopped again.

The assets of the Phoenix Fanjet program are currently for sale by Noravcan, and the Phoenix Fanjet web site is back online for that purpose.

Jet Squalus

 
DIMENSIONS  
Span 29.64 ft
Length 30.69 ft
Height 11.80 ft
Wing area 146.06 ft²
WEIGHTS, LOADINGS  
Max. take-off weight 5290 lb
Empty weight 3080 lb
Max fuel 190 Gal
Load factor +7.0g / -3.5g
MAX CRUISE SPEEDS
ALTITUDE KTAS NM LBS/HR GPH
Sea Level 276 222 729 110
5,000 ft 287 280 670 100
10,000 ft 298 334 606 90
20,000 ft 315 504 484 72
25,000 ft 311 617 410 61
BEST CRUISE SPEEDS
ALTITUDE KTAS NM LBS/HR GPH
Sea Level 190 364 431 64
5,000 ft 201 427 400 60
10,000 ft 216 482 384 57
20,000 ft 244 636 335 50
25,000 ft 261 715 355 53
Max dive speed 380 kts
Never exceed speed 345 kts / 0.70M
Normal operating speed 280 kts
Design maneuvering speed 210 kts
Stall speed 69 kts
Rate of climb (SL) 2,500 ft/min
Service ceiling 34,000 ft
Take-off ground roll 1,200 ft
Landing ground roll 1,100 ft


Yours truly (on the left) in July 1991 during the installation of the TFE109 in the Jet Squalus.
The engine was raised into the engine bay from below, with the use of a home made device.


Cathy Nicoli (do you Google your name Cathy?) in the left seat.

Jet Squalus

Jet Squalus

Discussions between Promavia and Sabena on the Jet Squalus were informal at best, so when Promavia showed up with this at Le Bourget in 1989, Sabena was not amused.
This is the second Squalus airframe ever built, which never flew.

AlliedSignal TFE109
This engine was developed for the NGT program for the USAF in the early eighties. When NGT was replaced by the JPATS, the TFE109 specifications were not appropriate anymore.
About 26 prototype engines were manufactured under USAF funding, and the TFE109 flew on the Fairchild T-46 (cancelled NGT) and the Jet Squalus. A 1500 lbst version had also been developed.
After the cancellation of NGT, AlliedSignal played with the idea of certifying the engine for the General Aviation market for awhile but eventually (1990 if my recollections are good) decided to abandon the program.

ENGINE SPECS
Takeoff thrust 1,330 lbst
Length 38.57 in
Width 23.15 in
Height 29.79 in
Bypass ratio 5.0
Weight 439 lb
Spin rate capability 3.5 rad/sec

The following drawings were scanned from a type specification document dated September 1985, two years before first flight.

Last update : 06FEB2013