TAM Projects in Business Aviation

General:

Business Aviation has been most rapidly growing segment of the civil aircraft market already 10 years. This category includes Very Light Jets (jets that are fully constructed by using carbon-fiber materials), small, medium and large aircrafts owned by airlines, private owners, air taxi companies and corporations.

Based on different reliable sources, Business aircraft manufacturing experienced 16% growth in 2004 and this growth is expected to continue for the next 10 years through 2016.

 According to 2007 figures from the Russian Business Aviation Association (ADA) in 2005 and 2006 VIP charter movements rose 35% over 2004, rises in 2004 and 2003 were around 30% annually.

 Main markets for VLJ-s are corporate clients and various businessmen, which are in increasing need of saving time and moving faster.

 Business aircraft present considerable advantages to passengers and owners:

 •    Time-saving aspect, direct one-plane flights connecting at small local airdromes;

•    Favourable working conditions - aircraft are outfitted with office equipment, meaning work is not interrupted or interfered with by strangers, and even represent a convenient venue in which to conduct negotiations;

•    Information safety - information leakage is reduced to a minimum as there is no undesirable contact with strangers;

•   Private security - according to statistics, business jet aircraft flown by experienced pilots ensure a higher level of security than public aircraft;

•     Complete freedom to schedule flights - it is always possible to adjust flight  details;

•     Enhanced corporate image.

  Realizing all above mentioned TAM saw possibility of expending its aviation market and in 2003 has began realizing projects for manufacturing latest generation business jets.

 TAM’s business jets are constructed using carbon-fiber materials. The company possesses full technological cycle of manufacturing aircrafts from such material. Accordingly, Today Georgia is only country in the continent, which manufactures VLJ-s and has all relevant technologies.

 Below is given short description TAM`s ongoing projects in Business Aviation.

TAM-Jet Project Description 

TAM Jet is a 4-seat Very Light jet, exclusively developed and owned by JSC “TAM - Tbilisi Aircraft manufacturing”.

 TAM began realizing of TAM Jet project in 2003 with Maverick Jets Inc. (USA) and constructed a 4-seater ultra-light jet “TAM Jet”. The company has completed the test flights on this aircraft in 2005. Nowadays TAM is sole owner of the project and has all exclusive rights on it. Today the company is in the process of obtaining type certificate from Russian aviation authorities. In certification process TAM-JET`s initial design has experienced changes  that resulted significant improvement in aircraft’s characteristics.   During the certification process the company plans to produce at least 4 aircraft for certification purposes. TAM plans to complete certification process by the end of 2009 and start manufacturing and sales of aircrafts from 2010.

The aircraft engine is produced by Williams International USA (certified in 2004). Materials used are carbon-fiber; pre-preg, fiber-glass and Nomex required for the production of fuselage.

 Provided the high demand for the business aircrafts, forecast is that by 2011 the company will produce at least 10 aircraft annually and increase the production to 30 aircraft by 2017. It is assumed that during the peak of aircraft production the company market share in the total business aircraft sales will be around 8%.

As noted, main clients of such aircrafts will be different private companies and businessmen. Besides, TAM plans to develop business aviation segment (Business Taxi) on its test airfield that will be incorporated in “Logistics City Tbilisi Project”.

Tam Jet

TAM AIR Jet (Elite) Project Description

 In 2004 “Tbilaviamsheni” LLC and Epic Aircraft established joint venture for developing new generation very light jet on the basis of turbo-prop aircraft called “Epic”. As the result of successful cooperation of companies modern 6-8 seater business VLJ “TAM-AIR” (now ELITE) was constructed. The aircraft is being constructed on the basis of the new FJ-33 jet engine (Williams Corporation), certified in September, 2004. Materials used as in TAM-JET model are carbon-fiber pre-preg, fiber-glass and Nomex. The aircraft has already successfully gone through test flights and now the procedures for getting type certificate from Canadian aviation authority are under way.

 According to reached agreements between partners JSC “TAM- Tbilisi Aircraft Manufacturing”, will have exclusive manufacturing and distribution rights of all types aircrafts Europe, CIS and Asian countries I.E at TAM will take place complete manufacturing cycle of ELITE for mentioned markets and TAM will be responsible for building distribution chain. 

Besides, according to agreement TAM will be subcontracted from Epic Aircraft (Partner company) to manufacture all mechanical parts for (fuselage, landing gears, etc) three other types of VLJ-s that Partner Company owns: EPIC LT, DYNASTY, VICTORIA .  

At initial stage (2010) TAM plans to manufacture 10 aircrafts and by 2017 production rate will reach at least 65 aircrafts annually.

Technical Specifications (Elite)