5 Business Aircraft That Flopped
Dreams, optimism, hubris—all possible reasons for these unsuccessful aircraft.
1. McDonnell Douglas Model 119/220. This cool-looking four-engine jet (circa 1959) was quite a performer for its time, with a fast cruise speed, 44,000-foot ceiling and nearly 2,400-mile range, but no market at the price.
2. Cessna CH-1 Skyhook. The first helicopter to land on Pike’s Peak and the first-ever helicopter IFR certified. It could have been a major player in today’s rotorcraft market, but Cessna inexplicably gave up after building 50.
3. Foxjet 600. Never more than a marketing effort, the tiny, appealing Foxjet keeps reappearing but will never fly because development costs could never be recouped.
4. Adam A700. What could go wrong with this all-composite twin-engine VLJ? Excessive manufacturing and certification costs and limited range.
5. Lear Fan 2100. A twin-engine turboprop with a long driveshaft spinning a single pusher propeller, the Lear Fan finally flew on “Dec. 32, 1980,” (actually Jan. 1, 1981, but the company needed to meet contractual obligations). Sadly, Lear ran out of money.