Beechcraft Premier 1A – All You Need to Know!
In 2006, Hawker Beechcraft introduced the Premier 1A to near-universal acclaim:
a composite-fuselage light jet that could be flown single-pilot at speeds up to 450 knots with a
range of nearly 1,500 nautical miles, to compete with the Cessna Citation Jet series of aircraft,
in comparison, the original Cessna Citation looked like a lawn tractor next to the premiere and was
slower to boot. From the beginning, Beech’s concept was to create the most comfortable
single-pilot-certified airplane in its class, and it succeeded. So here is all you need to know.
The Premier makes a strong visual impression on the ramp. From nose to tail, this plane looks
great. It is the first business jet to use carbon graphite epoxy as its primary structure, and as
a result of this, the aircraft is much lighter, with the fuselage being incredibly strong at the
same time. The Premier’s composite construction and the elimination of the internal frames yield
a fuselage with 15 percent more interior volume that is 20 percent lighter and up to three times
stronger than comparable aluminum structures. The Beechcraft Premier IA has tricycle gear just like
every other jet, T-tail empennage, with a cranked and rear swept low wing for greater speed. The
Premier IA was one of the first private aircraft that used the pot-bellied design, which is
becoming more and more common, allowing the main cabin of the aircraft to compete with larger jets
while still remaining in the light jet category. On the outside, the I and IA look virtually the
same, and they have the same rear mounted engines. Though the wing itself is conventional aluminum,
the ailerons, flaps, and horizontal stabilizer are also composite for additional strength. Even
parked on the ramp, it has a different look than most other business jets: visibly taller and wider
with an elegant wing sweep and an area-rule fuselage concaved at the aft engine station.
The Premier has a redesigned interior, offering increased rear-seat legroom and more overall
headroom. Unlike some other light jets, you can sit upright without your shoulders, or your head,
being squeezed inboard by the curve of the fuselage. Better acoustical insulation soaks
up more sound, but the aircraft isn’t the quietest in its class. The interior has more
comfortable cabin chairs than its predecessor, along with higher quality cabinets and more IFE
options. It is typically fitted with a four-seat center club section, plus two chairs in the aft
cabin which is heated and airconditioned. The main seating area is 11.2-ft. long,
about the same as that of a CJ2. There is forward, rightside refreshment center and a fully enclosed,
full-width 2.3-ft.-long aft lavatory. There is a 10-cu.-ft. baggage compartment in the nose
and a heated, 40-cu.-ft. baggage compartment in the aft fuselage. You can equip the cabin
with entertainment options such as a DVD player and Rockwell Collins Airshow. The Premier cabin
is 5 feet 5 inches high, which provides half a foot more headroom than other light jets. The
extra diameter of the circular cabin translates into an even greater advantage in cabin width,
particularly at the floor level. The cabin cross section of the Premier is actually closer to that
of a conventional midsize than to the competing light jets. However, the size advantage of the
Premier was poorly used in the original cabin design. The newly designed interior of the Premier
IA now takes full advantage of the potential offered by the carbon fiber fuselage. The window
openings are maximized for visibility and to enhance the spacious feeling of the cabin. While
the original cabin design was dramatic, perhaps even gaudy, the IA cabin is subtle and elegant,
with only top-grade leather, wood veneer, and carpet. Another feature of the Premier IA that
makes the aircraft a more pleasant place to be for both crew and passengers is the climate control
system, through which the temperature inside the Premier IA can be regulated independently between
the cabin and cockpit. Pressurization is 8.4 psi, allowing an 8,000-foot cabin at the airplane’s
certified maximum altitude of 41,000 feet. But passengers don't have all the fun. The Premier IA
is very much a pilot's airplane that just happens to have a plush cabin. The cockpit is fitted with
dual controls and the aircraft can be flown by a pilot and co-pilot or by a single pilot.
Up front in the office, all Premiers feature Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 glass-panel
avionics. The Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 digital integrated avionics suite consists of
three 8×10-inch screens that present critical information while reducing pilot workload,
and incorporate every input and readout with maximum logic and minimum effort.
All inputs are through a keyboard rather than twisting knobs. The Rockwell Collins Integrated
Flight Information System is standard with electronic charts, airport displays,
XM satellite graphical weather, and map-overlay capabilities. The electronic charts and datalink
services go a long way toward minimizing a paper-cluttered cockpit, and are especially
welcome in single-pilot situations. The front office of an IA can be a busy place,
and the extra situational awareness comes in very handy, indeed. The communications system
consists of dual Rockwell Collins VHF-422A transmitter/receivers with a transponder,
type TR-94 Mode S, a DB438 audio system and a CL-23 navigation and communications tuner.
All Premiers are blessed with a pair of Williams International high-efficiency
FJ44-2A turbofan engines rated for 2,300 pounds of thrust per side,
and that makes them an instant winner in all the performance parameters that count. The engines
propel the Premier to 41,000 feet in just 23 minutes and burn around 130 gallons an hour–for
the pair–while the aircraft cruises at 450 knots. As fuel burns off, pilots must take care to reduce
engine power settings to prevent the aircraft from exceeding its maximum design speed. The engines
of aircraft enrolled in the Williams Total Assurance Program benefit from an increased
time between-overhaul interval of 4,000 hours (compared with 3,500 for those not enrolled).
The Beechcraft Premier IA remains a lightweight, certified aircraft that offers a true mid-sized
cabin. With a max gross takeoff weight of 12,500-lbs due to the use of lightweight composite
materials, the Premier’s docile manners and high performance may be the keys to its attraction.
Premier IA aircraft have pleasing handling qualities with the solid feel of a midsize jet,
but with the crisper control response of a light jet. It has some midsize aircraft systems,
such as a 3,000-psi hydraulic system that powers the spoilerons, landing gear actuators, and wheel
brakes. The controls are neither heavy nor light and provide comforting stability in the hand. But
the greatest confidence boost for the Premier 1A comes when landing in sub-optimal conditions. In
heavy rain, and with a crosswind of 25 knots, the upgraded brakes of the Premier IA and the
lift-dump spoilers combine so well that a midfield turn-off is sometimes possible. Time-to-climb is
quite impressive, reaching 37,000-ft in under 20 minutes in real-world operation, and at FL410
in cold conditions, the Premier 1A will cruise at Mach 0.79 with 448-knots of true airspeed. Airport
performance is not the best in class. You’ll need 3,792 ft. of runway to depart from a sea-level,
standard-day airport. Loaded to max takeoff weight, the aircraft will climb directly to its
41,000-ft service ceiling without problems. Fuel burn is 1,300 lbs in the first hour,
820 lbs during the second hour, and 900 lbs during the final hour of most high-speed cruise missions,
assuming standard-day conditions. Slowing down to a long-range cruise adds up to 11% in travel time,
but increases range by less than 100-nm. With seats full, it has a 700-to-800-nautical-mile
range. With full fuel, the airplane can carry a pilot and two passengers for 1,200 nautical miles
with comfortable IFR reserves. It has a useable fuel capacity of 547 gallons. The Citation CJ2
and Nextant 400XT/XTi are the Premier 1A’s main competitors. Both have tighter cabins but better
airfield performance, as the CJ2 can fly four passengers over 1,500 nm but is 30–40 knots
slower and around $1 million more expensive, while the 400XT can fly 1,800 nm for the same price but
is usually a hightime jet. The original Premier 1 was designed with the lift-dump activated by
‘squat switches’ on the undercarriage that were activated on touch-down. The switches worked
well in testing, but in real-world scenarios, the system was less than perfect. When the aircraft
bounced on the runway, it would take time for the squat switches to re-deploy the spoilers,
which meant that the braking performance suffered. The lift-dump system in the
Premier 1A provided an activation handle on the center console to give pilots manual control.
All previous Premier 1’s were subsequently retrofitted with the manual lift-dump system.
Announced in 1995 at an introductory price of $4.5 million, the Premier I was delivered to customers
from 2001 to 2005. The Premier emerged with a composite fuselage and traditional metal wings
but with poor runway performance, erratic lift dump and brakes, a noisy cabin, and a substandard
cockpit. The IA is a development of the Premier 1, and began production at serial number 435 in the
last quarter of 2005 with better brakes, avionics, and cabin, resulting in 163 built in five years.
The second-generation Premier IA is much improved over the original model, with all the 2001 kinks
taken out and with a new name. The Premier IA improved upon the comfort for passengers with
upgraded soundproofing. The braking feel and response were considerably improved,
the lift dump function was manually controlled, and the flight deck was upgraded with dual PFDs,
standard IFIS, and TCAS II. Still claiming bragging rights of being the fastest light jet
with the largest cabin cross section, a number of issues with the aircraft’s behavior on the
tarmac were corrected, and other improvements made this airplane even more coveted. On May 19, 2008,
Hawker Beechcraft announced the launch of the Premier II, which was rebranded as the Hawker
200 in 2010. Developed from the Premier IA, the new aircraft would feature higher cruise speeds,
a 20% longer range with four passengers, increased payload, more powerful engines,
and new winglets to achieve performance improvements over the previous model. In 2009,
the company indicated that it was slowing development of the Premier II, moving its
first delivery date into late 2012 or early 2013 due to the poor market for business aircraft.
After the bankruptcy of Hawker Beechcraft, the production of business jets ceased in 2013.
The purchase price of most aircraft will depend heavily on the year it was made, avionics updates,
and the number of hours it has flown since the last major overhaul. The Premier 1A hit the market
in 2006 with a retail price tag of $7 million. Depreciation over the 15 years since its launch
has left the Beechcraft Premier 1A with a typical resale value of between $1,350,000 and $2,800,000.
The aircraft has a long list of features that make it stand out when compared to
other aircraft. It is as fast as 450-knots, is easy and fun to fly,
and offers a cabin cross-section nearly as large as that of the Citation Excel.
Beechcraft boasts the Premier IA holds the distinct title of largest cabin in its class,
without sacrificing its remarkable top speeds of 80% of the speed of sound. Beechcraft claims
this speed is 50 miles an hour faster than the closest, light jet competitor. Moreover,
advancements in the cockpit make for a very easy pre-flight routine. Beechcraft also takes pride in
the Premier’s lower acquisition and operating costs per mile than the Cessna Citation CJ2+.
Maintenance tasks and inspections are relatively easy. The design is extremely strong, efficient,
and highly resistant to fatigue and corrosion. The fastest speed, biggest cabin cross section, and
longest warranty are reasons enough to consider the Premier’s advantages over other aircraft.
The greatest complaint among pilots operating the Premier 1A is that there
is no way to deal with the lavatory waste from outside of the plane. Due to this,
most pilots stress that the lavatory is for emergencies only. Even when the bathroom has
been upgraded to feature a full flushing lavatory, all maintenance must be done
carefully inside the cabin. Weight gain has been the bane of Premier 1A. The 212-sq.-ft. wing and
2,300-lbthrust Williams FJ44-2A engines are undersized for a 12,500-lb. aircraft.
To conclude, Beechcraft has always made exceptional aircraft that are strong and
preferred by various branches of the military for their stout, robust characteristics. When it comes
to the Premier, its unique combination of speed, cabin comfort, and advanced composite construction
puts it in a league all its own. If you’re in the market for a light jet, high cruise speeds,
excellent fuel efficiency, and price are three good reasons to consider the Premier 1A.