Nextant Aerospace 400XTi

Nextant’s Beechjet rebuild is more than just a new panel, paint, interior, and engines. These airplanes were torn down, inspected throughout, had life-limited parts replaced, and had upgrades performed on the traditional Beechjet weak spots, such as the engine mounts. The redesigned mounts eliminate an airworthiness directive that mandates recurring inspections. Nextant even replaced 80 to 90 percent of the airplane’s wiring. Surrounding the new engine mounts are new engine pylon fairings that reduce drag. All told, Nextant put 9,000 labor hours in transforming a Beechjet into a Nextant 400. Key to the modernization is the use of Williams FJ44 engines. They create slightly more thrust than the old Pratt & Whitney JT15s and do so on 32 percent less fuel. Furthermore, the FJ44s are 240 pounds lighter and carry a time between overhauls that’s 1,400 hours longer than the JT15’s. Less fuel burn and lighter engines mean more useful load and longer range. Nextant claims a 1,925-nautical-mile maximum range, about 300 nm more than stock Beechjets.

Three interior layouts are available, and a typical choice is the forward divan opposite the galley, then a four-club configuration, with seats for up to eight passengers (including the belted lavatory). Also offering eight seats is the four-club layout with two forward-facing seats aft and one seat up forward opposite the galley. This layout provides less legroom in the club seating area, however. A six-seat interior puts the galley on the right side of the cabin and includes the spacious four-club seating area, one seat opposite the galley and forward of the cabin door, plus the lavatory seat. Passenger seats were redesigned by Nextant engineers and are mechanically rebuilt and recovered. The two aft-facing seats in the club-seating area fold flat, and the divan can be extended outward to provide a larger sleeping surface.

Aside from the price point, several features of the 400A/XP make it an ideal candidate for conversion. Mitsubishi, as with its earlier MU-2 turboprop, substantially overbuilt the airframe to the point that it does not have a life limit. Most conversion candidates have accumulated 5,000 to 7,000 hours, fly 400 or fewer hours per year, and could easily survive to 30,000 hours of flight time or even longer. Nextant, president Jim Miller thinks these airplanes could go another 30 years.