Adam Aircraft’s A500 twin-engine propeller plane has been certified to fly pressurized and at night, the company announced today.
Centennial Airport-based Adam Aircraft first received Federal Aviation Administration certification of the six-seat A500 in May 2005, but with limited capabilities.
The additional FAA certification is an additional milestone in the company’s A500 development. Full pressurization gives the plane a sea-level cabin to 12,500 feet. Other upgrades certified on the A500 include single-pilot flight operation.
The company said it expects further certifications, including expansion of maximum operating altitude and de-icing, this winter.
Adam Aircraft recently received an FAA production certificate for the A500, which allows it to ramp up production.
The company said it has a two-year backlog of orders for the plane.
The company has been developing the $1.2 million plane for more than six years.
Adam Aircraft is also developing an A700 jet, which falls into the very light jet category and has not yet been certified.
Aside from its Denver area headquarters, Adam Aircraft also has locations in Pueblo and Ogden, Utah.
Staff writer Kelly Yamanouchi can be reached at 303-954-1488 or at kyamanouchi@denverpost.com .
