The three main contenders in the race to certificate, build and sell a single-engine jet were exhibiting at Tampa and selling positions. Two of the jets, the Cirrus Vision SF50 and the PiperJet, flew in, while Diamond had a fuselage mock-up only.Piper and Cirrus both have one jet flying, while Diamond has three, including two production-conforming machines.
Both Piper and Cirrus have recently announced a slowdown in their projects. Given the devastation currently being visited on the aviation industry, all three manufacturers must be finding the pill of certification expense hard to swallow. The question is, will the 'pill' eventually provide years of good health, or will it cause a fatal overdose?
