Maverick TwinJet 1500
Bob Bornhofen was retired when he got into the aviation business, and had no aviation background. He wondered why he couldn't buy a personal jet, and in 1998 he decided to create one. Bornhofen has been funding much of the project out of his own pocket.
To be marketed as a kit, the Twinjet has a pre-preg eglass composite airframe with carbon fiber control surfaces and empennage.
The TwinJet was not certified because it uses two converted surplus GE-T58 military helicopter engines (overhauled and zero-timed).
The TwinJet was designed in anticipation of the FJX-2 engine, which was being developed under the General Aviation Propulsion program. The FJX-2 was going to be a new generation turbofan engine producing 700-800 pounds of thrust.
When delays occurred for that engine, Bob Bornhofen elected to use the T58 engines so he wouldn't slow the TwinJet development.
Twinjet 1500 characteristics
| Manufacturer | Maverick Air |
| Designer | Bob Bornhofen |
| Type | Twin light jet aircraft |
| First flight | 4 august 1999 |
| Nb. Built | 3 |
| Crew | 2+2 |
Power plant
| Engine | G.E | T.58 |
| Count | 2 | |
| Type | Turbojet | |
| Max. ratings | 334 kg | 770 lbs |
Dimensions
| Span | 10,21 m | 33 ft 6 in |
| with tip tanks | 10,52 m | 34.5 feet |
| Length | 8,69 m | 28 ft 6 in |
| Height | 2,74 m | 9 ft |
| Wing aspect ratio | 7.5 | |
| Aereas (wings, cross) | 13,94 m² | 150 ft² |
Weights
| Empty | 1180 kg | 2600 lb |
| Max T.O | 2268 kg | 5000 lb |
| Max wing loading | 162,7 km/m² | 33.33 lb/sq ft |
Performances
| Vne - Max speed | 770 km/h | 480 mph |
| Vno - Max.crus. speed | 644 km/h | 400 mph |
| Stalling speed | 145 km/h | 90 mph |
| Max. rate of climb | 1067 m/min | 3,500 ft/min |
| Service ceiling | 6095 m | 20,000 ft |
| Range | 1852 km | 1000 n miles |
| Range with tip tanks | 2407 km | 1300 n miles |
| Landing speed | km/h | mph |
| T.O distance to 50 ft | 671 m | 2,200 ft |
| Landing distance from 50 ft | 607 m | 1990 ft |
TwinJet Built
Three planes have been put in the air. The first prototype was flight tested to about 370 knots during a series of tests to determine if the aircraft had any major certification-related problems.
Two are still flying. One is not; it was involved in an incident.
Prototype N750TJ.
Serial number : 1,
First fligth 4 august 1999.
Public debut at EAA Air venture, Oskosh, August 2000.
Destroyed on Jan. 24, 2003 in Melbourne, Florida
N411KT
Serial number : 2,
Owned by Mike Seavall (Longmont, COLORADO).
It was built from a Maverick Air's kit . Two years were spent to build it.
N699VA
Serial number : 3
Professionaly built in 2003.
It's fitted with 2 T850 engines
