The company holds 20 firm orders for the low-wing, single-turboprop airplane, but Lueck adds: “We are close to signing a contract with an air taxi operator that will take 25 aircraft in the first year of production and then another 125 thereafter. Our aircraft gives customers so much more airplane,” explains Lueck. “Single-engine isn’t an issue anymore.”

The company is also working on other aircraft which includes a low-wing variant of its high-wing Comp Air 9 called the Comp Air 11. “We hope to have the prototype built and unveil it at the Lakeland show in April next year,” adds Lueck.

The Comp Air 12 will be certified under FAR23 regulations and is expected to be certificated in 2011. Lueck believes the real appeal for air taxi operators is the fact that it can take six passengers with two crew and baggage. “Even though this aircraft will be single-pilot certified, a lot of the time insurance companies will stipulate a minimum of two crew,” he says.