Hawker 4000
Hawker Beechcraft · USA · first flew 2001 · transport aircraft
The Hawker 4000 was an all-new composite super-midsize bizjet developed by Raytheon (later Hawker Beechcraft), representing a major departure from the aluminium HS.125 lineage of the Hawker 800 series.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbofan, tail-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Supermidsize T-tail twin with a visibly wider, composite fuselage compared with the Hawker 800 — the fuselage cross-section is nearly as wide as the Challenger 300 |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Supermidsize T-tail twin with a visibly wider, composite fuselage compared with the Hawker 800 — the fuselage cross-section is nearly as wide as the Challenger 300
- Pratt & Whitney Canada PW308A engines in very clean, swept nacelles; swept winglets with a distinct profile unlike any other Hawker product
- Carbon-composite primary structure gives the airframe a smoother, more uniform surface finish than earlier aluminium-construction Hawkers
The wide composite fuselage and swept winglets make the 4000 look more modern than the Hawker 800 family it was intended to succeed; against the Challenger 300 it is similar in size but shows a T-tail versus the Challenger's T-tail — the nacelle shape and winglet profile are the best differentiators.
Specifications
- The Hawker 4000 has a length of 21.08 m (69 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 18.82 m (62 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 872 km/h (542 mph).
- Typical crew: 2 flight crew.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in August 2001 and certified in 2006 after an extended development programme, the Hawker 4000 suffered from delays and cost overruns. Production was suspended in 2013 with only 36 aircraft delivered, making it one of aviation's more troubled programmes. Despite its rarity, it represents a technically ambitious aircraft with a full composite airframe.
Variants
Only one production variant was built; no sub-variants reached production status.
Where you'll see it
Extremely rare in European operations; a handful of examples operate globally, making any sighting at a UK bizjet hub notable.
Related aircraft
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