Beechcraft Premier I

The Beechcraft Premier I is a light business jet aircraft designed and manufactured by the Beechcraft division of Hawker Beechcraft. It was the company's first in-house designed business jet. Developed during the mid-to-late 1990s, the Premier I was designed to compete with the Cessna CitationJet series of aircraft. Its construction made use of both aluminium and composite materials; while the manufacturing approach for the airframe reduced production time, the overall aircraft was somewhat overweight compared to the programme's original goals. Upon its receipt of type certification in March 2001, the Premier I was both the fastest and most spacious aircraft in the light jet niche of the market. In 2006, an improved model of the aircraft, the Premier IA, was introduced; it featured improved avionics, brakes, and cabin comfort.