Due to serious resource constraints Spectrum Aeronautical has slowed development of the lightweight high-performance S.40 Freedom business aircraft and smaller S.33 Independence corporate jet. Presently Spectrum is developing S.40 prototype plane at sister firm Rocky Mountain Composites in Spanish Fork, Utah.
Spectrum president Austin Blue said: “We have had to decelerate the programs considerably, due primarily to our desire to pace the program optimally with the resources available,” and “This has meant layoffs for those involved in both programs, though we have maintained a team that is actively working on continuing the development.”
He also expressed his confidence that the company will succeed in combining the right composites structural approaches, next-generation automated manufacture and the winning designs.
Blue and his father, Linden, a key player in the Beech Starship program, launched Spectrum in November 2005.
