At the Dubai Air Show last month, Tbilisi Aerospace Manufacturing (TAM) of Tbilisi, Georgia (the former Soviet Republic, not the Peachtree State), featured as part of its small stand a wall-size photograph of the twin-engine Maverick Jet kitplane. Although a manufacturer of military airplanes, such as the Sukhoi Su-25 ground-attack aircraft and the MiG-21 fighter, TAM is diversifying into civil aircraft and sees the Maverick spearheading this effort. TAM has worldwide distribution rights for the Maverick.
Melbourne, Fla.-based Maverick Jets shut down its assembly facility in Florida last May (laying off some 50 employees involved in manufacturing), packed up two U.S.-built Maverick kits and the composite fuselage molds and shipped the kits and molds to Tbilisi. In August, Sandy Scott, Maverick director of client development, said first flight of a TAM-assembled Maverick Jet powered by Williams FJ33 engines was expected as early as this month. In Dubai last month, TAM officials estimated flight tests would begin soon enough for Russian certification to be obtained within the first half of the year. Following Russian certification, TAM will pursue European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approval and then FAA approval.
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