Aircraft
In the works: The ‘Concept Jet’
Airplane programs traditionally began in one of two ways: either as a conceptual design, such as the Eclipse 500, which the manufacturer used to drum up de

Airplane programs traditionally began in one of two ways: either as a conceptual design, such as the Eclipse 500, which the manufacturer used to drum up deposits for future sales; or as a proof-of-concept prototype (POC), which is basically a full-size flying model airplane designed to show off the design’s attributes, and whose would-be manufacturers are also seeking deposits.

A POC is risky, however, because it doesn’t usually take into consideration the reality of certification and volume manufacturing. The prototype might perform and fly similarly to the final product, but under the skin the finished airplane is vastly different, with certifiable systems and structure backed up by stacks of paper confirming test results, all with an eye toward bringing a product to market.