Raytheon’s design objective was to strike a balance between the qualities aircraft owners value: cabin size, speed, operating cost, and range which was successfully achieved in the Hawker 4000, a private jet that is strong on all fronts.

The Hawker 4000’s cabin can carry between 8 and 14 passengers, being 29.5 feet long, 6 feet high and 6.5 feet wide. There is 115 cubic feet of baggage space available in an unpressurized external compartment. All typical amenities are available: fully enclosed lavatory, appliances for hot and cold food preparation, and power plugs.

The Hawker 4000 is powered by 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PW308A engines, providing 6,900 pounds of thrust each on takeoff. Similar to the PW305 engines used on the Hawker 1000, but producing more thrust, are more economical, and have better temperature margins. They also have improved sealing, aerodynamic, and filtering (to prevent bacteria growth) properties than their predecessor.

The runway requirements for the Hawker 4000 are impressive for a private jet of its size, take off in 5,088 feet on a sea level runway, or in 7,625 feet on a runway at an elevation of 5,000 feet. It can climb directly to 41,000 feet in twenty minutes at its Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW) of 36,000 pounds. When loaded to its maximum fuel capacity, it can fly 3,570 miles (3,100 nautical miles) at a speed of .80 Mach.

For optimum range cruising it can fly at 430 knots at its maximum flight level of 45,000 feet. Its highest speed cruise is 470 knots at 41,000 feet. The pressurization system is rated to 9.8 psi, so it can maintain a 6,000 foot cabin altitude while flying at 45,000 feet.

For such fast speeds and short takeoff distances Raytheon opted to use composites for almost all Hawker 4000’s components instead of metal. Most of its production is automatically performed by Cincinnati Milicron’s “Viper” system. A seven-axis robot handles the assembly procedures, most notably the final smoothing process. The mandrel is wrapped in carbon fiber tape, then placed inside a clamshell. Air is forced inside the shell during the drying process, resulting in a very smooth final shell. The composites used are extremely strong, light and thin -- the fuselage is only one inch thick. (By comparison, some aluminum fuselages are up to eight inches thick in vital places such as the door).

Other noteworthy features include the new anti-ice system and landing gear. The Hawker 1000 used a more complex KTS weeping-wing anti-ice system, while the 4000 returned to the more conventional bleed-air system for the main parts. A trailing link landing gear makes for smooth taxiing and landings with the standard digital anti-skid system.

Raytheon selected the Honeywell Primus Epic Avionics Suite for use, integrating and controlling many of the vital functions of the aircraft. It comes standard with a GPS sensor, an FMZ-2000 FMS (Flight Management System), dual auto-throttles, and dual automated flight control systems. Five 8x10 inch flat panel LCDs display all necessary flight information: 2 serve as the primary flight displays, 2 as multi-function displays, and 1 as an EICAS (Engine Indication and Crew Alert System), which cycles through seven pages of systems information. The electronic system displays allow the pilot to control all functions directly from the display.

Raytheon strikes a good balance between cabin size, range, speed, and economy in the Hawker 4000, with an 8 passenger cabin, a transatlantic range, while still managing to reach speeds of 470 knots. The operating costs are reasonably low with other factors such as runway performance staying highly competitive.