Monday, May 7, 2012

A Wichita plane manufacturer is evaluating revised rules for an aircraft bid.

Hawker Beechcraft has until June 4th to submit a contract to supply the Afghanistan Army with 20 light-attack airplanes.

Hawker lost a bid to Sierra Nevada last year for the Air Force Embraer Plane Contract. The Air Force set aside the contract in February siting systematic problems with the competition.

In a statement released Tuesday, Hawker said:

“We are profoundly disappointed to see in the amended RFP that the USAF continues to permit antiquated pilot accommodation standards for ejection seat equipped aircraft which can place both USAF and partner nation pilots at unnecessary and higher risk. Those standards were developed by the USAF to protect their own male and female pilot population, and every aircraft acquired by the USAF should meet those modern safety standards."

Hawker said the company will continue to review the RFP and meet or exceed the USAF requirements.

Aircraft deliveries would be made in 2014. The contract is worth $355 million dollars.