Piper Aircraft, a general aviation manufacturer with a strong tradition of propeller planes, has reached a new milestone in the production of its first jet. The PiperJet, a seven-passenger very light jet (VLJ), made its first flight yesterday outside the company’s headquarters in Vero Beach, Fla.

The test flight reportedly went off without a hitch. Following its predetermined flight plan, the PiperJet flew to an altitude of 10,500 feet and a speed of 172 miles per hour. The plane’s projected performance specifications will see it fly beyond those figures, topping out at an altitude of 35,000 feet and a top speed of 414 miles per hour.

Priced competitively at $2.2 million and with similar performance characteristics to the segment leading Eclipse 500, the PiperJet should be a viable entrant to what is becoming a heated VLJ market. Yesterday, Embraer announced that its Phenom 100 had completed 1,000 hours of flight tests on its way to an expected FAA certification this fall.