Gippsland’s Mahindra Aerospace, which incorporates GippsAero, today unveiled its newest aircraft at the Australian International Airshow 2017. Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester met with Mahindra Aerospace’s Business Development Manager for Aircraft Business Marguerite Morgan at Avalon Airport to see the new member of its aircraft family. “The GA10 Airvan is the next step up for many commercial aviation businesses that outgrow the successful GA8 Airvan,” Mr Chester said.“This aircraft has undergone extensive testing and development for the past few years and it’s great to see it almost at the point of receiving type certification” Mrs Morgan said the GA10 Airvan would be manufactured and serviced at Mahindra’s facility at the Latrobe Valley Airport near Traralgon. “The GA10 is a working utility aircraft for the commercial aviation sector and is ideally suited to remote transport and tourism. We also see good opportunity for the aircraft in special mission and air surveillance roles,” Mrs Morgan said. “The GA10 Airvan has a Rolls Royce 250 series turbine engine, Hartzell propeller and is the most cost effective aircraft of it class in terms of acquisition and operations costs. With Pilot plus 9 passenger seating, it’s the ideal choice for operators to step up, having grown their businesses based on the Airvan 8. “We will be looking to market and sell the GA10 into markets where AV gas supply is limited or very expensive, including India, SEAsia/China and Africa. “Once the Type Certificate is issued by Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), we will be able to commence full scale manufacture and bring the aircraft to market. Mr Chester said he was supporting the company in its efforts to get government departments and agencies to buy its aircraft. “Government departments at local, state and federal levels and businesses with an interest in the prosperity of regional economies should support Australian-made products,” Mr Chester said. “I want to protect the jobs we already have and growing new opportunities through investment in new technologies, improving access to markets and encouraging a buy-local procurement culture from all levels of government and the business community.”
