Story ID: 679GippsAero Airvan
Airvan Racks Up 200
By: David Donald
Caption: 
Word Count: 265
Sales and product support specialist Hawker Pacific is due to hand over the keys of the 200th GippsAero GA8 Airvan to a customer in Asia this week. The sale came about as a direct result of a sales tour, which secured significant interest for the aircraft from countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. 
  
Hawker Pacific is the appointed authorized dealer for the Airvan in the ASEAN region, and undertook the tour to show customers what the utility aircraft can bring to their operations. “The brochure just doesn’t do it justice,” said Tony Jones, COO of Hawker Pacific Asia. “Experiencing the GA8 Airvan at first-hand means potential buyers can really appreciate just how well built it is, its flying characteristics and the size of the cabin that makes it so versatile.”
  
As can be seen at first hand in the static park, the eight-seat GA8 Airvan is a highly flexible utility transport that has been designed and manufactured to meet exacting international safety standards, as well as a wide range of operational needs. Designed and built in Australia, the aircraft is operating in 34 countries, including the U.S., where 18 Airvans are used by the Civil Air Patrol. Most of these aircraft carry the Archer hyperspectral sensor for a range of surveillance duties such as search and rescue, or locating missing aircraft.
  
GippsAero has also developed the lengthened GA10 that can accommodate up to 9 passengers or 11 parachutists. Beyond that, it is developing the GA18, a twin-turboprop 18-passenger utility aircraft based on the GAF N24A Nomad.