new airvan going into production

[BrendAn]

The GippsAero GA8 airvan is back in production in the Latrobe Valley. (ABC Gippsland: Danielle Pope)

Manufacturers of a new aircraft say it will boost jobs in Victoria's Latrobe Valley after a founding family of the airline business reclaimed it from foreign hands.

GippsAero was established by self-described "air nut" George Morgan and Peter Furlong in Gippsland in 1984.

In the beginning, they altered existing crop-dusting planes to suit customer needs and requests. 

 

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They went on to design, manufacture and sell more than 300 aircraft from their Gippsland base to customers around the world.

A ceremony was held on Thursday to mark a return to local production by laying the keel of the company's new-model plane, a GA8 airvan.

The plane, which is set to take flight in 2026, will be used in tourism, skydiving, surveillance, and humanitarian and freight operations.

"It is a bit emotional, after a lifetime's effort of getting it all back together again after the global financial crisis and COVID, and to be supported as we are by the operators worldwide, it is quite amazing really," GippsAero chief executive George Morgan said. 

Australian-made aero

[Blueadventures]

1 hour ago, BrendAn said:

The GippsAero GA8 airvan is back in production in the Latrobe Valley. (ABC Gippsland: Danielle Pope)

Manufacturers of a new aircraft say it will boost jobs in Victoria's Latrobe Valley after a founding family of the airline business reclaimed it from foreign hands.

GippsAero was established by self-described "air nut" George Morgan and Peter Furlong in Gippsland in 1984.

In the beginning, they altered existing crop-dusting planes to suit customer needs and requests. 

 

Ad

 

 

They went on to design, manufacture and sell more than 300 aircraft from their Gippsland base to customers around the world.

A ceremony was held on Thursday to mark a return to local production by laying the keel of the company's new-model plane, a GA8 airvan.

The plane, which is set to take flight in 2026, will be used in tourism, skydiving, surveillance, and humanitarian and freight operations.

"It is a bit emotional, after a lifetime's effort of getting it all back together again after the global financial crisis and COVID, and to be supported as we are by the operators worldwide, it is quite amazing really," GippsAero chief executive George Morgan said. 

Australian-made aero

Terrific to see; we need to ramp up making stuff of good quality and reliable.

Edited Friday at 08:58 AM by Blueadventures

[planedriver]

Great to see 👍

[Underwood]

About time they stuck a turbine on it.

If they can sell it for less than a comparably outfitted Kodiak I reckon it would do well

[BurnieM]

Spec wise how does this compare to a Caravan and Kodiaks ?

 

[Thruster88]

1 minute ago, BurnieM said:

Spec wise how does this compare to a Caravan and Kodiaks ?

 

It seems they are relaunching the GA8 which is the piston version. The GA10 2 built has "only" 450hp turbine so much less than the Kodiak 750 or 900. Cruise speed for the GA10 is "only" 145 knots. 

 

The GA10 crashed in testing due to what seemed like some stupidity.  

 

Crash of a GippsAero GA10 Airvan near Mojave | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

WWW.BAAA-ACRO.COM

 

[BrendAn]

The old model has a good reputation so you would think it would be even better with a turbo prop.

The  ag plane they started with were pawnees that they modified and became known as the Fatman  .

[skippydiesel]

Its definitely looks like a work vehicle😈