Australian light aircraft manufacturer Eagle Aircraft has signed its biggest fleet order yet, with the sale of seven of its all-composite tandem-wing Eagle 180 sports trainers to the Civil Aviation Academy (CAA) of Victoria, which already operates three of the two-seat aircraft.
The new order, which brings the value of CAA's Eagle orders to more than A$1.5 million ($2.28 million), is one of the largest made by an Australian light aircraft manufacturer to a flight training and charter company in recent years. Two of the new aircraft have already been delivered to CAA, with the remaining aircraft due to come into operation in the next 12 months.
Eagle sales soar for Australian manufacturer
Manufacturing rights to the Australian-designed Eagle were recently sold to Malaysian interests, but the company says it will not proceed with plans to build the aircraft in South-East Asia "for at least five years". Its Malaysian factory will, however, provide some composite components to the final assembly line at its Perth, Western Australia base.
Eagle has also announced a deal with component manufacturer Aero- staff Australia, for manufacture of metal fittings and substructures, such as instrument panels, fuel tanks, push rods and attach brackets. Based on plans to boost production to five units a month over the next three years, the contract could be worth between A$12 and A$15 million.
Source: Flight International
