Over its 30-year history GECI International has become a major engineering player in the transportation, energy, naval, offshore, space and aeronautic industries. The Paris-headquartered company is keen to emulate this success within the aircraft manufacturing arena where, through its GECI Aviation subsidiary, it is developing and enhancing two niche products: the vintage Reims F406, developed from the Cessna 406 Caravan II; and the new Skylander twin-engined turboprops.
GECI's acquisition last year of Prunay-based F406 developer Reims Aviation has helped to breathe life into the utility aircraft programme. GECI is committed to developing and expanding its customer base for the metal aircraft, for which it has secured around 17 orders.
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© GECI International |
The high-wing Skylander is less than two years away from its first flight |
To support its expanding customer base GECI is boosting its product support network, with new bases planned in Kuala Lumpur, Brisbane and the Middle East. The first of the GECI-built F406s was delivered earlier this year to the Tunisian office of tourism and is used for geographical mapping operations. The 100th aircraft is earmarked for delivery at the end of the year to an unnamed Chinese charter operator. The P&WC PT6A-112-powered F406 is used for a range of missions including maritime and land patrol, commuter, VIP, cargo, and air ambulance operations. The special-missions market accounts for around 55% of F406 sales, with airline and charter companies soaking up the remainder. GECI's F406 will be on display at the Paris air show along with a cockpit mock-up and simulator of its SK-105 Skylander stablemate.
That high-wing aircraft - developed by fellow GECI subsidiary Sky Aircraft - is less than two years away from its first flight. The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65B-powered Skylander is touted by GECI as a "modern, simple, low-cost but high-service short take-off and landing aircraft designed to carry up to 19 passengers or 2.7t of freight". Since its launch nearly a decade ago the aircraft has undergone a number of major design changes in an effort to boost its economic speed, improve take-off and landing performance, and offer greater range with maximum payload.
The Skylander is being developed under the Sky Aircraft brand and produced at its facility in Chambley-Buissières in France's Lorraine region. Envisaged uses span commuter, passenger/cargo combi, freight, paratroop transport and aerial ambulance operatons. GECI is also planning a VIP and charter variant which is expected to account for up to 10% of Skylander sales. To date around 20 orders have been chalked up for the Skylander, primarily from cargo operators and regional airlines including launch customer ACT Airlines of Turkey.
For more on the history of the Skylander project go to flightglobal.com/skylander
Source: Flight International
