Australia's Gippsland Aeronautics has gained US Federal Aviation Regulations 23 type certification from the Federal Aviation Administration for its GA200 two-seat agricultural aircraft, in the restricted category, for aerial agriculture and firefighting.
George Morgan, Gippsland managing director, says that the company is developing a higher-gross-weight variant, to be powered by the new Textron Lycoming IO-580 piston engine.
About 50 GA200s have been sold in Australia and New Zealand and sales have recently been achieved in China, where, according to Gippsland, the aircraft's dual-seat training capability has attracted interest.
Morgan is seeking to expand international opportunities by "globalising" component manufacture and possibly assembly. He sees the Asia, South America and the USA as likely targets.
Gippsland is now planning to pursue FAA certification of the GA200 in the normal category and will also begin work on US approval of its eight-seat GA8 light-utility aircraft.
Source: Flight International
