Australian general aviation aircraft manufacturer Gippsland Aeronautics has delivered its first GA8 Airvan utility aircraft to Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) International for operation in Cambodia.
The manufacturer has previously delivered 11 Airvans to the Australia branch of the Christian not-for-profit organisation for operation in Arnhem Land - an aboriginal region in Australia's Northern Territory - East Timor, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, but this is the first for the recently formed MAF International, which combines MAF's operations in Australia, Europe, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA.
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© Gippsland AeronauticsA GA8 Airvan utility aircraft like the one delivered to Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) International for operation in Cambodia |
MAF operates a fleet of more than 130 aircraft in 35 countries in Africa, South and Central America, Asia and the Pacific region, providing isolated communities with medical care, emergency relief, education and long-term development assistance.
The new Airvan will be based in Phnom Penh and operate to all parts of Cambodia, including the remote northern and north-eastern provinces, providing humanitarian groups, government and mission teams access to otherwise isolated regions.
Personnel to be flown by the aircraft will include those involved in environmental protection, land mine clearing, aid and development workers, as well as translators, United Nations and international embassy employees.
MAF is a long-term customer for the Airvan and is set to operate the new turbocharged version of the aircraft. It is interested in the proposed diesel version of the Airvan.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
