FLS AEROSPACE'S effort to sell the Optica OA7-300 light-observation-aircraft project to Malaysia has crept forward, with the company leasing an aircraft to Sabah Air for evaluation.
With the assistance of British Aerospace, the UK-based company, which is now focusing on its rotables and maintenance businesses, has been negotiating for several months with Gegasi Industries to sell the project and transfer assembly to Malaysia (Flight International, 17-22 April). RCR of the UK is also involved in training and marketing aspects of the deal. Sabah Air of Malaysia is to evaluate the aircraft for applications such as surveillance and border mapping and could eventually order up to ten aircraft.
Gegasi, a privately owned real-estate company, is keen to assemble the aircraft at a site in Ipoh, Malaysia.
SME Aerospace, the Selangor-based producer of the ex-Swiss-built MD3-160 trainer, is in discussions over manufacturing components and subassemblies for the Optica.
Source: Flight International
