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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gippsland_GA8

GA8 Airvan
The prototype GA8 Airvan in front of the Latrobe Valley Aero Club circa 1999
Role	Utility aircraft
National origin	Australia
Manufacturer	Gippsland Aeronautics
First flight	1996
Introduced	December 2000
Primary user	United States Civil Air Patrol
Produced	2000–present

The Gippsland GA8 Airvan is a single-engined utility aircraft manufactured by Gippsland Aeronautics of Victoria, Australia. It can seat eight including one pilot.

Development

The aircraft was designed to fill a market gap perceived by the manufacturer between the Cessna 206 and Caravan models. It is used in various roles, including passenger service, freight, sightseeing, parachuting, observation, and search & rescue.

As of August 2008, more than 130 Airvans had been produced and delivered.

A turbocharged version of the aircraft was planned since 2004, and the prototype turbocharged aircraft commenced flight testing in October 2006. In February 2009, Gippsland Aeronautocs announced that the Australian Civil Aviation Authority had issued an amendment to the GA8 type certificate to cover the turbocharged variant. The variant is known as the GA8-TC320 and is powered by a 320 HP Lycoming TIO-540-AH1A Turbocharged Fuel Injected Engine. The first deliveries took place in February 2009.

A turbine version of the Airvan is also planned.

A floatplane version has been considered by the manufacturer and was awaiting certification of the turbocharged engine version.

Operators

A Civil Air Patrol GA8 Airvan on takeoff during a mission following Hurricane Rita in 2005.

• The American Civil Air Patrol operates 18 Airvans for Search and Rescue operations, of which 16 carry the Airborne Real-time Cueing Hyperspectral Enhanced Reconnaissance (ARCHER) system, which can be used to search for aircraft wreckage based on its spectral signature.
• Mission Aviation Fellowship Australia operates eleven Airvans, providing air-transport services in developing countries.
• The Lesotho Defence Force for supply flights to small airfields. -
• German regional airline Ostfriesische Lufttransport
• TGS Air Charter Service

• Air Fraser Island - Urangan, Queensland - Australia -

• Air Safaris - Lake Tekapo, New Zealand. -

• AirVentures Hawaii - Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii, USA -

• Alligator Airways - Kununurra, Western Australia. -

• Commando Skydivers - Tooradin, Victoria, Australia -

• Glenorchy Air - Queenstown, New Zealand -

• Kakadu Air - Arnhem Land, Australia -

• KammAir BV - Rotterdam, Netherlands -

• Mission Aviation Fellowship - Australia & Papua New Guinea-

• Maya Island Air - Belize -

• Nyassa Air Taxi - Malaŵi -

• Paradise Air - San Jose, Costa Rica -

• Natron Air - Soldotna, Alaska -

• TGS Air Charter Services (Tooradin Flying School) Victoria, Australia -

• Rani Air - Mozambique.-

• Safari Air - Maun, Botswana -

• Shoal Air - Kununurra, Western Australia

• Skydive Ireland - Nenagh Co. Tipperary -

• Soundsair - New Zealand -

• Tandem Skydive - Airlie Beach, Queensland. -

• Tropic Air - Belize.

• Wings Over Whales - Kaikoura, New Zealand. -

• Wings Over Wilderness - Vanderhoof, BC, Canada -

• Wrights Air - William Creek, South Australia. -

• Geraldton Air Charter - Geraldton, Western Australia

Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Capacity: 7 passengers or freight
• Length: 29 ft 4 in (8.9 m)
• Wingspan: 40 ft 9 in (12.4 m)
• Height: 12 ft 9 in (3.9 m)
• Wing area: 214 ft² (19.85 m²)
• Empty weight: 2200 lb (997 kg)
• Gross weight: 4000 lb (1814 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming I0-540-K1A5 horizontally-opposed six-cylinder engine, 310 hp (231 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 214 mph (343 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 136 mph (217 km/h)
• Range: 930 miles (1722 km)
• Rate of climb: 787 ft/min (4 m/s)

See also

External links

• Gippsland Aeronautics Official Site
• GA October 2006 newsletter
• CASA Australia Type Certificate and Type Certificate Data Sheet
• FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet
• Specs & Photo at Flugzeuginfo.net

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Published in July 2009.

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