GECI SK-105 Skylander - Design and Development

Design and Development

It was announced on 17 October 2001 at the Seoul Air Show. Design supervision was by the late Desmond Norman, co-designer of the Britten-Norman Islander. The first metal cut was scheduled in January 2004; the first of two prototypes expected to fly in May 2005, but this has been postponed indefinitely, pending adequate funding.

By December 2007, plans were in hand for the formal programme launch in April 2008 following the signature of letter of intent by Turkish freight carrier ACT Airlines Group for 15 aircraft to be delivered between 2011 and 2021. Simultaneously, there was an announced partnership agreement for distribution of the Skylander in Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, Turkey and several Middle East countries. Progress was slowed by a change of manufacturing plant from Portugal to France during 2008, and the target in-service date remained 2011. The programme was structured for joint funding (initially USD120 million) by three risk-sharing partners, Korean Aerospace Industries being first, on 17 October 2001, to pledge USD30 million to secure responsibility for wing production.

In October 2009, a new design of the aircraft was presented. After another change of manufacturing plant location (Chambley-Bussières Air Base in Lorraine), the target date of entry into service is postponed year after year and now proposed for 2014.

On October 4, 2012, given the lack of funding, GECI Aviation Sky Aircraft later went into receivership.