Gippsland Aeronautics - Timeline For GippsAero

Timeline For GippsAero

• 1977 - Peter Furlong starts Gippsland Aeronautics as an aircraft maintenance and modification business.
• 1984 - George Morgan joins Peter Furlong to form Gippsland Aeronautics Pty Ltd as an incorporated entity

• 1985 to 1991 - Gippsland Aeronautics develops the GA200 agricultural aircraft following approaches by local aircraft operators to design an agricultural aircraft with better lifting and handling capabilities than other available aircraft.

• 1991 - The GA200C Fatman is Type Certificated by the Australian Civil Aviation Authority.

• 1993 - The company commences design work on a new aircraft designated the GA8 that will fill a market niche between the six-seater Cessna 206 and the ten-seater Cessna Caravan.

• 1995 - The "proof of concept" GA8 Airvan makes its first flight in March 1995 and attends the Australian International Airshow at Avalon.

• 1996 - The prototype GA8 Airvan makes its first flight August 1996. The Airvan then undergoes a major flight testing and development program.

• 2000 - Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority certificates the GA8 Airvan to FAR 23 Amendment 48.

• 2001 - In December, the first export Airvan is delivered to Maya Island Air in Belize, Central America.

• 2002 - The US Civil Air Patrol appoints Gippsland Aeronautics to supply Airvans, making the CAP the first American organisation to own and fly the Airvan - and the largest fleet owner of the Australian GA8 worldwide.

• 2003 - Airvan gains Type Certification in Canada with Avalon Aircraft Corporation of Richmond B.C appointed as the Canadian representative - then US FAA grants type certification.

• 2004 - First Airvan is delivered to a Canadian operator, Wings Over Wilderness.
  • Cargo Pod for Airvan certified by Australian Civil Aviation Authority.

• 2005 - The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certifies the GA8 Airvan.

• 2005 - Gippsland Aeronautics Airvan airframe #100 rolled out in September 2006. The completion of 100 Airvans is considered to be a significant milestone in Australian aircraft manufacturing. Only two other manufacturers of Australian civil aircraft have built more than 100 aircraft in the post-WW2 era. The others being the Victa Airtourer (168) and the Government Aircraft Factories (GAF) with 170 twin-engined N22 & N24 Nomads.

• 2007 - February, Gippsland Aeronautics has built 110 GA8 Airvans and 50 GA200 Fatmans.

• 2009 - December, Mahindra Aerospace Pvt. Ltd. (MAPL), belonging to Mahindra Group of India, buys 75.1% majority stake.

• 2012 - May, GA10 first flight