Mahindra Aerospace, aviation division of the Rs 56,000-crore Mahindra and Mahindra Group, has sealed a deal to sell its eight-seater aircraft to an Indian buyer, a top company official said. “We have signed an agreement to sell the eight-seater Airvan GA8 in India. This is our first sale in the country,” Mr Arvind Mehra, executive director and chief executive of Mahindra Aerospace, said.
He said the company has so far sold around 200 GA8 around the world. The buyer, who does not wish to be identified, is expected to make an announcement about the acquisition soon. With a price tag of Australian $7,50,000, Airvan GA8 is used as a ‘people mover’, with a capacity to seat seven adults, or as a freight hauler thanks to its payload of 800 kg. The aircraft can also be used for diverse functions, from air-ambulance to the start-point for adventure sports like parachuting and skydiving, company officials said.
The first Indian buyer of GA8 is expected to use it to offer point-to-point air transport, especially to remote areas or to cities without proper airport facilities. “Most countries need aircraft that can operate out of unpaved runways and make short take-offs and landings,” Mr Mehra said. Though many Indian corporate honchos use eight-seater planes as business jet, the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) has not allowed an eight-seater for commercial purpose
Mr Mehra said: “DGCA allows the use of only single-engine five-seaters for commercial flights in India. However, we are in talks with the DGCA officials. We have already submitted all safety records of the aircraft and apprised the DGCA officials of countries that allow eight-seater aircraft to run on commercial lines.”