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Ibis Orders Hit 69
Ibis has 60 firm orders and nine options for the Ae270 single-turboprop
multi-purpose airplane, according to marketing director Jeff Conrad.
The Ae270a joint venture between AIDC of Taiwan and Aero
Vodochody of the Czech Republicis set for certification in
the late summer of 2002 "and I doubt that it will slip beyond
September", says Conrad.
On show here is an Ae270 mock-up with a redesigned executive interior.
The second flying prototype of the Ae270P, with a Pratt &
Whitney Canada PT6A-42, was rolled out at the beginning of November
at Aero's factory near Prague and should fly before the end of
the year. Conrad says that the U.S. market is showing more interest
in the Ae270HP, with the more powerful PT6A-66; the first -HP
is due to fly in the summer and certification is expected in early
2003.
Ibis will deliver five Ae270Ps by the end of 2002 and expects
to produce 25 Ae270Ps and -HPs in 2003. Production is expected
to reach 45 units in 2004. The Ae270P is priced at $1.995 million
and the -HP at $2.195 million, for deliveries through the end
of 2003. Conrad says that the price will be "competitive"
after that.
Ibis has named Elliott Aviation of Moline, IL, as a distributor
for the Ae270, and has confirmed the selection of three other
distributors: Field Aviation Sales of Mississauga, Ontario; Cutter
Aviation of Phoenix; and Woodland Aviation of Woodland, CA.
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