GippsAero Airvan Gets the Axe
The utility plane was the victim of a cost-cutting move by industrial giant Mahindra.
GippsAero Airvan 8. Photo by Russavia
Feeling the pinch of the pandemic-related global economic slowdown, Indian manufacturing titan Mahindra has announced that it was ending production of the Australian-designed GippsAero Airvan. It was only one of many moves Mahindra made to cut cash flow.
The Airvan, of which there are three similar models, never made big inroads into the marketplace. In the 20 years since it was introduced, the company has delivered just over 250, with the Civil Air Patrol operating 18 of them.
Mahindra says that GippsAero is for sale. On a telephone press conference, Mahindra's managing director Anish Shah said, "...the company is up for sale if someone wants to buy it. We have moved to a service model right now and we will continue with the service model to meet the contractual obligations of the planes. But there is no further activity in terms of manufacturing or selling these planes."
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