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Governor opens new aircraft production hangar at airportThe Governor of Victoria, John Landy, AC, MBE, officially opened the new production hangar for Gippsland Aeronautics on Thurs 10 June while visiting Latrobe Regional Airport, which was the final venue on the Vice-Regal tour of Latrobe City. By Latrobe Shire Council - 11th June 2004 - Back to News The completion of the hangar by the Airport Board permits Gippsland Aeronautics to move production activities associated with the manufacture of the GA8 Airvan from elsewhere in Gippsland Aeronautics’ complex, greatly increasing the efficiency of the GA8 production line.
Currently a new GA8 is completed every nine working days and ultimately the new hangar will allow this production rate to increase to a new plane every five working days. This will require a further increase in the number of staff employed from the current 120 to around 150.
Latrobe City Mayor, Councillor Darrell White, said that while inspecting Gippsland Aeronautics’ manufacturing plant and the production of the GA8 Airvan aircraft, the Governor and Mrs Landy witnessed the 100th GA8 being produced, which is currently on the production line.
"In addition, the Governor witnessed two GA8s being loaded into 12metre shipping containers for export. The GA8s are either partially disassembled by removing the wings and tail for export by container, or flown complete to nearby destinations such as Indonesia with auxiliary fuel tanks in the passenger compartment to enable them to fly the long distances involved," Cr White explained.
"The impact on the positive image of the Airport and Latrobe City from the continued growth and success of Gippsland Aeronautics and the GA8 Airvan is significant. Apart from an ultra-light aircraft manufacturer in Queensland, Gippsland Aeronautics is the only commercial production light aircraft manufacturer in Australia, and Airvans are sold in around a dozen countries world-wide. In particular, Gippsland Aeronautics' contract to supply Airvans to the US Civil Air Patrol means that, over time, GA8s made here in Latrobe City will be seen in every State in the USA, flown by an agency of the US Government," Cr White said.
"Gippsland Aeronautics rents all of its production facilities from Council through the Airport Board and both parties agree that this most effective partnership approach continues to be a major contributor to the success and growth of both Gippsland Aeronautics and the Latrobe Regional Airport. The completion of the second GA8 Production Hangar is a further milestone in the partnership arrangement.
"The economic impact of these developments will be profound. Every sale of an Airvan brings around $640,000 into the local economy and a substantial proportion of this goes to local workers and sub-contractors. The effect of a doubling of the cashflow through our economy can readily be appreciated," Cr White added.
Following the official opening of the production hangar, the Governor and Mrs Landy were guests at a morning tea hosted by the Airport Board attended by key airport tenants and their employees.
The Governor and Mrs Landy then departed Latrobe City for a tour of Wellington Shire.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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