Press Release
Issued by .
December 9, 2010
Reims Aviation Industries, a subsidiary of GECI Aviation, has started production of the 100th F406 in its factory at Reims Prunay. This aircraft, which is intended for a Chinese customer and part of an MoU for ten aircraft, will be configured in the commuter version. Its delivery is scheduled for the end of 2011.
To celebrate this event, GECI Aviation welcomed around 200 international aviation industry professionals, elected representatives, representatives of local and regional authorities and journalists to its Reims Prunay site on the 30th of November.
An audience of specialists to whom Serge Bitboul presented GECI Aviation's strategy and reasserted its ambition to eventually take its place among the world's major names in aircraft building.
A very promising market situation
"The production of the 100th F406 demonstrates the success achieved by this aircraft and the fact that it satisfies both its operators and pilots" Serge Bitboul pointed out at the event. "The F406 is positioned in a very promising market, with strong growth in needs in terms of surveillance and security".
The twin turboprop F406, which is designed for the installation of high technology systems, is a benchmark recognised worldwide for maritime surveillance, pollution control, the fight against terrorism and mapping missions as well as for regional passenger or freight transport (12 in the commuter version).
Since it took over Reims Aviation Industries in 2008, the GECI International group has reinvigorated the company and considerably developed the F406's commercial portfolio, which now stands at 200 aircraft. 17 of them are the subject of formal agreements with customers in the form of firm orders, Memoranda of Understanding or Letters of Intent. This portfolio should be further strengthened by the contacts made with the international operators present at the Reims Prunay site on the 30th of November.
In order to deal with this market demand, Reims Aviation Industries is taking measures to step up its production capacity and increase from six aircraft in the 2010/2011 financial year to ten in the next year, twelve starting from 2013/2014 and then fourteen from the 2015/2016financial year onwards.
The Skylander programme is on the move
In parallel to the F406's commercial rebirth, GECI Aviation is developing the Skylander programme on its Chambley site in Lorraine. The Skylander, a twin turboprop aircraft capable of transporting 19 passengers or 2.7 metric tons of freight, is without equal on the market in terms of payload, range and modularity.
Operators worldwide have high expectations of its ability to ensure the regional transport of freight and passengers, for both civil and government missions, and to operate in extreme environments on short and roughly prepared airstrips.
GECI Aviation: a new dimension
With the F406 and the Skylander SK-105, GECI Aviation is offering the world market a complementary range of aircraft that should enable the group to develop natural synergies in fields such as research and development, marketing and sales, systems integration and customer support.
By building on the strengths of these two companies, Reims Aviation Industries and Sky Aircraft, GECI Aviation is giving itself the means to attain its objective of eventually taking its place among the world's 15 leading aircraft builders.
