AvCraft Aviation has announced that it has firm orders and deposits for 14 new 328 JETs and options on an additional nine aircraft.

In March 2003, AvCraft completed its acquisition of the 328JET programme from Fairchild Dornier. As part of the transaction, it bought 18 finished aircraft and an additional five in progress on the assembly line.

The company now focuses on serving traditional users such as regional airlines, as well as non-traditional users, including corporate and special mission operators.

Robert Stanford, head of sales and marketing, said: “The orders we have completed effectively allocate the 23 aircraft that were included in the acquisition of the company.

“This, combined with the letters of intent, caused us to re-evaluate the start of production.

“We were at the Paris Air Show this year, visiting our vendors to discuss the accelerated restart of production, which is now looking like the first quarter of 2004.

“We believe production can begin at the rate of one per month, accelerating to two per month by the end of the year.”

Meanwhile, AvCraft has named the German company Aero-Dienst as both its first authorised service centre for the 328 family and as its sales representative for Central and Eastern Europe and Russia.