PILOT INSURANCE CENTER

Summit will deal the GA8 Airvan

GippsAERO recently announced that they have made Summit Aviation an authorized dealer for the GA8​Airvan in the United States.

By naming Summit Aviation as a dealer, GippsAERO is looking to focus sales of the aircraft for government and surveillance purposes. The company has manufactured more than 200 aircraft, which are seen flying in 34 countries including the U.S., Australia, Europe, Africa and Asia.

“Summit Aviation is one of the leading integrators of sophisticated surveillance systems and sensors into aircraft platforms,” said Terry Miles, CEO of GippsAERO. “With over 50 years of experience in providing quality sales and service to private and government customers from their expansive facility in Middletown, Delaware, they are a natural fit for promoting and selling our surveillance GA8 model and the GA8 Astra.”

The GA8 Airvan is a single-engine piston powered aircraft made available in a normally-aspirated or turbocharged version.

Ralph​Kunz, general manager of Summit Aviation, said they see the GA8 Astra as a good opportunity to offer customers a surveillance platform that offers a combination of utility and capacity coupled with operating costs that are a fraction of those available from alternative platforms.

Another aviation company, SkyQuest, also recently made a similar announcement. The company has made the Quest Kodiak airplane an authorized dealer for their locations across the globe.

“The Kodiak is the perfect fit for the markets we have served and lived in for the past 25 years,” said Greg Melang, president and founder of SkyQuest International. “We look forward to a successful relationship with Quest Aircraft Co. and the customer base this outstanding aircraft will serve.”

The Kodiak is capable of taking off in under 1,000 feet at full gross weight, and climbs 1,300 feet per minute once its in the air.Company officials say that it doesn't matter how rough the strip is, no airports are necessary, as​the plane can come to a full stop with only 705 feet of runway.

The Kodiak has different primary functions than the GA8. Company officials said it is accommodating for humanitarian, air ambulance, skydive and surveillance missions. Additional options for the plane include oversized tires, external baggage compartments, parachute options and a cargo drop package.

SkyQuest​Kodiak dealers are located in North Carolina, Virginia, District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky, in addition to theirAfrican locations.

Any pilots who own their own planes are encouraged to never fly without pilot life insurance.

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