Gipp Sland Aeronautics Launches Next Generation Nomad

“The Nomad has a bright future,” said David Withers, president of Boeing Australia Limited. “We’re delighted with Gippsland’s plan to continue providing outstanding support to existing customers while greatly expanding the market for this remarkably versatile, Australian-designed aircraft. ” Gippsland will manufacture the Nomad at its Latrobe Airport facility alongside the popular GA-8 Airvan, and could see it double its workforce. If all goes according to GA’s plans, the first Nomad could be delivered in late 2010.

The ‘next generation’ Nomad will be based on the 17-seat N24 model, and will feature a new glass cockpit and be powered by two Rolls-Royce 250B17F engines driving lightweight Hartzell propellers. New technology batteries would also help to reduce the empty weight ofthe aircraft and deliver more performance.

“Gippsland Aeronautics is pleased to be part of the Nomad’s future. We’re committed to continuing the high standard of support Boeing has delivered to existing Nomad operators around the world,” said Gary Wight, chairman of Gippsland Aeronautics.

“The versatile Nomad will complement our rugged GA8 Airvan multi-role utility aircraft. ” GA co-founder George Morgan also expressed enthusiasm about the aircraft.

“For many years we figured it would be great if we could get hold of the Nomad and really modify the aeroplane to suit the operators, the civilian operators and pretty much the requirements in the markets are still there,” he told the Latrobe Valley Express.

Independent market research commissioned by Gippsland Aeronautics estimates that there is a worldwide demand for 400 Nomads over the next 10 years, with most of the demand to come from Southeast Asia, where the type’s short takeoff and landing capability is likely to be a major attraction.

GA has already made significant inroads with its GA-8 Airvan into some of these markets, and believes that for many of its Airvan customers that the Nomad will be a logical step up.

Although slightly smaller, Gippsland expects that the Nomad will be cheaper to acquire and operate compared to its bigger rivals, the DHC-6-400 Twin Otter and Do-228. Both of those designs are planned to re-enter production over the next few years.

The Nomad was originally designed in the 1960s as a short takeoff and landing (STOL) utility aircraft for both civil and military use and was built in two versions – the 13-seat N22 and 17-seat N24.

The first flight of the N2 (the predecessor to the N22) was in 1971, with the aircraft entering service in 1975.

A total of 170 Nomads was sold before production ended in 1984, although most were given to foreign countries as aid and a number were also operated by the Army and RAAF’s Aircraft Research and Development unit.

GA says that there are currently 54 aircraft still in service around the world, with the majority involved in sightseeing and utility operations, and as part of the type certificate purchase GA will continue to provide technical support for these Nomads.

Out of production by the time GAF was rolled into Aerospace Technologies of Australia (ASTA) in 1987, Rockwell Australia then inherited the type certificate and support for the aircraft after it took over ASTA.

Boeing then took over Rockwell in 1997 and has held the certificate since before transferring it on to Gippsland Aeronautics.

The Nomad has had somewhat of a chequered life, having been involved in 29 hull losses, including the 1975 crash of the prototype which killed GAF chief test pilot Stuart Pearce. The type was also criticised by some elements of the Defence Force, and was subsequently removed from Army service in 1995. Nevertheless, Wight insists that there are no outstanding safety issues with the Nomad’s design.

Gippsland has already secured two letters of intent from Curry Kenny Aviation on the Sunshine Coast and Airfreight Solutions in Bathurst. It is believed that these will translate into firm orders soon, paving the way for a new generation of Nomads to take to the skies