RUSSIAN CERTIFICATION FOR NZ'S P-750 XSTOL
04 Sep 13

New Zealand’s Pacific Aerospace has gained Russian Type Acceptance for the P-750 XSTOL aircraft.

The Hamilton based business said the approval paves the way for its Russian agent to deliver the first of 37 P-750 XSTOLs to the country over the next five years 

The first P-750 for Russia is the 85th of its type produced by the company and will be operated by the Parachute Training Centre skydive drop-zone in Moscow.

It will be delivered later this month. Damian Camp, the chief executive of Pacific Aerospace, said: “Russia is an exciting market for us.” “Capturing just a small fraction of the replacement market for the 17,000 pre-WWII Antonov AN2 biplanes produced in Russia would be a big deal for us.”

The company said the ten-seat P-750 is operated in the mostdemanding conditions in places like Nepal, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Africa where reliability, low cost of operation and superior payload are critical.

It says the aircraft requires 720 feet(220m) to take off carrying a useful load of 4,200lbs (1,905kgs), which is more than its empty weight of 3,300lbs (1,497kgs).

The P-750 XSTOL has a range of 1,179nm (2,183km).

It has been certified against ICAO Annex 6 for Single Engine IFR Commercial Passenger Transport Operations.

It was issued with Chinese Type Validation in in December.

The manufacturer is now increasing its production rate.

The aircraft has a long ancestry starting with the Fu-24 ag aircraft.

Source: Asia-Pacific Aerospace Report - 4 September 2013