Brian McDonald, director of Pacific Aerospace, believed the light aircraft was suitable for carrying people and goods to and from remote areas as it was designed to land and take off on unprepared and bush strips.

“It is not necessary to have a smooth strip for the aircraft to land and take off. The strip can be rough,” McDonald told the Daily after the introduction ceremony in HCMC on Tuesday (06 Oct)  and before the demonstration flights for local potential buyers at Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

McDonald said the P-750 XSTOL needed a strip of 300 meters for take-off and only 110 meters for landing so it would be used effectively in Vietnam, which is an important market for the company.

“Vietnam is important because we believe that this is a country with a lot of rural communities, people and villages in remote areas that are not serviced by airlines,” McDonald said.

McDonald said Pacific Aerospace should try and tap this market as the Government had relaxed ownership and operation for aircraft.

McDonald unveiled the list price of the single-engined turboprop aircraft ranged from USD1.5 million to USD1.8 million depending on the instrument and equipment options from customers.

The P-750 XSTOL can fly non-stop within six hours and the maximum speed could be 170 knots (315 kilometers per hour). It can carry a load of more than 1,814 kg.

McDonald said Pacific Aerospace would work closely with Vietnam Air Services Co. (VASCO) to provide spare parts support and maintenance for customers in this market. He disclosed the company was in talks with one or two potential buyers in Vietnam.

Though the aircraft can be used for business trips, McDonald said it was not for VIPs. He furthered corporate buyers were preferred as the P-750 XSTOL was an aircraft to do aerial survey work for topography, mapping as well as was for skydiving.

Asked about the demand for aerial topography, research and medical rescue in Vietnam, VASCO general director Bui Ngoc Hoang said it remained modest. But he told the Daily earlier the potential to sell light aircraft was huge as individuals and organizations wanted to own it.

Pacific Aerospace has sold 600 aircraft of different types, including 57 P-750 XSTOLs in New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, the United State, Europe and Indonesia.

McDonald said there was a strong possibility for Pacific Aerospace to sell one P-750 XSTOL in Cambodia, where he and other executives of the company plan to arrive today as part of their demonstration tour for the aircraft in Southeast Asia.