Following the communication of Russian society AVIAMOST Ltd on January 24, GECI International confirmed the signing of an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) for the purchase of 40  GECI (Sky Aircraft) Sk-105 Skylander.
There is an option to acquire up to 260 additional aircraft. The signing of the sales contract and options is provided in the first quarter 2012 and first deliveries in 2014.

The Sk-105 Skylander was announced on 17 October 2001 at the Seoul Air Show. Design supervision was by the late Desmond Norman, co-designer of the Britten-Norman Islander. The first metal cut was scheduled in January 2004; the first of two prototypes expected to fly in May 2005, but this has been postponed indefinitely, pending adequate funding.

By December 2007, plans were in hand for the formal programme launch in April 2008 following the signature of letter of intent by Turkish freight carrier ACT Airlines Group for 15 aircraft to be delivered between 2011 and 2021. Simultaneously, there was an announced partnership agreement for distribution of the Skylander in Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, Turkey and several Middle East countries. Progress was slowed by a change of manufacturing plant from Portugal to France during 2008, and the target in-service date remained 2011. The programme was structured for joint funding (initially USD120 million) by three risk-sharing partners, Korean Aerospace Industries being first, on 17 October 2001, to pledge USD30 million to secure responsibility for wing production.

In October 2009, a new design of the aircraft was presented. After another change of manufacturing plant location (Chambley-Bussières Air Base in Lorraine), the target date of entry into service is now in the last quarter of 2012.

Source: GECI
Photo: Rob Vogelaar, Z.A.P.P.