South Australian training academy Flight Training Adelaide (FTA) has ordered two more Diamond DA42-L360s to add to their fleet..
The aircraft will be delivered in the first quarter of 2013, and will add to the academy’s current fleet of seven DA42-L360 and four DA40-CS aircraft. The expansion comes as FTA accepts additional students from Cathay Pacific, QantasLink and Virgin Australia.
Tony Jones, Senior Vice President, Hawker Pacific Aircraft Sales and Flight Services Group, said the new twins were an excellent fit for FTA.
“For many years FTA has been training pilots for some of the world’s leading airlines and we remain committed to delivering the best equipment so that they can keep doing what they do best. The superb capabilities of the twin-engine DA42 range means the aircraft are ideal for flight training, which is why FTA has chosen Diamond yet again to meet their growing needs. We look forward to supporting the operational deployment of the two new aircraft early next year.”
FTA CEO Pine Pinaar said the new twins will bolster their hard-working fleet when they arrive next year.
“This is an exciting time for us at FTA as the Academy continues to expand its fleet to meet the needs of our ever-growing training operations. The performance of our current fleet of seven DA42-L360s has been exceptional with more than 2000 flying hours on the airframes and, as we continue providing world-class aviation training solutions for the fixed wing and rotary wing industry, the acquisition of two more of these extremely capable aircraft makes sense. We look forward to continuing our excellent long-term relationship with Hawker Pacific as we expand and modernise our training fleet.”
FTA is also expecting a delivery of four more DA40-CS aircraft at the end of 2012 as part of a fleet sale secured with Hawker Pacific earlier this year, with the option to purchase an additional 18 aircraft in 2013 and 2014.