Sydney-based Utility Air has secured several Diamond aircraft that will be refurbished in Canada before being offered to Australian training organisations.
The aircraft, five DA20s and eight DA42 twins, will be refurbished at the Diamond Aircraft factory under the Certified Pre-owned program (CPO) with new engines, propellers, interiors and paintwork as well as having all lifed components zeroed.
Utility Air will then offer them for lease or sale to Australian flying schools as an option for stalled fleet renewal programs.
Utility Air’s Managing Director, Stephen Pembro said the CPO program was emerging as a very viable alternative to buying new aircraft.
“These aircraft, when completed, will have the appearance and functionality of new aircraft at a significantly lower price," he said. "They will also be available sooner than new aircraft and pricing will fall midway between new and used.
“One of the most important advantages of the CPO aircraft are their reduced carbon footprint. By effectively recycling an aircraft that has already been built to near new standards, the energy consumed in manufacture is already amortized.”
John Oppenheim, Director of Utility Air, said he believed the CPO aircraft could provide a more economically-viable solution to schools wanting to replace ageing fleets.
“The past year has been challenging for flight schools," Oppenheim said. "We have seen a lot of organisations which need new product be unable to justify the investment in these uncertain times.
"Being able to provide a state-of-the-art training aircraft at either a low hourly acquisition cost or a low hourly rate should be a game changer for many of our customers.”
The aircraft are expected to be ready for handover to new customers by the end of the third quarter 2021.