The GippsAero Airvan 8. Photographed by Russavia.
Amidst the pinch of the pandemic-induced global economic slowdown, the Indian manufacturing giant Mahindra has declared that it is ceasing the production of the Australian-designed GippsAero Airvan. This was just one of numerous measures taken by Mahindra to trim its cash flow. The Airvan, which encompasses three similar models, never really made a significant dent in the marketplace. In the two decades since its introduction, the company has delivered a mere over 250 units, with the Civil Air Patrol operating 18 of them.
Mahindra states that GippsAero is up for sale. During a telephone press conference, Mahindra’s managing director Anish Shah said, “…the company is available for sale if anyone is interested in purchasing it. Currently, we have transitioned to a service model, and we will continue with this service model to fulfill the contractual obligations of the planes. However, there are no further plans for manufacturing or selling these planes.”