Botswana-based charter specialist Major Blue Air (Maun) has inked an agreement with Mahindra Aerospace (Traralgon) and will order an unspecified number of GA10 Airvan turboprops for scenic flights in the country, the Financial Express has reported.
The Botswanan carrier will become the world's first operator of the type.
"[I am] delighted that Major Blue Air of Botswana has become our first customer of FAA-certified new ten-seater turboprop aircraft from Mahindra Aerospace," Group President, Aerospace & Defence at Mahindra Group SP Shukla said in a tweet.
The new type is manufactured in Australia by GippsAero (Traralgon). Mahindra Group acquired a 75.1% stake in Gipps in 2009. The GA10 is a direct development of the GA8; it received FAA and Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority certification in May 2017.
Major Blue Air is a non-scheduled specialist whose fleet currently includes Cessna (single piston) 172, Cessna 206, Cessna 208, Beech (twin piston) Baron 58, Beech (twin turboprop) King Air B200, Gipps GA8, and Hawker Beechcraft 800XP aircraft.
