Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) has sold five Astra SPX twin-engined executive jets since February, and hopes to sell a total of 15 aircraft in 1998 and about 24 aircraft annually in subsequent years, according to Motti Boness, IAI's civil-aircraft division manager. Boness has attributed the rise in sales to the successful marketing drive of sister company Galaxy Aerospace of the USA.
IAI has stepped up work on the first Galaxy prototype in an effort to meet the planned 4 September roll-out. "We plan to perform the first flight before the end of the year," says Boness.
IAI has 15 deposits, and three firm orders for the $15 million long-range business jet. Boness plans to increase the production rate from 1.5 aircraft a month in 1998 to two aircraft a month each year thereafter. "Our marketing plan is based on a backlog of 40 aircraft at the end of 1998," he adds.
Source: Flight International