It’s kind of a tough time to be starting up an airplane business but the folks who have the intellectual property and a potentially flyable prototype of a rough-strip utility aircraft called the Gavilan are hoping there’s someone interested in resurrecting the design. The Gavilan is described as the “pickup truck of airplanes” and features a cargo area capable of carrying 4×8 sheets of building materials. The type certificate has been revoked by the FAA and what’s left is a slightly used prototype and all the engineering data that went into designing and certifying the aircraft.
The design and engineering material is held by General Aviation Technical Services (GATS), of Lock Haven, Pa. Spokesman John Bryerton said it cost about $7.5 million in 1998 to get the aircraft to certification and most of what went into that effort is offered for sale. He suggests it would cost far more to mount a similar effort today. GATS did not hold the type certificate. It was held by another company when it was revoked by the FAA. GATS tried to convince the FAA to reissue the TC based on the existing engineering material but the agency refused. Resolving the TC issues would be the responsibility of the new owners.
