August 2005
UTILITY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
PRESS RELEASE.
UPDATE.
The time gets by so fast. We were recently reminded that it had been a while since our last update. UAC has had a very busy year so far.
In February we delivered a PAC 750XL to Mark – Mark Air in Taft, CA. Then In March we delivered another plane to the Sky Knights Sport Parachute Club in East troy, WI. Both organizations put the planes to work immediately. Both report that the planes are doing great and the jumpers love them. In just four months the Sky Knights have already flown over 300 hours, averaging 4 jump loads per hour. Having previously operated, a C-208B, Super Otter and King Air, Mike Lalley of the Sky Knights reports that they are saving more than 6 gals per load over the C-208 and more than 12 gals per load over the Twin Otter and King Air. Their biggest day to date was 33 loads in one day in July! If you want to talk performance to an operator that knows, contact the Sky Knights at (262) 642-9494. They welcome your calls.
We took the PAC 750XL to the Alaska Airman’s show in May. It was well received and we flew two days of demo flights after the show. We staged out of Aero Twin’s facilities. Big thanks to Tony and his staff for all of their hospitality. Aero Twin is also now the supplier for seats for the 750XL. These seats are certified to the latest standards, folding and easily installed and removed. This is in keeping with the function and versatility of the PAC 750XL. With the interest generated in the plane, we wished that we could have stayed in AK for a couple of extra weeks, but other commitments required us to move on.
In July we delivered a PAC 750XL to Larry Pennington of Skydive Suffolk, VA. In his first weekend of operation, he reported flying 3 more loads in one day than he had ever flown with his recently sold King Air. And after running the numbers for the weekend, reported saving over $1500 in fuel! This translates into about $6,000 per month in fuel savings which will go a long way to making the monthly payments. And he does not have the worry of a second engine, retractable gear and the general hemorrhaging of money associated with keeping his former King Air flying. After just one month, Larry stated “This is the best investment I’ve ever made in my life.”
July - August took us to the Oshkosh Air show. The weather was great and we were plenty busy with the million visitors coming through the gates. The PAC 750XL on display here was the first from the assembly line at Mecachrome, in Mirabel, Canada. This joint venture with Pacific Aerospace and Mecachrome promises to increase production as needed and will be a great asset in the service and parts supply chain as well as eliminating the ferry requirements from New Zealand. We look forward to working closely with Mecachrome .
It has now been just over one year since the delivery of the first FAA certified PAC 750XL to America. MAXim Aviation, Llc, the launch customer flying out of SkyDance SkyDiving in Davis, CA reports flying just over 600 hours in the first year and it has exceeded all expectations.
The DZO states “The 750XL is so efficient that we have flown more this year with just one plane than we did before with two C-208’s. And there are additional benefits that we had not even considered. Because of its efficiency, we have done more tandem jumps with two less Tandem rigs, which cost over $10,000 each. Plus we’ve only had four aircraft inspections (150 hr. v/s 100 hr. inspections). With the C-208 we would have done 6 inspections, probably more, because we would have needed two planes to do the same work load. And the 750XL is a lot easier to maintain. We figure that we are saving 50% on inspection cost alone. Just considering fuel cost, it actually makes more sense to fly the 750XL with 4 or 5 jumpers than it does to use the C-182.” Plus the ability to single point fuel and go really helps with turn times.
Just a couple of weeks ago at the “Midwest Freefall's Homegrown Boogie” in Tecumseh, MI the DZO’s and jumpers were amazed to witness the PAC 750XL, from the Sky Knights Skydiving Club as it literally Lapped the Grand Caravan, flying jumpers almost 2 loads to one.
The PAC 750XL has proven its performance exceeds everything in its class. Because the performance numbers and lift ability is so spectacular, we find we get skeptical looks when we talk about the numbers. But seeing is believing. All you have to do is experience it once and you will be convinced. Our performance numbers and operational costs are a conservative model. We expect that in the real world, the goals will be achieved and indeed, surpassed. (See our web site www.utilityaircraft.com for jump aircraft comparisons) Performance and efficiency is what makes the PAC 750XL the perfect aircraft for DZO's world wide.
There are now four PAC 750XLs in service around the country. So if you have not had an opportunity to experience this amazing plane yet, just let us know and we’ll help coordinate a visit for you.
The 750XL not only climbs well, since the pilot can easily shut the door after jumpers are away, it descends so fast that little airspace is used. In fact, the climb and decent profile of the 750XL is about half the horizontal airspace of most other jump planes. This means the operator has more options for the climb profile in noise sensitive areas. Two 750XL operators have actually been visited by their local air traffic controllers who wanted to see just what a PAC 750XL looked like. They both stated that in their years as controllers, they had never seen a skydive aircraft of any kind climb so fast and use such a small airspace footprint.
Please feel free to contact us if you want to place an order, arrange a demo or get answers to questions.
We have added new high resolution images to our web site www.utilityaircraft.com/highresolutionphotos.html
Regards,
Philip Esdaile
UTILITY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
PO Box 1235
Woodland, CA 95776
USA
pesdaile@utilityaircraft.com
www.utilityaircraft.com
(530) 750-3226
(530) 754-7371 FAX
