The aviation capital of India – Bangalore – jettisoned into the Australian aviation history books when two Australian pilots Ken Evers, 33, and Tim Pryse, 51, touched down at the Bengaluru International Airport and later at HAL military airport on June 23.
Sources at the HAL airport confirmed the arrival of the aircraft.
The pilots are on a circumnavigation flight across the globe, to mark 100 years of powered flight in Australia.
The aircraft is GA8-TC Airvan, powered by a Lycoming TIO-540-AH1A turbocharged fuel-injected engine, with a cruise speed of 140 knots at 10,000 feet. It is the first Australian designed and manufactured aircraft to ever circumnavigate the globe and their mission began on May 8 this year from Bendigo in Victoria.
Brought to India by their main sponsor, Mahindra Aerospace, the GA8-TC Airvan’s flight is also unique as it raises funds for malaria eradication.
Hence, the pilots have named their flight ‘Millions Against Malaria’, and are helping raise online donations to two nominated charities: Australian Foundation for the Peoples of Asia and Pacific (AFAP) and Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF).
The donations are made directly to these charities and the pilots have so far flown over and landed in several malaria-hit countries.
According to the flight plan on the official website, the next touchdowns for Millions Against Malaria flight will be Hanoi in Vietnam, Zamboanga in Philippines, Wewak in Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, Cairns and later Bendigo in Australia. By then, the pilots would have covered a total distance of 28,573 nautical miles.
The aircraft is currently parked at the NAL hangar on Wind Tunnel Road in city.
Mahindra Aerospace is the new global player in the delivery of aircraft, aero-structural components and aircraft development services.
It had recently acquired two Australia-based companies: Gippsland Aeronautics and Aerostaff Australia. An aero-structure component structural assembly facility is also being set up in Bangalore. It has also close ties with National Aerospace Ltd to make a five-seater aircraft.
