Swiss RUAG Aviation has taken the first steps towards bringing serial production of the Dornier 228 online. RUAG will produce four aircraft per year from mid 2016, with this number set to increase in line with demand. Assembly of the fuselage has already begun, and the wing panels are currently in the forming process. The final assembly line has also been set up in Munich Oberpfaffenhofen.

“The Dornier 228 is experiencing significant growth in demand for special missions, including maritime policing and border control. In its special mission configuration, the twin turboprop offers numerous advantages for its global customer base, with on station time of up to eight hours, high performance and easy installation of equipment,” says Volker Wallrodt, senior vp of business jets at Dornier. “The aircraft is also popular for connecting remote regions. It has proven its STOL and hot and high capabilities as well as its ability to operate on unprepared runways. It can be reconfigured from passenger to cargo transportation layout with minimum effort. Besides that, it offers very low operating costs.”

RUAG anticipates strong interest from operators in Asia and Africa, in line with a trend towards 19-seat aircraft in these regions.