AVCRAFT seems to be slipping with its delivery date for the first all new Dornier 328 jet, but now says it has sold all the aircraft it took over when it purchased the bankrupt Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich operation in March of this year. Eighteen white tailed aircraft would have gone by the end of 2004 and by November the first of five partly completed 328 JETS should be ready for delivery. At the same time the company says it will cut metal on the first all new aircraft in November with delivery by the middle of next year. Avcraft describes its biggest problem in persuading suppliers, who badly burnt their figures when the original company went bust, to offer a credit line again. Wing production will now be in-house and engine supply has been assured. The initial production rate has been set at 18 units per year but this could rise to 55 aircraft, dependent on demand. Sun-Air of Scandinavia, a British Airways franchise partner based at Billund, is the latest Dornier customer, the airline taking on two 328 turboprops from Avcraft and acquiring six more from Debis Air Finance. These aircraft will join the fleet from October, complementing a 14-strong BAE Jetstream 41 and ATP operation. Currently there are 75 Dornier 328 turboprops in service and 85 of the jet variant according to the Airclaims database.
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