(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Swiss aviation company RUAG is looking to boost Oman's tourism sector by offering sightseeing air trips onboard the Dornier 228 the most advanced high-wing aircraft in its class.
The company in partnership with local firm Aflag Group showcased the Dornier 228 to senior Omani officials at the Almouj Golf Course last week.
Hosted by Philippe Erni RUAG's aviation director of sales and Sheikh Khalid al Khalili chairman Aflag Group RUAG also flew demonstration flights over three days for the key personnel from government and private firms.
The Dornier 228 is currently deployed in different roles worldwide including as special mission aircraft for maritime and border patrol for pollution monitoring military utility and training and in the US as a sightseeing aircraft for tourism in the Grand Canyon and other areas. Sheikh Khalid said 'It is with much pleasure that we welcome the new Dornier 228 to Oman a next generation version of the iconic aircraft that was successfully operated by the Directorate General of Police Aviation for over two decades.'
He added 'The Dornier 228 would complement the development of a new tourism sector with scenic flights in Oman whilst creating top engineering and management jobs. Furthermore the passenger version can link the airports of the sultanate in a hub-and-spoke system (with Muscat and Salalah being the hubs) and creating jobs all over the country.'
The 19-seater has distinct features like high payload transport special mission sensor platform renowned short-field performance hot and high performance and unprepared airfields. 'RUAG is owned by the Swiss government and the Dornier 228 is manufactured by its subsidiary in Germany and is honoured to have been invited to present the new generation Dornier 228 which can enhance the capabilities of Oman' stated Erni.
'No other aircraft can perform surveillance flights more efficiently than the Dornier 228. The borders of the sultanate and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) can be supervised in the most cost-efficient ways' added Erni.
On the military side the Dornier 228 is the ideal training aircraft for transport pilots. With its state-of-the-art cockpit young pilots learn to handle a modern glass cockpit and the Flight Management System as well as crew coordination.
Simultaneously the aircraft can be used as transport aircraft with a payload up to two tonnes. A flight hour on the Dornier 228 costs only a fraction of that of other comparable transport aircraft. The Dornier 228 is the ideal sightseeing aircraft with each seat being by a window said the company.
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