| FLYITALIA PRESS RELEASE, Dovera (Milan), Italy - February 22, 2006 |
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| Written by Jaroslav Dostál |
| Wednesday, 22 February 2006 00:00 |
 FlyItalia Group, the Milan-based light aircraft company that owns 70% of Gryf Aircraft development company in Kunovice, Czech Republic, announced yesterday that it has reached a new milestone in its corporate development.
With an order book of over 100 airplanes, and with 25 of its unparalleled MD3 Rider aircraft flying already (MD3 SportRider is S-LSA certified in USA), the company has shifted its focus to meeting the exploding demand for this easy-access, excellent value, high-wing plane that is now so popular with sport pilots and flight schools alike. Marino Pezzotti, CEO of the FlyItalia Group, commented, "Our focus now is to rapidly increase production capacity and further refinements to the accessories and standard packages of the Rider, including a new digital cockpit, and an optional deluxe interior as only Italian designers can provide!!! So we have the pleasure to announce that we have reached some milestone strategic cooperation and investment agreements with some key partners, including an expanded role by the ownership of our USA distributor AveoUSA of Texas, which has, via one of its key investors, extensive engineering and manufacturing facilities and personnel in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, that are certified offset partners of BAE Systems." FlyItalia is presently in discussions with BAE Systems for participation in the Offset Program in its countries of operations. The Rider made its debut in the USA at Oshkosh 2005, and has been a popular aircraft at the LSA Sport Tour sponsored by the EAA since. In Europe, the dealer network has blossomed quickly, and the aircraft is unmatched in the market at this time. "The incredible ease of entry of the fully-opening side doors and the excellent visibility only add to the desirability of this plane due to its excellent and easy flying characteristics" commented Chuck Reynolds, President of AveoUSA. "The ballistic parachute option only adds to the safe nature of this aircraft", he added.
Pezzotti went on to announce, "Additionally, we have scheduled a move of the assembly line from Kunovice to Pribram airport, just 22 miles down the highway from Prague, Czech Republic, in a joint-venture with VeoTech, part of the same Aveo/Strojkov group of companies, the developer of a comprehensive, large new hangar complex for its proprietary digital avionics, aircraft interiors and aircraft assembly and flight testing/training." Mr. Pezzotti noted, "This strategic development means that FlyItalia has by far the largest manufacturing, design, development and engineering base in the entire light sport and ultralight industry."
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Adding details, Mr. Pezzotti noted that the new expansion program from the new strategic partners in the Group, means production of airframe components will now be in a 132,600 square foot advanced industrial facility in Gelnica, Slovakia, and composite components will be moving to an additional 66,000 square foot composite facility being erected at the same site. With this new manufacturing team of over 150 people making components, with advanced tooling and fixturing, the Rider will be the most exacting production aircraft in its category. Furthermore, advanced Rider engineering work is moving into the advanced Strojkov Engineering design center in Kosice, Slovakia, putting over 80 engineers with state-of-the-art 3D design and analysis workstations behind the ongoing designs and new models of aircraft in the FlyItalia pipeline. This includes an all-composite low-wing aircraft that is already flying, and a new low-wing aluminum airplane that is sure to pleasantly surprise the LSA and European experimental market.