The US-manufactured Utilicraft Aerospace Industries FF-1080-200 turboprop freighter aircraft has announced a US$115 million purchase agreement with Mid America Aero. The deal involves the purchase of 10 FF-1080-200s, plus a training and support package.

Previous Letters of Intent (LoI) from Mid-America state that a total of 35 aircraft could eventually be acquired. First payments to Utilicraft will begin once the prototype makes its maiden fl ight and will continue until production of the order is completed.

The boxy aircraft design has been on the drawing board for several years, but for the fi rst time the completion of a prototype aircraft is on the horizon. The project had been dogged by a number of setbacks, including the involvement of ‘notorious’ aircraft operator Luke Butler, who faces charges in a number of countries regarding previous companies he was involved in. Benin Airlines, an airline Butler was involved in, had previously advertised the aircraft as available for use in large numbers, before construction of the aircraft had commenced.