The GA8 has been designed for use in remote areas and from austere air strips, performing tasks such as passenger services, freight, sightseeing, parachuting, observation, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and search and rescue operations. Its design emphasises ruggedness and ease of use. First flown on 3 March 1995 and type certified under Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 23 requirements during summer 2004, the GA8 has been flown by a diverse range of operators throughout the world. Since its introduction, improved models featuring more powerful engines have been introduced; an enlarged turboprop-powered derivative, designated as the Gippsland GA10, has also been developed. A floatplane model of the GA8 has also been produced. At EAA Oshkosh 2014, the GA8 Airvan was officially renamed as Mahindra Airvan 8 as a reflection of GippsAero's recent acquisition by Indian conglomerate Mahindra Group. While produced in Australia to date, the establishment of a North American final assembly line to produce the type has been proposed. The GippsAero GA8 Airvan is an eight-seat utility aircraft specifically designed for routine operations within the hostile conditions of the Australian Outback. In its original configuration, it was powered by a single Lycoming IO-540 piston engine; a derivative of the GA8, the GA10, is powered by a single Rolls-Royce 250-B17F/2 turboprop instead. Its performance has been described as adequate, reportedly being capable of taking off within distances as short as 525 feet; under average conditions, the GA8 is expected to readily operate from a 1,000-foot air strip. The handling has been described as forgiving, responsible, and akin to smaller aircraft. Externally, the aircraft bares a resemblance to the Cessna 208 Caravan, possessing a rectangular fuselage with large windows along its cabin. Both passengers and crew are provided with a high level of visibility; in a standard seating configuration, each passenger is aligned with a sizable rectangular window which are bulged outwards to improve the downwards view. The use of a high-mounted wing located rearwards of the pilot's door improves the pilot's view range, particularly when looking upwards. Unlike the majority of bush planes, the GA8's cabin can accommodate an aisle between the seats, improving passenger comfort; other comfort-enhancing features include evenly-distributed cabin ventilation and modular upholstery, the later being interchangeable to facilitate rapid replacement. Wherever possible, the aircraft has been designed to ease maintenance activities, minimising tooling required and maximising accessibility. The cabin has a rear-facing door which can be opened mid-flight. Variants GA8 Production version with a Textron Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 engine. GA8-TC-320 Variant with a Textron Lycoming TIO-540-AH1A engine.
