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In what seems
to be a secret operation forbidden for journalists
coverage, recently purchased Macedonian Government
Learjet 60 Special Edition VIP-plane, registered Z3-MKD
(c/n 60-279, ex-N50145) has finally arrived Macedonia at
noon of April 16th. The official handover of this plane
to the Department of Administrative and Common Matter of
the Government of the Republic of Macedonia took place
75 days earlier in Bombardier facilities in Wichita,
Kansas, on January 31st. However, due to delay in
training of Macedonian pilots and engineers, the
aircraft has finally reached its future main base, the
Skopje-Petrovec International Airport, on April 16th.
Macedonian Learjet 60 is the last aircraft to join
Macedonian register of civil aircraft as Z3-MKD, the
combination MKD representing international three letter
code defined by ISO-3166-2 standard for the name of
Macedonia (Makedonija).
Macedonia's
government spend USD10,886,000 (Bombardier offered
Macedonia 16.1% discount from the market price of
USD12.974.000) to buy the new Learjet 60 that will
exclusively be used for VIP-passengers |
transport in a stand-up configured cabin with seven (7)
passenger seats. Macedonian Learjet 60 is equipped for flying in
all-weather conditions (CAT II standard), and also
comply the ACAS requirements and is equipped with EFIS,
Mode S Transponder, two VHF COMM/NAV receivers, SATCOM
dual channels (one each for telephone and data
transfer), Airshow with 2 screens (Video Entertainment
System), DVD player and 10-CD disk player, Aircraft
Electronic Security System with video-cameras, recorder,
sensors, event recorder, alarm and control/display unit
as well as with possibility of installation of medical
equipment for patient transport.
Macedonian
Government was forced to initiate the purchase of new
VIP-plane following the February 26th, 2004, fatal crash
of its Beech King Air 200 (c/n BB-652; registered
Z3-BAB, ex-YU-BMF) turboprop aircraft in which
Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski and eight other
members of the delegation, including two pilots, were
killed near Mostar, southern Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This crash
left Macedonian Government without dedicated VIP plane |
