VH-EOL   Gardan GY-80 Horizon 160D                  (c/n  220)

                                 

                                     This aircraft should probably more correctly be known as the SOCATA GY-80, but most were
                                     known as Gardan types, for their designer, Yves Gardan.  CASA today calls the manufacturer
                                     Sud Aviation, but in Europe it would either be a Gardan or SOCATA.   Societe de Construction
                                     d'Avions de Tourism et d'Affaires (SOCATA) was formed in 1966 initially as a subsidiary of 
                                     Sud-Aviation but subsequent mergers have since made the company a subsidiary of Aerospatiale.
                                     SOCATA originally produced  some 270 or so of the GY-80 for Sud Aviation, although since
                                     that consortium also manufactured the MS-880 Rallye series, they decided to concentrate
                                     development on the latter and Horizons were last manufactured in 1969.    (A follow-on design,
                                     the Diplomate lasted until 1975, but only 56 were built) .    Two Horizons were imported into
                                     Australia by Southern Aeronautics Pty Ltd of Perth in 1968.   They were delivered from Toulouse,
                                     France to Jandakot by RFDS pilots Robin Miller (daughter of Horrie Miller of MMA) and Dr.
                                     Harold Dicks - the two later married.  (Sadly Robin Miller Dicks died of cancer in 1975 at the
                                     age of 35).   When the aircraft left the plant they were wearing French registrations and, since
                                     they were destined for "overseas" customers, these were of the F-O variety.   VH-EOL was the
                                     former F-OCLA.     The two photos on this page are both from the lens of Geoff Goodall and
                                     show -EOL (above) at Adelaide Airport in May of 1969 and (below) at Jandakot, Perth exactly
                                      a year earlier, just after it had arrived.    VH-EOL is still registered and is based in Victoria
   
                               

                                  
                               

        .