January 05, 2012 11:08
Internet shopping malls are famous for offering everything under the sun at discounted prices, but a Korean site is setting a new milestone and proving the sky really is the limit when it comes to online sales by offering an aircraft for private fliers.
Online shopping mall "11st," run by SK Planet, a subsidiary of SK Telecom, said on Wednesday that it is offering the Zenith STOL CH-750 for W99 million (US$1=W1,149). The light airplane has a wing span of 9.1 m and weighs just 350 kg. It can travel at a speed of 162 km/h and can take off from an airstrip just 40 m long.
One of the company's salespeople said the plane "has received a safety seal of approval from the Korea Testing Laboratory, while its commercial use has been proven as around 1,000 similar models are being flown in the U.S."
It takes six months for the airplane to be delivered, due to the manufacturing time. 11st said it will provide free flying lessons, safety inspections and aircraft registration services to buyers while they await delivery.
The on-line shopping mall has built a reputation on grabbing headlines by offering unusual and eye-catching products. In May of 2010, it gave buyers the chance to travel in space for W200 million by reserving a seat on a Virgin Atlantic aircraft that travels for two-and-a-half hours above the atmosphere. It also sold fully-assembled log cabins for W270 million, Harley Davidson motorcycles for W16 million, and an electric-powered car for W9.7 million.
In the end, there were no takers for the space flight, but more than 20 of the Harleys were sold, the company said.
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