The SOCATA MS.893E Rallye 180GT Gaillard is a single-engined, all-metal, four-seater, low-wing airplane with a conventional tail and fixed tricycle landing gear. The MS.893E Rallye 180GT Gaillard is powered by a 180 hp Lycoming O-360-A3A engine. The aircraft is a further development of the basic MS-880 Ralley three seater that flew first on 10 June 1959. The MS-880 Ralley was designated Rallye 180 and further redesignated SOCATA Gaillard or SOCATA Galérien (glider towing version). SA des Aéroplanes Morane-Saulnier was established in 1911 and had a long history of designing and building aeroplanes. In response to a late 1950s French government competition for a light aircraft, Morane Saulnier designed the Ralley, an all-metal side-by-side two-seat low-wing aircraft with fixed tailwheel undercarriage. The prototype, the MS.880 F-WJDM powered by a 90 hp Continental C90-14F engine, made its first flight on 10 June 1959. A second prototype, the MS.880A F-WJSE with swept fin and 3-seats in a larger cockpit, was flown first on 12 February 1961. The Ralley entered production as the MS-880B Ralley Club, after a definitive prototype, the MS-880B F-WJSF with a tricycle undercarriage and powered by a 100 hp Continental O-200-A engine, was flown first on 24 May 1961. Ralley production built up rapidly and next to the MS.880B Ralley Club, the MS.885 Super Ralley, fitted with a 145 hp Continental O-300-A engine, entered full-scale production. By the end of 1962 the pressure of expansion of the successful Ralley family into high volume production had caused the company to run into financial problems. Morane-Saulnier filed a bankruptcy petition on 19 November 1962 and on 6 January 1963 management control of the company passed into the hands of the Etablissements Henri Potez. The company was reorganised and known as the Société d'Exploitation des Etablissements Morane-Saulnier (S.E.E.M.S.). On 20 May 1965 the management of the company was taken over by Sud-Aviation and the company was renamed in Gerance des Etablissements Morane-Saulnier (G.E.M.S.). In 1966 Morane-Saulnier finally disappeared as the company became a full subsidiary of Sud-Aviation with the new title Société de Construction d'Avions de Tourisme et d'Affaires (SOCATA). In spite of the financial problems and management changes the Ralley design was developed further and became Europe's most successful light aircraft. In 1964, the four-seat MS.890 Commodore with heavier airframe was introduced and after the prototype, the MS.890A Ralley Commodore F-WJSG powered by a 145 hp Continental O-300-B engine was flown first, this model entered, next to the MS.880B, full scale production in 1964. Developments of the Commodore included the MS.893 Ralley Commodore 180, which was intended as an agricultural aircraft, but was developed as a tourer instead with the 180hp Lycoming O-360-A2A engine. The name Ralley was continued for the developments of the basic design until 1979, when SOCATA introduced new names to the developments. More than 3500 airframes of the Ralley design were built by Morane-Saulnier; S.E.E.M.S; G.E.M.S. and SOCATA when the production in France ceased in 1983. The Ralley concept continued for some years in production in Poland with PZL as the Koliber.

In April 1977, SOCATA MS.893E Rallye 180GT Gaillard s/n 12845 was registered OE-DUW in Austria. In April 2009, registration OE-DUW was cancelled as exported to Germany, where the aircraft was registered D-EOUW. On 20 March 2018, the 1977-built SOCATA MS.893E Rallye 180GT Gaillard D-EOUW was seen at Stadtlohn airfield in Germany.

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