Chinese aircraft maker Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC I) intends to seek US and European certification for all its aircraft in future so that China can increase its ability to export aircraft overseas.

“For any new commercial projects in AVIC 1, our aim is to get FAA and EASA certification,” AVIC 1 executive vice-president Hu Wenming. AVIC 1 hopes to secure FAA and European certification for the 70-105 seat ARJ21 regional jet it is developing, and Hu confirms AVIC 1 will also seek FAA and EASA certification for the MA700. This is a new 70-seat turboprop and AVIC 1’s Xian Aircraft plans to launch the programme next year and develop and build the aircraft in time for first flight in six to seven years from now.

Xian Aircraft already has the 50-seat MA60, a derivative of the Chinese-built Y-7 turboprop, but Hu says the target markets for MA60 are only nations in Africa, Asia and Latin America because the MA60 does not have FAA certification. “We need to sell into those countries that have bilateral airworthiness agreements with China, says Hu.

AVIC 1 has no plans to seek FAA certification for the MA60, a descendent of the 1960s-vintage Antonov An-24. “It would be too costly to get the aircraft certified”, Hu adds. The US FAA has technical assistance offices in Beijing and Shanghai.

Asian Aerospace homepage

 

Source: Flight Daily News

Topics