The expanding China market is opening up opportunities for the B-N Group (BNG), which plans to establish a joint venture in the country that could lead to the local manufacture of the Trislander aircraft.
The Bembridge, UK based manufacturer has been holding talks with officials from two provinces and says a venture could be in place within a year.
BNG has established a sales and marketing office in Beijing, which is negotiating with the potential partners With representatives from both UK and Beijing offices at the show, further discussions are scheduled here..
The initial focus is to build Trislander sales and trigger full-scale production of the 18-place aircraft in Bembridge, says BNG sales director Ian Wilson. "Our partner will purchase green aircraft for the Chinese market, and we will transfer technology to help them create an indigenous build. The Trislander is an ideal replacement for the Harbin Y-12."
The company's last sale to China was for five BN2B Islanders in 1989. Wilson says the Chinese market for general aviation aircraft is now opening up and has become a key area of growth for the company, replacing such traditional markets as the Caribbean and Papua New Guinea.
"China offers a great deal of promise and we aim to be there from the start," he says.
Around 1,300 B-N types have been sold, of which more than 850 remain in service.
Source: Flight Daily News
