CHINA DROMADERS
PZL Mielec has clinched a contract with the Agriculture Bureau of China's Heilongjiang province for 15 M18B Dromader utility aircraft. The M18s will be financed through a loan agreement between the Polish and Chinese governments. The two-seat aircraft will be delivered in 2003 - 14 of the aircraft will be used for crop-dusting and firefighting missions, for which a single aircraft will be configured for training purposes. Delivery is expected in 2008.
RAVEN REGISTRATION
A Robinson R44 Raven has become the 50,000th aircraft to be registered by the UK Civil Aviation Authority since the UK register was established in 1919. The aircraft - G-MITC - was registered by Warwick-based distributor Heli Air. There are 19,281 aircraft in the UK fleet, including 10,342 fixed-wing aircraft and 1,467 helicopters. General aviation aircraft make up the six most popular types on the UK register, says the CAA, with the Piper PA-28 top of the list with 1,048 aircraft. The first UK-registered aircraft - G-EAAA - was a de Havilland DH-9, in July 1919.
Source: Flight International
