Aircraft Exports

The China-developed MA60 regional plane is playing an important role in helping Central African countries build regional airline networks, said the aircraft’s developer on January 5.

Fourteen MA60 aircraft now serve seven Central African countries via 20 regional air routes, which have jointly created a primary regional airline network, said the state-owned China Aviation Industry Corp. (AVIC).

“Aviation is a high-end industry and a significant component in cooperation among countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative to boost their connectivity and industrial cooperation,” said Tan Ruisong, President of AVIC.

The turbo-engine MA60, designed for short airstrips, is manufactured by AVIC Xi’an Aircraft Industry Co. Ltd. To ensure the smooth and effective operation of Chinese aircraft in Africa, AVIC International Aero-Development Corp., a subsidiary of AVIC, has established a technical support center and a maintenance center for Chinamade aircraft in Africa, and three spare parts centers for China-made aircraft are being built.

A total of 108 MA60 planes had been delivered to 18 countries worldwide by September 2017. They have been put into service on 300 air routes.

AVIC will continuously update the MA60 and its sister aircraft, the MA600, and speed up development of the MA700, a new generation turboprop regional aircraft, according to the group.