Maiden Flight of China-Made MA600 Turboprop Aircraft

China Aviation Industry Corporation I (AVIC I) launches its newly developed regional aircraft MA600 on its own technologies in Xi'an city of Shaanxi Province on Sunday, June 29, 2008. This photo is taken on Saturday, June 28, 2008. [Photo: people.com.cn]


The MA600, a new regional aircraft to join China's turboprop fleet, rolled off the assembly line in Xi'an on Sunday.

This latest MA "Modern Ark" member could be the stepping stone to China gaining a larger share of the world's turboprop aircraft market, insiders said.

Engineers have optimized the aircraft's structure and its aviation electronics system, improved the interior decoration, and added maritime survival functions for island countries.

The total weight of the MA600 is 300 kg less than the MA60, further reducing the aircraft's fuel consumption.

The MA600 is set to begin trials in September, He Shengqiang, chief engineer and vice-president of Xi'an Aircraft Industry Company Ltd under AVIC I, said in an earlier report.

Currently, the China Aviation Industry Corporation I (AVIC I) provided the 50- to 60-seat MA60, the first and only model of the MA series on sale for the African and East Asian countries, receiving 122 orders since 2005.

To remain competitive in the years after 2018, AVIC I has already started work on the development of the MA700, an aircraft mainly targeted at markets in Europe and America, Chen Fusheng, deputy director general of the commercial aircraft department of AVIC I, said.

AVIC I has drawn up an ambitious blueprint for its MA series, which will be comparable to the Canadian Bombardier and the French ATR aircraft.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• 中国
• Airplane
• AVIC
• China
• Aviation
• Industries

[Isreal4realz]

@australianmade74 when japan started making their own stuff there was as much japan bashing as well, saying exactly what you say but now japan is the #1 most technically advanced nation and everyone is eating their own words. you should really base your assumptions on facts instead of lies and stereotypes based on pure hatred and jealousy.

[maxhovid]

Propellers are more efficient than jets at lower altitudes.

[ChineseSlaves]

@Isreal4realz well, China's science and technology strength's roughly equivalent to the USA's in the 1930s, Japan 1950s and South Korea 1970s. That's why China-made goods are always crappy junks.

[HDaviator]

@Isreal4realz

Most technically advanced if you consider futuristic toilets to be advanced. But research that maters, such as space exploration is still being done in the west.

[HDaviator]

@TheJamesMeister

Imitation of the Q400? Have you even seen the AN-26? Its a carbon copy.

[TheJamesMeister]

I must confess, I'm of the view that the MA60 is a rather poor imitation of the Q400. I can only imagine what the cockpit alerting systems sounds like... I've seen many examples of Engrish on the communist crap my employer purchases. Pew-up might mean pull up and Tehran might mean terrain. Perhaps the commies should just stick to bicycles and rickshaws as a means of transportation.

[goff0103]

@seatgurus

That was the MA60 while MA600 is suppose to be the improve version.

[zeeyeezone]

Nothing confirm as yet the crash was due to mechanic failure!

[seatgurus]

one of these crash today in indonesaia