China Buying 300 GA Training Aircraft

Stephen Pope

Tuesday, October 02, 2012 at 08:49 PM ET

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Liberty XL-2

Key Takeaways:

Wuhan, China, announced significant deals to purchase 300 U.S.-made light-sport airplanes and small helicopters, providing a much-needed boost for the U.S. general aviation market.
The orders include 200 Liberty Aerospace XL-2 trainers, a substantial agreement for the manufacturer given its previous low delivery numbers.
Aircraft components will be built in the U.S. and shipped to China for final assembly, as Wuhan aims to become a pilot training hub and seeks ownership stakes in the U.S. manufacturers.

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Separate deals announced last week in Wuhan, China, a city of 10 million people, could provide a much-needed boost for the U.S. general aviation market thanks to bulk orders for up to 300 light-sport airplanes and small helicopters for the Chinese training market.

Leaders from Wuhan signed purchase agreements to buy 200 Liberty Aerospace XL-2 trainers, plus 100 small helicopters from an undisclosed U.S. manufacturer.