A Chinese-Russian manufacturing consortium has pledged more than $1 billion to produce a line of four- to 12-seat general aviation airplanes in China, according to the country’s People’s Daily newspaper.
The report said a signing ceremony for the China-Russia general aviation aircraft production project was held recently in Beijing. At the ceremony, China Oriental Sciences Group signed an agreement with China-Russia International Investment Company and a Russian aircraft design company to build an aircraft factory, a general aviation research center, a pilot training base and a flying club. The project involves a total investment of $1.269 billion, with the manufacturing center in Ordos, China, eventually expected to reach an output of 400 airplanes per year by 2016.
The paper quoted Zhuang Zhong, president of China Oriental Sciences Group, as noting that general aviation aircraft production in China is still in its infancy. After completion of the factory at the site in Inner Mongolia, the project will focus on the research and development of new general aviation aircraft, he said. Construction of the factory will start later this year, with the first airplane planned for completion next year.
