Chinese manufacturer plans to make regional aircraft compatible with Boeing and Airbus aircraft

Airline Industry Information, Nov 10, 2000

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2000 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

China Aviation Industry Corp No 1 (AVIC 1) has indicated that a new regional jet aircraft being proposed may be made as a smaller model that is compatible with existing aircraft from Boeing Co and Airbus Industrie.

Tang Xiaoping, the director of AVIC 1, has stated that compatibility with popular aircraft produced by Boeing and Airbus Industrie could result in its proposed 50- to 60-seat aircraft being more widely accepted by Chinese carriers. Tang indicated that compatibility would probably be achieved by using component suppliers also used by the two larger manufacturers, including Honeywell Inc or Thomson-CSF's Sextant avionics Unit.

AVIC I is comprised of more than 100 aircraft component makers and research institutes, and has recently signed an agreement with Fairchild Dornier and AVIC II, a sister company, to make components for Fairchild Dornier's 20-seat 328JET, reported Reuters.

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