Aircraft

Shijiazhuang Aircraft Industries plans to deliver the first LE-500 Little Eagle training aircraft to launch customer Civil Aviation Flight University of China (CAFUC) at the end of this month, writes Brendan Sobie.

Xian General Aircraft Research Institute president Li Daming says the first three production LE-500s will come off the assembly line at Shijiazhuang next week and be delivered by the end of March following a series of test flights.

Xian General Aircraft developed and tested the four- to five-seat aircraft, securing a Chinese type certificate last October, while Shijiazhuang is responsible for sales and production. Li says CAFUC has ordered 15 Little Eagles, three of which will be delivered this month followed by two in April and another five by the end of June. The delivery schedule for the final five has not yet been set.

Li says Qingdao Jiutian Spartan Flight Academy also has ordered 15 Little Eagles, but it is not clear when this proposed new flight school, a joint venture between Shandong Airlines and Oklahoma’s Spartan School of Aeronautics, will take delivery of the aircraft.

He says several other Chinese flying schools and general aviation companies have indicated they intend to buy 153 LE-500s, but have not yet placed firm orders.