Aircraft

Aviation Industry Corporation of China General Aircraft plans to build a small business jet as well as small piston-engined aircraft.

AVIC General Aircraft president Tan Weidong says manufacture of the four- to six-seat piston aircraft could start as early as 2010.

But development of the small business jet will take longer and the company's move into this market segment is likely to be through acquisition of an established business jet manufacturer, he says.

AVIC General Aircraft has in recent years looked at acquiring Western business jet companies such as Grob Aerospace.

In a separate development, Tan says AVIC General Aircraft is to reorganise and possibly merge some of its Chinese companies.

AVIC General Aircraft is also planning to move its headquarters from Beijing to Zhuhai in southern China, where it is building an aircraft assembly plant that could produce a four-engined, 60t amphibious aircraft that can be used for firefighting missions in China and overseas.