Officials at Indonesia's Merpati Nusantara are saying that Xian Aircraft has fixed the crack found in the vertical stabiliser of one of Merpati's MA60s, local registration PK-MZC.
The airline official I spoke to says it was a problem with the materials used rather than a design flaw.
But the fact there was a crack is reason for concern.
The MA60 is based on the Antonov An-26, an aircraft that has a reputation for being rugged and reliable although not the most fuel efficient turboprop.
Chinese aircraft-makers need to do a lot more to improve their reputation in the marketplace. They also need to be quicker to respond to concerns raised in the news media with regards to Chinese-built aircraft.
China needs to do more to patch cracks in MA60's image
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on May 7, 2010 8:49 AM | Reply
hmmm.... it is hoped that the ARJ21 and the C919 will not go down the path of the MA60, especially if it is to realize its export potential.
Sadly, as for the local chinese market, the 1.35 billion expendables ought to be more than sufficient test objects.