China's Wuhan Airlines has agreed to lease three Xian Aircraft (XAC) MA60 turboprop aircraft in a move that will make it the third operator of the indigenously built type.
The aircraft, a modernised variant of the Antonov An-24-based Y-7, is equipped with Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127J turboprop engines, Rockwell Collins avionics and a Honeywell auxiliary power unit.
XAC manager Gao Dacheng says Wuhan will take delivery of three MA60s. The first will be delivered in April, followed by the second and third over the following two months. Some of the aircraft will be used to replace Wuhan's ageing Y-7s.
Gao says the 56-60-seat aircraft will be leased from Chinese state-run Shenzhen Financial Leasing, which late in 2000 announced that it would acquire 60 for use by Chinese airlines.
Source: Flight International
