Article Posted on : - Jun 10, 2012

MA60 aircraft. Photo: Wikipedia.

BEIJING (PTI): China's Xi'an Aircraft International Corporation (XAIC) will sell three MA60 regional aircraft to MARS, a Ukraine-based airline, marking the first time for China-made civil regional aircraft to enter the Ukrainian market, the XAIC has said.

The press release issued by XAIC did not disclose the contractual price or the delivery date.

The deal, concluded on May 23, marks a breakthrough in China-Europe cooperation in aviation, Jiang Jianjun, general manager of XAIC said.

Jiang said the twin-turboprop MA60 aircraft produced by XAIC have become popular in domestic and overseas aviation markets due to the aircraft's fuel efficiency.

"Because of rising fuel prices, the fuel-efficient turboprop is expected to have bright market potential," Xinhua news agency quoted Jiang as saying.

Based in Xi'an, capital of southwest China's Shaanxi province, the XAIC is a subsidiary of China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC).

MARS is a Kiev-based private airline operating regional routes mainly with Saab 340 turboprop aircraft and Augusta helicopters.