China's MA700 turboprop regional plane to enter market by 2021

BEIJING - China's MA700 plane, a high-speed turboprop regional aircraft currently in development, is expected to enter the market by 2021, said its developer on Friday.

The MA700 is now in the detailed design phase, said the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).

AVIC XAC Commercial Aircraft (AVIC XACC) is aiming for a maiden flight by the MA700 by 2019 and for the aircraft to receive the type certificate (TC) from civil aviation authorities by 2021, said AVIC.

The turboprop regional plane is designed for economic efficiency, high speeds and adaptability in airports and air routes.

The MA700 is part of China's plan to develop two trunk jetliners and two regional aircraft, with the other models being the C919 narrow-body, CR929 wide-body and ARJ21 regional aircraft.

To date, it has received 185 intended orders from 11 domestic and foreign customers.