OREANDA-NEWS. September 25, 2007. the Aviation Expo/China 2007 international air show started its work. ANTONOV ASTC, a constant participant of the exhibitions which take place in China, called attention of the industrial enterprises to its wide possibilities in development, testing and certification of passenger regional and transport airplanes. Big experience of ANTONOV ASTC in this sphere as well as in use and development of new technologies is the basis for the further development of the cooperation with the Chinese aircraft builders. Among the joint projects which are planned to be discussed during the Exhibition is the programme of creation of MA700 a new turboprop 70-seat airplane. According to the Memorandum of Understanding signed on August 27, 2007 between Xi’an Aircraft Industry Group Co. Ltd and ANTONOV ASTC, at present Chinese party is developing technical demands to this airplane. In this project partners will participate on the principles of risk share.

ANTONOV plans to discuss with the AVIC I the forms of interaction within the limits of the programme of development of a big commercial cargo airplane to be manufactured in China.

During the meeting with the representatives of Shaanxi Aircraft Industry (Group) Co., Ltd. (SAС) the directions of further development of Y8F600 a new transport airplane programme will be considered.

It is also planned to conduct negotiations on problem of service-life extension of AN-26 and AN-30 delivered to CPR earlier.

Besides, ANTONOV is calling to attention of the visitors of the exhibition a number of its modern airplanes which can work effectively in China. It is the passenger AN-140, multipurpose AN-74, AN-32, AN-38 airplanes and AN-70 and AN-124-100 “Ruslan” transport aircraft. The family of AN-148 passenger, administrative and transport airplanes of a new generation will also be presented. High position of the engines above the wing gives a number of advantages when operating from/to the unpaved airfields including those with grass and stone-covered pavement. Such the airfields are located for example on the little-developed Western territories of China. Most of them are poor equipped with means of aircraft ground handling. However, operation of An-148 requires minimal set of ground equipment.