MA60 may become freighter

Xi’an Aircraft Industry is showing a model here at Le Bourget of a proposed cargo version of its MA60 regional turboprop. The MA60-500 is expected to be able to carry a payload of five tons over a range of 1,000 miles. Marketed by China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC), more than 20 standard MA60s have been delivered to Wuhan Airlines, Sichuan Airlines and Shenzhen. The first two of three aircraft for Zimbabwe have also been delivered. Including the Antonov An-126-based Y-7–of which the MA60 is a derivative–CATIC has delivered more than 500 examples.