9 Xinzhou-60 planes delivered in 2006

Nine China-made Xinzhou-60 passenger planes were exported to four countries in 2006 by Xi’an Aircraft Industry Co., a subsidiary of China Aviation Industry Corp. 1 (AVIC 1). The planes were delivered to Zambia, Republic of Congo, Laos and Zimbabwe. Xi’an Aircraft also has 67 orders from other countries. Xinzhou-60 is a turboprop aircraft that sells for about RMB 100 million (about US$12.5 million). It meets international safety, comfort, and ease-of-maintenance standards, and costs 10 to 20 percent less than similar types of aircraft. Air Zimbabwe signed a purchase deal with XAC in November 2004, becoming the first foreign customer for the plane. Zimbabwe has so far bought three Xinzhou-60 aircraft. The technical dispatch rate reaches an average of 97.82 percent. The maximum daily flight time reaches 10.35 hours with nine flight segments. Air China, Asiana Airlines