First China-assembled A320 conducts maiden flight test

Beijing, May 20 (NAI): The first China-assembled Airbus A320 aircraft landed smoothly at Tianjin Binhai International Airport after four hours flight, a symbol of successful test flight.

The aircraft will be delivered to Dragon Aviation Leasing in June from the Airbus Delivery Center in Tianjin and will be operated by Sichuan Airlines.

"I am confident that the plane will be delivered to Sichuan Airlines by the end of June as scheduled," said Jean Luc Charles, General Manager of the Airbus (Tianjin) Final Assembly Line Co.Ltd (FALC), after the test flight.

He also said that this A320 assembled in China unquestionably demonstrated the same quality and performance as those assembled and delivered in Hamburg or Tourlouse.

The A320 FALC, which started to work in August 2008, is a joint venture between Airbus and a Chinese consortium comprising Tianjin Free Trade Zone and China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC), Xinhua reported.

Airbus China holds 51 percent of the stakes, while the Chinese Consortium holds 49 percent.

"China has become more involved in the world's aviation industry," said professor Li Yanhua from the Civil Aviation University of China, citing that the huge market potential has lured world's aircraft giants as Boeing and Airbus.

The Tianjin-based assembly company is expected to deliver a total of 11 A320 aircraft this year. Starting from 2011, the company will be able to produce 48 A320 planes every year, according to Jean Luc Charles. (ANI)