A Y-12F aircraft became the first China-developed plane to be presented at a road show in the United States, its developer Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) said Thursday.

According to AVIC, this was a breakthrough in the promotion of a China-developed plane in the United States.

The Y-12F, manufactured by Harbin Aircraft Industry Co. Ltd. of AVIC, was on a two-day road show at an executive airport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from March 21 to 22.

The Y-12F is a new regional turboprop aircraft, and the third in the Y-12 series.

The model was certified by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) in 2015, and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in February 2016.

An FAA certification means an aircraft has met high industry standards, paving the way for it to be commercially available across the planet.

According to the AVIC, some US aviation insiders and potential customers have expressed an interest in purchasing the plane.

The Y-12F has an economic cruising speed of 400 km per hour and a longest cruising range of 2,255 km. Its maximum take-off weight is 8.4 tonnes.

The aircraft can be used for delivery services and as a commercial plane thanks to its capacity.

Besides passenger and cargo transportation, the Y-12F can also be used to support maritime monitoring, aerial delivery, aerial photography, geological exploration, medical rescue and artificial precipitation.

The AVIC is also the developer of AG600, China’s largest amphibious aircraft that will embark on its maiden flight in May. The model will be useful for marine resource exploitation, marine environmental monitoring, resource detection and transportation.

(Source: Xinhua)