Cessna Aircraft has sold 20 Cessna Grand Caravan EX Amphibian aircraft to Zhoushan AVIC Joy Air General Air Co. Ltd. in China. The utility turboprop aircraft are expected to be delivered out of the company’s joint venture facility, Cessna-AVIC Aircraft (Shijiazhuang) Co., beginning later in 2015.
AVIC stands for Aviation Industry Corporation of China and is a state-owned aerospace and defense company. Cessna-AVIC Aircraft assembles and delivers Caravans for the Chinese market.
Joy Air, a Chinese regional carrier serving the northwestern region of the country, has placed an order for 20 sets of Wipline 8750 floats for the Caravans. The company hopes to be the largest operator of float planes in the world in five years.
"The availability of the Cessna Grand Caravan EX Amphibian aircraft in China has sparked a new segment in the aviation market as operators now have the ideal product to meet the demand for increased aerial sightseeing and charter tourist flights," said Kevin Wu, vice president of sales in the region.
Shanghai-based Joy Air Holdings will use the floatplanes for commuter flights between coastal areas in China, including Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong and Yunnan province, as well as for air tours and charter flights, Textron Aviation said. The company already owns two Grand Caravan EX Amphibians.
Joy Air Holdings Limited placed an order for 20 sets of Wipline 8750 floats for the 20 new Grand Caravan EXs. The company hopes to be the world's largest operator of floatplanes in five years.
Alton K. Marsh
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