Image: Textron Aviation
The Flight Inspection Center (CFIC) of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) signed an agreement with Textron Aviation joint venture Cessna-AVIC Aircraft for eight new Cessna Citation XLS+ business jets on Tuesday. Textron says the aircraft will be outfitted with special flight inspection equipment for missions including inspection and certification for the communication, navigation, radar and flight programs of newly built airports, as well as regular flight inspection missions for airports already in operation. The new aircraft are scheduled to be delivered between 2019 and 2021.
“The successful purchase of these aircraft is only possible with the great support for flight inspection operations from the Party Group of Civil Aviation Administration of China, which is significant to the fleet construction of CFIC and ensuring civil aviation transportation safety,” said CFIC Director Xiong Jie.
CFIC currently operates a fleet of eight 560 XLS/XLS+ jets to assist with its inspection and certification missions. According to a plan issued jointly by CAAC, China’s National Development and Reform Commission, and Ministry of Transport, China intends to complete work on 30 airports, begin work on 44 new airports, reconstruct and expand 139 airports, relocate 19 airports and conduct 51 additional civil aviation projects over a five-year period beginning in 2017.
