Piper Aircraft has received an order for 50 Archers from their dealer in China, China Air Shuttle, the company announced this week. The airplanes will be manufactured and certificated at Piper Aircraft’s factory in Vero Beach, Florida, and then shipped to Rizhao, China, where they will be reassembled by a China Air Shuttle affiliate company. Piper will develop delivery center facilities in Rizhao to provide reassembly, training, maintenance and product support for Chinese customers. China Air Shuttle then plans to distribute those aircraft to some of the major flight schools and general aviation companies of the region.
Ruixiang Flight Academy has been announced as the launch customer. The Academy purchased two Piper Seminoles last year, and currently operates the airplanes in its ab initio flight training program. “As part of Piper’s commitment to the training market as well as part of our overall growth strategy, we have increased our presence in the Asia Pacific region,” said Simon Caldecott, Piper CEO, in a news release this week. “As a result of our efforts we are delighted with the increase in fleet sales to Indonesia, Australia and Malaysia.”
