The government of Yakutia, also known as Sakha Republic -- a federal subject of Russia -- plans to purchase China-made Modern Ark 60 (MA60) turboprop to replace their old An-24 aircraft, a spokesperson of Transportation Department told RIA Novosti on Mar. 1.
The spokesperson said Xi'an Aircraft Industry (Group) Company Limited and Okay Airways Company Limited are negotiating with Yakutia government over the deal.
"Polar Airlines, which provides air services throughout the region's vast territory, considers
MA60 as the best choice to replace their old An-24 aircraft ," the spokesperson pointed out.
Yakutia has arranged demonstration flights for the MA60 recently at the Yakutsk Airport. It is unknown yet how many MA60s Yakutia government plans to buy.
MA60 is a regional turboprop commuter plane developed and made by China's Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation. It is a largely modified version of An-24 aircraft manufactured by Antonov Aeronautical Scientific and Technical Complex. It has a maximum take-off weight of 21,800 kg and a seating capacity of up to 60 passengers. Developed and made starting from mid-1986, the MA60 got certification in September 1989, making its first flight in 1993 and starting to be used by some Asian and African airlines from 2004.
