China’s Zhoushan Avic Joy Air General Air Co. Ltd today signed an agreement to buy 20 Cessna Grand CaravanEX Amphibian aircraft. The first of the single turboprops are due to be delivered to the operator later this year through the U.S. airframer’s Chinese joint venture company Cessna-Avic Aircraft (Shijiazhuang) Co. Ltd., which assembles Caravans for the Chinese market.
Shanghai-based Joy Air already owns two Grand Caravan EX Amphibians and will use the new aircraft for additional commuter flights between coastal regions such as Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong and Yunnan. They also will be used for air tours and charter flights.
The Grand Caravan EX is equipped with Wipaire’s Wipline 8750 floats. Powered by the 867-hp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-140 engine, the aircraft can fly more than 800 nm at speeds of more than 160 knots. It can carry up to nine passengers and two pilots.
“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 Cessna’s sales vice president in China, Kevin Wu.