Sri Lanka buys six turboprop-powered MA60

For more information on the Yun-7/MA60 bird see this old post (here). In the 1980s, some imported Yun-8 transports were converted into bombers by the Sri Lanka air force and saw actions against the Tamil Tiger. Two were lost.

Myanmar will take delivery of three MA60s in September. (here)

* Sri Lanka to buy aircraft from China
Wed, Mar 3, 2010, 11:18 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

http://www.colombopage.com/archive_10/Mar1267638494CH.html

Mar 03, Colombo: Sri Lanka is to buy six Xian MA-60 turboprop-powered aircraft from China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC), an aviation website reported today.

FlightGlobal, an aviation website said that Sri Lanka is buying the six aircraft with the help of a Chinese government preferred loan scheme.

Two of the six MA60 advanced turboprop aircraft with 56-seat configuration will be arriving in Sri Lanka this year while the remainder will be delivered in 2011.

According to Sri Lanka's Ports and Aviation Ministry which has confirmed the deal, four of the six MA60 passenger aircraft are for the use of Air Force and the other two may be for the budget carrier Mihin Lanka.

The MA60 aircraft which can hold 52 – 60 passengers is suitable for short-haul passenger transport as well as multi-role operations such as VIP/executive transport, cargo transport, maritime patrol, etc.

The Sri Lankan Air Force currently uses Antonov AN-32s, Lockheed Martin C-130Ks and Chinese-built Harbin Y12s for its transport activities.

Know your Yun-7

Together with other Chinese civilian aviation products, the Y-7 Turboprop Transport Aircraft has an extensive military service history with both the PLAAF and the PLAN-AF. This light tactical transport was developed by the Xian Aircraft Industry Company (XAC) in 1966 based on the Soviet An-24, with maiden flight conducted on 1970.

By 2006 all the original Y-7s has been withdrawn from civilian service and replaced by the modern MA60-100 variant with western avionics and a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127J (PW127G in cargo version) turboprops. However, many of the old Y-7s still soldier on with the Chinese military.*

The new MA60 is met with some success with 90 domestic and 35 export orders by October 31, 2008



* thanks folks at top81 for the photos.

Y-7 standard tactical light transport variant powered by two 2,900hp WJ-5A-1 engines

Y-7K, Military variant of the Y-7100, with Western avionics, 3-man cockpit, and winglets

Y-7G, Military variant of the MA60 with Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127J and improved avionics.

Y-7J, Military variant of the Y-7H with rear cargo ramp

YJ-7, Bomber-Trainer variant

Other Y-7 photos.

Y-7 of the PLAAF 13th Air Transport Division





Y-7J of the PLA Army Aviation.


YJ-7


Y-7K of the PLAN