ORDER OF 30 VCl0s

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32461, 23 November 1970, Page 5

ORDER OF 30 VCl0s

Govt holds key CN.Z. Pr«M A»«n.— Copyright) LONDON, Nov. 22. China is prepared to buy at least 30 VCIO airliners if the British Aircraft Corporation will reopen the production line, the “Daily Mail” reported. The order would be worth more than slsom, said the newspaper. The suggested purchase would be part of an order which would secure the future of the British aircraft industry for the rest of the decade. China also wants to order a fleet of the successful B.A.C. 1-11 airliners, to form a new international airline. Foreign Office approval has been given for this, the newspaper said. The last VCIO built left the British Aircraft Corporation’s factory in February. Now China has made unofficial approaches to B.A.C. asking the firm to reopen the production line and has promised to buy whatever number would make this worthwhile. This would be at least 30, the “Daily Mail” said. The VCIO purchase hinges on the decision by the British Government on whether or not to build the B.A.C. 3-11 airbus. If this is built the Chinese would be told that there was no question of opening the VCIO production line, but would be asked to consider the airbus instead, said the “Daily Mail.”