Efforts to sell planes to China

Press, 21 September 1977, Page 20

Efforts to sell planes to China

PA Wellington Officials of the Ham-ilton-based Aerospace Industries, Ltd, have increased their efforts to sell Fletcher agricultural aircraft to Chi..?. The firm’s general manager (Mr G. Willetts) and the marketing and development manager (Mr P. Monk) have arrived in Peking for talks on a possible sale.

Aviation sources in Wellington say it could involve several hundred of the aircraft over a long period.

The basic Fletcher costs about $BO,OOO, this varying according to the specific requirements of customers. Talks about a possible sale have been going on, mainly through New Zealand’s diplomatic representatives in Peking, since a Chinese Minister saw the New Zealand-made plane in action here two years ago.

China is now' using an old Russian biplane, the Antonov 11, for crop spraying. It is believed the Chinese have not bought Western-made agricultural aircraft before.

According to reports from Peking earlier this year, a decision to buy for e i g n-made aircraft would be in line with China’s intention to increase the mechanisation of agriculture by 1989. However, Aerospace is not alone in seeking an order for agricultural aircraft. Other countries, including the United States, which previously sold Boeing 707 s to China’s national airline, C.A.A.C., are also interested in selling agricultural aircraft to China. Messrs Willetts and Monk are in Peking at the invitation of the Chinese Government to explain the capabilities of the Fletcher in detail.

They are due back in New Zealand on September 19.

The only overseas sales of Fletchers so far have been to Australia several years ago and, more recently, to Iraq and Pakistan. The Fletcher has formed the basis of Aerospace’s production since the Government last year called for a phasing-out of Airtrainer production.