China's MA700 to take flight in 2016 (2)

"The plane is scheduled to make its maiden flight in 2016 and be delivered in 2018. We have already received some orders to start the program," Chen said, noting that the MA700 might develop more quickly than new generations of turboprops for ATR and Bombardier, since those firms are influenced by the economic crisis and its aftermath.

Geneviève Roy-Thériault, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft's senior adviser of media and public relations, did not comment on the MA700 and said in a written interview that Bombardier is not developing a new turboprop aircraft at the moment.

As a latecomer to the field of turboprop regional passenger aircraft, the MA700 will focus primarily on Asia, and also aim for one-third of the market share in South America and Africa. After that, the MA700 will try to enter European and US markets, according to Chen.

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