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Citizens in Shanghai will soon be able to realize the dream of owning a personal helicopter, as six light helicopters will soon roll off the production line at a new joint venture here this year.
American-based Sikorsky Aircraft will join with Shanghai Science and Tech Company to manufacture S-300C and S-300CB two and three-seat helicopters.
Sources with the American company's Shanghai branch said the helicopters worth between 200,000 and 250,000 US dollars will go on sale to domestic organizations and individuals.
The General Administration of Civil Aviation China (CAAC) has set out rules under which purchasers must entrust eligible institutions to maintain the aircraft and they need an approved pilot's license to fly.
China currently has around 100 civil helicopters and analysts predict that the market will boom very soon. The Chinese government is encouraging the production of light helicopters.
The Chinese-American 51-49 percent joint venture is waiting for approval of its feasibility study plan from the CAAC and expects to get its business license in the third quarter.
Apart from the S-300 models, the company is scheduled to produce a new model, the S-333, in the future. The company's designed annual output is 48.
(Xinhua News Agency August 14, 2002)
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