vapilot2004
29th Sep 2006, 03:03
China's first Airbus plane donated to museum
Beijing, Sept 29. (PTI): The first Airbus plane imported by China in 1985 has been donated to the China civil aviation museum by the European aviation giant after 21 years of service, the state media reported on Thursday.
The A310-200 Airbus plane was delivered to the China civil aviation authority on June 25, 1985 and had since been operated by China Eastern Airlines, flying for a total of 39,053 hours.
Airbus bought the plane from the Chinese airline in order to donate it to the museum. The cost of the deal was not provided.
President of Airbus China, Laurence Barron said that the display of China's first Airbus plane at the museum was the best evidence of the close cooperation between Airbus and China's civil aviation industry, 'Beijing Youth Daily' reported.
China is now one of the most important markets for the European aircraft producer. In 2005 alone, China ordered 219 planes from Airbus.
By the end of this year, there will be over 300 Airbus planes in operation in China, Barron said.
The company said in March this year that it would deliver its last A310 plane in July 2007.
The China civil aviation museum, sponsored by the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC), is currently under construction at a site near the Beijing international airport.
That is one o l d gal. :)
Beijing, Sept 29. (PTI): The first Airbus plane imported by China in 1985 has been donated to the China civil aviation museum by the European aviation giant after 21 years of service, the state media reported on Thursday.
The A310-200 Airbus plane was delivered to the China civil aviation authority on June 25, 1985 and had since been operated by China Eastern Airlines, flying for a total of 39,053 hours.
Airbus bought the plane from the Chinese airline in order to donate it to the museum. The cost of the deal was not provided.
President of Airbus China, Laurence Barron said that the display of China's first Airbus plane at the museum was the best evidence of the close cooperation between Airbus and China's civil aviation industry, 'Beijing Youth Daily' reported.
China is now one of the most important markets for the European aircraft producer. In 2005 alone, China ordered 219 planes from Airbus.
By the end of this year, there will be over 300 Airbus planes in operation in China, Barron said.
The company said in March this year that it would deliver its last A310 plane in July 2007.
The China civil aviation museum, sponsored by the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC), is currently under construction at a site near the Beijing international airport.
That is one o l d gal. :)