The Harbin Aircraft Industry Group Co (HAIG), a subsidiary of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), in Heilongjiang province, one of China’s major aircraft manufacturers, has signed a contract on 15 of its Y-12E turboprop aircrafts with Ying’an Airlines, a general aviation company in Yunnan province, a local news portal has reported, noting that this is the Harbin company’s largest deal in general aviation in recent years.

The aircraft are expected to be used for sightseeing and cargo transport in remote plateau areas of Yunnan and neighboring provinces or Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.

The Y-12E is an updated version of the Y-12IV which was designed to meet the needs of high plateau areas. It has a capacity of 19 passengers and a range of more than 1,300 kilometers and is especially useful for short business trips.

Ying’an is taking the lead in using Y-12E airplanes to carry out short-distance transportation in plateau areas in China. It bought two in 2002 and likes their ability to function, and their performance, reliability and after-sales service.

The Y-12 series is the most successful Chinese aircraft in the world commercial market and the first plane China sold overseas. It has customers in Africa, Asia and Latin American since it was developed in 1980s.

Last year, when a California, US company purchased one of the planes it marked the first time for a Chinese aircraft to be exported to a developed country and it is expected to enter Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States later this year.