Wanfeng delivered its Diamond aircraft to CAUC

Nov 21, 2020 (China Knowledge) - Wanfeng Aircraft Industry Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Zhejiang Wanfeng Auto Wheel (002085) had delivered its first batch of Diamond DA 40NG aircraft to the Civil Aviation University of China (CAUC) on Wednesday. Prior to this initial delivery and placement of 24 units of Diamond DA 40NG aircraft, both parties have signed aircraft purchase and strategic cooperation agreements just two months ago, to deepen cooperation in aircraft sales, aviation supplies storage, manufacturing, training, research and after-sales services.

The delivery ceremony was witnessed by several municipal and district government officials, CAUC’s management and other officials from the aviation authorities, together with senior representatives from Zhejiang Wanfeng Auto Wheel and Wanfeng Aircraft Industry.

The DA 40NG aircraft delivered represents the new generation of Diamond DA 40 series, equipped with Austro AE300 engine that is independently developed and built. According to Deng Xiaoyu, Dean of CAUC Inner Mongolia, his flight school has conducted a comprehensive assessment of all models in the general aviation aircraft market and concluded Diamond brand as their best choice. Its powerful anti-crosswind capability and superior jet fuel operation provide firm guarantee on safety, performance and cost efficiency. Currently, China’s top two flight training schools that take up China’s 65% market share are Diamond's major customers.

At the delivery ceremony, Chen Bin, Chairman of Zhejiang Wanfeng Auto Wheel, said as China enters the post-pandemic era, many pilots who were originally placed for overseas training have either returned or relocated back in the country to learn their flying, and the domestic air transport has almost fully recovered. Under the guidance of the national strategic plan, China's general aviation industry will surely have greater development propelled by the new ‘dual circulation growth engines’ – one internal and the other external.

It is also its Diamond brand’s wider range of offerings up against its competitors (Cessna, Cirrus and Piper), by aircraft series and models, and superior performance that contributed to its significant market share growth last year in China and the Asia Pacific region.

Leveraging its world-renowned general aircrafts business, Wanfeng’s expansion into airport construction, flight school, general aviation operation, and low-altitude flight support may gain synergistic traction in a potentially trillion-dollar general aviation market in China. It is reported that the Diamond brand may seize the No.1 spot for general aviation aircraft sales by 2021 up from the current second place as China’s domestic demand continues to soar.