MA600
Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) · China · first flew 2008 · airliner
The MA600 is a stretched, modernised twin-turboprop regional airliner developed by Xi'an Aircraft from the earlier MA60, powered by PW127J engines and certified to Chinese CAAC standards.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboprop, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 24.7 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- High straight wing with twin turboprops
- Square cabin windows in two rows
- T-shaped empennage with dihedral tailplane
High, straight wing distinguishes it from low-wing ATR or Dash 8; nose profile and cabin window arrangement closely resemble the An-24 ancestry; twin under-wing turboprops with four-blade propellers.
Specifications
- The MA600 has a length of 24.7 m (81 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 29.2 m (96 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 514 km/h (319 mph).
- Typical crew: 2, up to 60 passengers.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
XAC launched the MA600 as a further evolution of the MA60, which itself derived from the Antonov An-24/26 line. The MA600 first flew in 2008 and received CAAC type certification in 2010; it replaced Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127J engines in place of the earlier WJ5A-1 turboprops, significantly improving performance and reliability. Marketing has focused primarily on Asian and African regional operators seeking affordable turboprop capacity.
Variants
MA600F freighter conversion; MA700 (next-generation turboprop, separate programme).
Where you'll see it
Operated by Okay Airways, Air Koryo, Myanmar National Airlines, and several African carriers; fleet numbers remain modest compared to ATR and Dash 8 competitors.
Related aircraft
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