Xian MA60
Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation · China · first flew 2000 · airliner
The Xian MA60 (Modern Ark 60) is China's affordable, rugged regional turboprop for under-served routes.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboprop, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Round fuselage and high wing betraying An-24 heritage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- High straight wing with two turboprops
- Unswept, slow-cruising regional turboprop profile
- Round fuselage and high wing betraying An-24 heritage
A high straight wing carrying two turboprops marks it out as a slow-cruising regional type. The rounded fuselage and high wing reveal its descent from the Soviet An-24 lineage.
Specifications
- The Xian MA60 has a length of 24.71 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 pilots.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
A stretched derivative of the Xian Y-7, itself descended from the Soviet An-24, it first flew in 2000 and entered service that August with Sichuan Airlines. It has a notable accident record in some export markets.
Variants
Versions include the improved MA60-100, the MA60-MPA maritime patroller, the reduced 40-seat MA40, the MA60H-500 military cargo model and the modernised MA600.
Where you'll see it
No UK service; it flies with Chinese regional carriers and has been widely exported to developing nations including operators in Laos, Zimbabwe, Angola and Cambodia, alongside Chinese military users.
Related aircraft
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