Cessna Aircraft Company (Wichita Cessna Aircraft Field) has announced an influx of previously unannounced orders from Chinese operators for its Cessna (single turboprop) Grand Caravan EX Amphibian aircraft. The turboprops, which were certified for local use in March this year, are produced in China by the Cessna-AVIC Aircraft (Shijiazhuang) Co., a joint venture between the US aircraft manufacturer and the China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Company (CAIGA), a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).

During the just ended 10th China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, Cessna said that Meiya Air (Sanya) had ordered an unspecified number of the seaplanes for use on sightseeing flights over Wuzhizhou Island near Sanya while JoyAir (JR, Xi'an Xianyang) intends to use its order for its recently-commenced tourist charter flights among the Shanghai, Zhoushan, and Shengsi Islands.

In addition, earlier this year the joint venture announced an order for ten Cessna Grand Caravan EX Amphibians from Reignwood Group for its Reignwood Star Aviation (VGB, Zhuhai) subsidiary. Reignwood plans to use the planes to expand its services and operate tourism flights in the southeast part of China.