Chung-Shan Institute Launches Super-Light Aircraft Project

Taipei, April 19, 2006 (CENS)--The Aeronautical System Research Division, under the Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, announced on April 18 its plans to jointly develop super-light aircraft with six aeronautics-related from next year.

Price tag for the super-light aircrafts is set at NT$2.4 million preliminarily. The project aims to establish brand name for the aircraft and its engine to tap the Taiwanese and North American markets, thereby developing Taiwan into a manufacturing center for super-light aircraft or carrier in the Asia-Pacific region. The six major partners for the project include XYN Technology, Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC), Air Asia, Gsharp Corp., Hsiao Tse Power, Ching Ping Corp., and Chang Ching Corp. The Aeronautical System Research Division has signed letters of intent with the six companies.

The Aeronautical Industry Development Promotion Panel, under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, estimates that in the next 10 years, domestic demand for super-light aircraft will top 5, 000 units, amounting to production value of NT$12 billion, on the basis of NT$2.4 million each. Chung-Shan Institute predicts that the aforementioned central-satellite manufacturing system will garner 10% of the domestic super-light aircraft market.

The three-year development project will start from next year, involving total budget of NT$250 million, according to Liu Hsin-hua, project director. XYN Technology will be leading coordinator for the project.

Pick Corp., parent firm of XYN, is now the Taiwanese agent of two major brands of super-light aircrafts, Skyboy of the U.S. and Evektor of Czech. In the future, XYN will be responsible for the production of compound parts and project integration, AIDC will undertake the production of engine and sub-system products, while Asia Airline will handle maintenance and production of sub-system products.

The project intends to develop 1, 000 c.c. horizontal engine, but preliminarily it will adopt Rotax engine of Australia, for which Hsiao Tse Power is its agent in Taiwan. In the future, Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology will promote the establishment of the super-light aircraft industry league and make an all-out effort to promote the domestic aeronautical leisure industry, in cooperation with the "super-light aircraft leisure park" project.