Parker Aerospace, a business segment of Parker Hannifin, the motion and control technologies provider, has been selected by AVIC Aircraft, a subsidiary of Aviation Industry Corporation of China, to supply the fly-by-wire flight control actuation system for its MA700 turboprop regional aircraft.
The flight control actuation system for the MA700 will be jointly designed, developed, assembled, and tested by Parker Aerospace and the FACRI Actuation Systems teams, with Parker taking a lead role.
AVIC Flight Automatic Control Research Institute (FACRI), in Xi’an, is the leading company providing flight control in China. FACRI and Parker Aerospace have also cooperated on the actuation system for the COMAC C919 program.
In addition to the flight control actuation system for the MA700, Parker Aerospace was awarded the hydraulic system in November 2017. Other products provided by Parker include the torsion tubes for connecting the hydraulic power to hydraulic actuators, and the electrohydraulic servo valves used in the aircraft’s landing gear system.
The MA700 is a twin-engine, medium-range aircraft currently under development that will accommodate up to 85 passengers. Designed for economic efficiency, the aircraft is expected to enter into service after being certified by CAAC in 2021.
Mark Seidel, Parker Aerospace group vice president of strategic business integration, says: “Working together with AVIC on the MA700 has been an exciting endeavor for everyone on the Parker and the FACRI team who have been involved in the design and support process.
“To know that our systems and components are providing the architecture and functionality for this important program is highly rewarding for our entire team.”
Parker’s longstanding and valued customer, AVIC, shares its enthusiasm for the MA700 program.
Zhu Jianxin, vice president of AVIC Aircraft, says: “AVIC Aircraft is glad to establish this long-term cooperation on the next generation turbo-prop MA700 with Parker Aerospace, and we are confident to make the MA700 a success through joint efforts.”
