TEHRAN (ecoideal)- Iranian knowledge-based companies are working on manufacturing a 72-seat aircraft in three years, Head of Iran's Aviation Industries Organization manouchehr Manteqi announced on Tuesday.
"Researchers from knowledge-based companies are working on a project to complete the manufacture of a 72-seat aircraft in three years," Manteqi said.
He added that the designing of the aircraft began last year, and the project has been planned to be completed soon.
Vice-President's Office for Science and Technology, as well as Ministries of Defense and Industry are founders of the project.
"In the construction of the aircraft, we will deploy specialists from Iranian knowledge-based companies in order to manufacture a completely domestic product,” he added.
Iran has signed contracts to buy 100 Airbuses, 80 Boeing aircraft, and 20 ATR passenger planes. The planes will replace the oldest planes for domestic flights.
Chief Executive of the European turboprop maker ATR Christian Scherer said on Tuesday its new airplane orders could outpace deliveries by 50 percent in 2017, adding that the company will deliver 8 other aircraft to Iran by the yearend.
ATR aims to deliver another eight aircraft to Iran by the end of the year after delivering six so far this year under US export licenses issued following the lifting of sanctions in 2016, Scherer said.
Iran has so far received three Airbus passenger planes and six ATR72 aircraft.
Source: Farsnews