Hong Kong-based Continental Motors Group Ltd, an AVIC subsidiary that also has facilities in Mobile, Alabama, has received three new type certificate validations from the CAAC, the Civil Aviation Administration of China. The TCs ensure the company’s piston powerplants, which are manufactured at its Technify Motors arm in Germany, can be offered as options on three aircraft types in the Chinese market. These aircraft are the Diamond DA40D, Piper PA28-181 Archer III, and Cessna 172 R/S models.

Continental said, “As of today [March 13] these certificates allow Chinese customers to order airframes directly from the aircraft manufacturer with a Continental CD-100 series Jet-A-burning powerplant or to retrofit their existing fleet with these engines.” It added that retrofit kits are also available for 172s and PA28s currently equipped with avgas-burning engines.

Yu Xiaodong, executive v-p Continental Motors Group and general manager of Continental Motors Beijing, stated, “We are extremely happy to see the CAAC issue these certificates. These airframes are the most popular in the training market in China. With a compression ignition engine, using jet-A fuel, readily available globally at lower prices than avgas, they are even more appealing.”