The DA-40 light aircraft, produced by Shandong BinAo Aircraft Industries, is seen in this photo taken on March 25, 2008. [Photo: Xinhua]

The Chinese production facility of the Diamond Aircrafts, Shandong BinAo Aircraft Industries, has been awarded production authority for the DA40 aircrafts by EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency).

The approval, based on the quality procedures in place at Diamond's European manufacturing facility in Austria, authorizes the production of Diamond DA40-TDI aircraft, including complete composite airframes.

Gaining the approval literally means Shandong BinAo has won the "passport" to sell their aircraft worldwide. The firm has already received over 200 orders for its DA40 aircrafts.

Shandong BinAo Aircraft Industries, a Sino-Austrian joint venture, was established in April 2005 by Austria's Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH and Dagao General Aviation in Zhanhua City, Shandong Province.

The purpose-built 400,000 sq. ft. Binzhou facility is designed to produce up to 1,000 aircraft per year and will deliver 80 Garmin G1000-equipped DA40-TDIs in 2008, for the Asian market, as it ramps up to full production.