Dowty Propellers signed a letter of intent to develop and supply the propeller electronic controller (PEC) on twin-engine MA700 regional aircraft from Xi'An Aircraft Company (XAC), a subsidiary of China's AVIC.

This agreement, announced today at the Farnborough Airshow, follows the earlier selection of Dowty Propellers to provide a six-blade propeller system for the MA700's two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150C turboprop powerplants.

The PEC manages the propeller system's automatic control, including propeller speed and pitch, through all phases of flight. For the MA700, Dowty Propellers' solution is a dual-band PEC, based on a flexible, modern design which incorporates the latest technology and utilises an open architecture.

To develop the MA700's PEC, Dowty Propellers will be collaborating with GE Aviation's Systems business - a portfolio of companies and operations that includes Dowty Propellers.