China places big A320 order

China Aviation Supplies Holding Company has signed an agreement to buy 70 A320 family aircraft worth $6.6 billion at list price. Airbus has an assembly facility in Tianjin, where it has already assembled and delivered 190 A320s. In addition, Airbus said it signed a letter of intent with its Chinese partners to build an assembly facility for A330 family aircraft. The letter of intent was signed Friday with heads of the Tianjin Free Trade Zone and AVIC, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China. (Sources: AFP via Industry Week, Airbus, 101014) Gulf Coast note: Airbus is building an A320 final assembly line in Mobile, Ala.; AVIC owns Continental Motors.