China’s Xi’an Aircraft (XAC) staged a rollout ceremony on June 29 for an improved version of its 50- to 60-seat MA60 turboprop called the MA600. Scheduled to fly next month, the MA600 weighs some 650 pounds less than its predecessor and incorporates upgraded avionics and cabin enhancements, according to Chinese state-run media. Developers view the MA600 as a stopgap between the MA60 and the new 70-seat turboprop design called the MA700, now under development and expected to vie for Western certification by the middle of the next decade.