KL's first airplane takes off

KL's first airplane takes off

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): The first made-in-Malaysia aircraft took
off from a Kuala Lumpur airport yesterday, the national news
agency Bernama reported.

The two-seat sports plane would be sold at about 80,000
ringgit (US$20,000), Transport Minister Ling Liong Sik said after
he inaugurated the airplane.

Work on Langkawi 1, designed from blueprints purchased from
Zenith Air of Canada, started in 1996. It was a cooperative
effort of private and public companies.

It was not known when the plane would be on the market.

"The aircraft, which is attractively priced, will make flying
affordable to Malaysians," Ling said. "This will eventually help
to introduce and popularize the flying culture in Malaysia and
neighboring countries."