(Photo: Bombardier)

TORonTO — Bombardier Aerospace says it has signed a letter of intent to sell 30 of its Q400 NextGen aircraft to Chinas Nantong Tongzhou Bay Aviation Industry Co. Ltd.

The company is preparing to launch a commercial airline in China called Sutong Airlines and says plans to operate an all-Bombardier fleet of the Q400 airliners when it starts operations in 2015.

based on the current list price, Bombardier says a firm order would be worth approximately US$995 million.

The company says that as of Sept. 30, 2013 it had booked 476 firm orders for its Q400 and Q400 NextGen turboprops.

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Bombardiers Q400 NextGen airliner fulfills our business plan requirement for a high-performance regional aircraft that is fast, reliable, economical and comfortable, said Nantong president Zhou Binzhen.

Andy Solem, the companys vice president of sales for China and North Asia, says the Q400 NextGen is ideally-suited to service Chinas vast geography while having excellent short-haul range.