Kenmore Air (M5, Kenmore) parent firm Kenmore Air Harbour Inc has secured a USD40 million contract from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) to design, certify and manufacture pontoon floats for its Y12. The deal, which is for 100 aircraft, will result in the Y12 being certified for amphibian operations.

The project will commence in January with the first Y12 arriving in Seattle for refitment Kenmore president Todd Banks told the Seattle Times newspaper.

Among the project's partners include EDO Floats, a Kenmore subsidiary which specializes in the design and construction of aluminium seaplane floats. EDO will oversee the certification by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) which will pave the way for certification by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

TLG Aerospace, an engineering-services company on Lake Union near Kenmore's seaplane base, will oversee the aircraft modifications and process certification of the parts. The carbon-fibre floats will be manufactured by composites-fabrication company CUG in Scappoose, Ore.

Kenmore expects to begin delivering float sets to China by the end of 2017.