China's new independently developed turboprop aircraft -- Y12F received an airworthiness certificate from the authorities on Saturday, marking an official entry into the domestic aviation market.

Li Xianzhe, chief designer of the plane, said the Y12F is on target for commercial success.

"We have achieved approval for commercial use [of the plane], which is in a leading position among competing models. The plane also boasts the fastest speed. Both these facts suggest that our technology in light aircraft is no less developed than our competitors. The next key step is after-sales service."

With a maximum take-off weight of 8.4 tons, the plane can accommodate 19 passengers.

Other potential uses for the plane include marine monitoring, aerial delivery, aerial photographing, geological prospecting and cloud seeding.

The Y12F project was launched in 2005 with the maiden flight completed in 2010.