01/31/2015. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "The Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation was established at Harbin, Heilongjiang, China in 1952, subsequently producing H-5 light bomber (Soviet designed Il-28) and Z-5 helicopter (Soviet designed Mi-4) in large numbers, as well as smaller numbers of Chinese designed SH-5 flying boat and Y-11 agricultural light twin.

In July 2, 1980, a license agreement was signed between the French manufacturer Aérospatiale and CATIC (China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation) to manufacture the French AS 365N Dauphin 2 under the designation Z-9A Haitun (Zhishengji-9A, vertical take off aircraft 9A Dolphin). The first (French built) example made initial acceptance flight in China February 6, 1982 and parts manufacture began for an initial agreed batch of 50, intended for civil as well as military use. The first two were delivered for oil rig support operations in 1983, the last was delivered in January 1992.

In May 1988 another contract was signed for continuing production as Z-9A-100, with much greater local manufacture (72% of airframe and 91% of engine). This type was first flown on January 16, 1992, the flight test program was completed on November 20, 1992 after almost 200 flight hours in 408 flights, and Chinese CofA was issued on December 30, 1992."