 Production was launched in 1977 at the Xi'an aircraft factory but progress was slow due to the deleterious effects of the Cultural Revolution, with a pre-production aircraft displayed to the public at Nanyuan air base, near Beijing, on 17 April 1982.The WJ-5A1 turboprop engine was chosen as the Y-7's power source.The first production aircraft was not flown until February 1984, illustrating the slow progress (eighteen years from licence to production).