China's top airlines receive domestically made ARJ21 aircraft

Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd (COMAC) delivered to Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines their first ARJ21 regional jets on Sunday, the Yicai.com reported.

The event on the fourth anniversary for ARJ21 commercial use marked the Chinese-made jet officially taking a place in international mainstream airlines. As of June 28, 32 ARJ21 have been delivered to six Chinese airlines including Jiangxi Air, Chengdu Airlines and Genghis Khan Airlines.

The three major airlines plan to buy 35 ARJ21-700. This year, each of the airlines will receive three jets. With 90 economic-class seats on each plane, the three jets delivered this time belong to a model with an entirely economic-class layout with little difference from mainstream narrow-body aircraft flying operating on main routes.

According to Yicai.com, China Eastern Airlines aims to put the jet into commercial use as early as September. China Southern Airlines plans to conduct ARJ21's first commercial flight on July 15 from Guangzhou Baiyun Airport to JieyangChaoshan Airport. And Air China will hopefully see its ARJ21's first flight from Beijing to Xilinhot in early July.

ARJ21 is the first turbofan regional jet that China has developed and produced in accordance with international standards, and of which China owns intellectual property rights. With a cruise range spanning 2,225 to 3,700 kilometers and favorable performance, it meets operation requirements at airports in Central, West and North China.

COMAC plans to produce 30 ARJ21 this year. So far, the regional jet has flown on 55 flight courses, connecting 55 cities in North, Northeast and Southwest China, having transported 890,000 passengers.