First China-made regional jet gets type certificate

BEIJING -- China's first domestically produced regional jet model was officially certified on Tuesday, marking a crucial step forward for the jet's entry into the market.

The ARJ21-700 won the certificate after a series of examinations by the Civil Aviation Administration of China using the country's airworthiness standards.

ARJ21, short for Advanced Regional Jet for the 21st Century, is a type of regional liner designed and manufactured by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China.

There are 78 seats in a dual-class configuration and 90 seats in a full economy class configuration. Its economic life is designed to be 60,000 flying hours or 20 calendar years.