Regional jet airliner makes landmark maiden flight

The ARJ21-700, China's first home grown regional jet airliner designed and manufactured by Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, made its maiden flight on Tuesday from Chengdu, Sichuan province to Shanghai, in a flight operated by Chengdu Airlines.

ARJ21, short for Advanced Regional Jet for the 21st Century, is also the country's first domestically produced commercial aircraft, widely regarded as the pathfinder for the C919, China's first locally made large passenger aircraft which rolled off the assembly line in November.

"Our final goal is to achieve business and market success," said Tian Jianbo, deputy chief designer of ARJ21.