Country marks a milestone in its steady march toward mass production in aircraft industry

China's first homegrown regional jetliner, the ARJ21-700, was delivered on Oct 19 after its mass production was certified in July, an indication that the jetliner manufacturing industry in China is moving steadily toward the mass production stage.

The ARJ21-700, produced by the Commercial Aircraft Corp of China, has 78 to 90 seats and a flight range of 2,225 to 3,700 kilometers. It will mainly serve China's central and western cities.

The ARJ21-700 jetliner was bought by China Aerospace Leasing Co and delivered to Chengdu Airlines on Oct 19. It is also the first ARJ21-700 to be delivered through the lease-back arrangement.

"The delivery also signals the tasks that Chengdu Airlines takes for the aircraft model have shifted from demonstration operations and design upgrade to market exploration stage," says Lin Zhijie, an aviation industry analyst and columnist at carnoc.com, a leading civil aviation website.

So far, COMAC has received 433 orders for the jetliner from 20 clients. By the end of the year, the company plans to deliver five ARJ21-700 jetliners.

Meanwhile, Qinghai Airport Co announced on Oct 18 that the ARJ21-700 has successfully completed its trial flight on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the course of five days, demonstrating its ability to fly safely at high elevations. The test included an engine-start ground test at the high-altitude airport, flight performance verification testing and takeoff and landing tests.

"The successful trial flight shows that the ARJ21-700 is able to fly along air routes in the region at around 3,000 meters above sea level," says Wu Zhaowei from the test verification division of the ARJ21 program department of COMAC.

The number of passenger planes that can be used in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is limited due to thin air and complicated terrain and climate.

"If the ARJ21-700 enters the market, rural residents there will be able to travel more quickly at a cheaper price," says Meng Jun, a staff member of Qinghai Airport Co.

Xinhua - China Daily

(China Daily Africa Weekly 10/27/2017 page29)