China Business

Mar 3, 2006

China's first regional jet to make maiden flight

SHANGHAI - China's first self-designed feeder passenger jet, the Advanced Regional Jet in the 21st Century (ARJ21), is expected to make its maiden flight in 2008, sources said here March 1.

The structural drawings of the turbofan jet have passed appraisals by the relevant government departments, and the component parts of the jet are expected to go into production soon, said an

official with the East China Management Bureau of the General Civil Aviation Association of China.

The new regional jet, with 70-90 seats, will be powered by two CF34-10A engines made by the General Electric Company. Other component parts of the jet will be manufactured by domestic enterprises.

The jet can adjust to the high altitudes and high temperatures of China's western airports and can also provide a comfortable environment for passengers, according to the official. With a length of more than 31 meters and a height of eight meters, the jet can fly at heights of 39,000 feet and reach speeds of 450 nautical miles per hour.

The ARJ21 program was formally approved in 2002. The jet is expected to go into batch production in 2009. Insiders say that China will need about 700 feeder passenger aircraft with 70-90 seats over the next 20 years.

The ARJ21 is the first regional jet that China has fully developed on its own, in accordance with the standards set by the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China, the Federal Aviation Administration and Joint Aviation Authorities. Currently, 40 orders for the jet have been received.

(Asia Pulse/XIC)

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