DALLAS — Today in Aviation, the prototype of the COMAC ARJ21 Xiangfeng flew for the first time in 2008 from Shanghai's Dachang Airfield (CN-0169).

The Chinese state-owned aerospace manufacturer COMAC produces the ARJ21 regional jet, aka Comac ARJ21 Xiangfeng. It was first unveiled in March 2002 and has a seating capacity of 78–90 passengers. The ARJ21 features a 25° swept, supercritical wing built by Antonov and is powered by two rear-mounted General Electric CF34 engines, similar to the McDonnell Douglas MD-80/MD-90 produced under license in China.

The first prototype of the ARJ21 was unveiled on December 21, 2007. The aircraft received its CAAC Type Certification on December 30, 2014. Chengdu Airlines (EU) introduced the type on June 28, 2016. Since its certification and first flight, a total of 79 ARJ21 aircraft have been delivered to Chinese carriers.

It is worth noting that the COMAC ARJ21 is not as well known among aviation enthusiasts outside of China compared to other aircraft. However, its production and delivery to Chinese carriers have been significant in the regional jet market

ARJ21 Development

The development of the ARJ21, which is a small jet aircraft resembling the MD-80, was a significant project outlined in China's "10th Five-Year Plan." Led by the state-owned ACAC consortium, the initiative began in March 2002, aiming for the ARJ21's maiden flight in 2005 and commercial service to commence 18 months later.

However, the program faced significant delays, lasting eight years. The design phase took longer than anticipated, and the final trial manufacturing stage did not commence until June 2006.

It is worth noting that some individuals argue that the ARJ21 bears a striking resemblance to either the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 or the MD-90, both of which were produced in China under license. On the other hand, COMAC, the company responsible for the ARJ21, maintains that it is a completely indigenous design. In 2009, the ACAC consortium underwent restructuring and merged with COMAC.

ARJ21 Production

The inaugural production aircraft took flight on June 18, 2014, while on October 30, AC104 conducted an airspeed calibration flight.

As part of its route-proving program, AC105 completed 83 flights between ten different airports in Chengdu, Guiyang, Guilin, Haikou, Fuzhou, Zhoushan, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Yinchuan, and Xianyang on October 29, 2014. The total duration spent in the air during these flights amounted to 173 hours and 55 minutes.

The ARJ21 received certification for mass production from the CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China) in early July 2017. Subsequently, the first ARJ21 constructed at Pudong's second manufacturing line underwent its production test flight on March 6, 2020.

The second production line, situated in the same location as the C919 assembly line, has the capacity to manufacture up to 30 jets annually.

Spearheading the Chinese Regional Market

Initially, there was a sense of pessimism among many analysts regarding the future prospects of ARJ21. However, in 2019, major Chinese airlines such as Air China (CA), China Southern (CZ), and China Eastern (MU) placed orders for 35 ARJ21 aircraft each.

These orders have potentially revitalized China's regional jet market, which had been dormant for quite some time. Furthermore, the success of the ARJ21 has paved the way for the introduction of the larger COMAC C919, which is scheduled to commence deliveries by the end of 2022.

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Featured image: COMAC ARJ21 at the Zhuhai Air Show. Photo: By Shimin Gu, Via Wikicommons