China’s first regional jetliners close to lift-off
SHANGHAI – The Advanced Regional Jets for the 21st Century, or ARJ21 – China’s first regional jetliner holding independent intellectual property rights – will be launched soon.
A CCTV correspondent visiting the ARJ21’s workshop inside the Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing factory found the jet well on the way to completion.
The workshop manager told CCTV that the body of the plane had been assembled and the tail, engine and wing sectors were currently being fixed to the aircraft.
The ARJ21 will seat 70 to 90 people. The plane’s components were produced at various plants around the country and taken to Shanghai for final assembly.
Another commercial name for the ARJ21 is being sought online, allowing a newer, snappier name for the aircraft to be revealed by the end of the year.
The ARJ21 will have its maiden test flight in March next year. The first plane will be handed over to its purchaser in September 2009.
The ARJ21 series plane has adopted advanced technology including supercritical wing designs, allowing the craft to remain airborne for 1200 to 2000 sea miles.
Similar-sized regional aircraft operating on short-haul routes are driving sales for Embraer, Canada’s Bombardier and Toulouse-based ATR.
Japan’s Mitsubishi is also moving along with plans for a regional jet, the MJ.
ATR and Malaysia Airlines (MAS) last month signed for the purchase of 20 ATR 72-500s. Based on the agreement, Firefly and MASwings, two fully owned subsidiaries of MAS, will operate 10 ATRs each.
A new base in Singapore and an investment of US$40 million is driving Embraer’s expansion in the Asia-Pacific where E-Jets are flying in Australia (with Virgin Blue), China, India, Taiwan and Thailand.
And following the 2007 Dubai Air Show, Embraer reported more than US$ 1.1 billion in firm orders from nine customers worldwide.
Ian Jarrett
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