The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) has secured an order for 105 ARJ21-700 regional jets, from China’s three largest state-owned airlines.
Announced on the 30th of August, the deal sees Air China, China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines each take 35 aircraft.
Catalogue price for the ARJ21-700 with engines sits at $38 million, meaning the order for 105 jets is worth $3.99 billion.
It’s likely the Chinese government had a hand in this order, with the aim to boosting locally produced aircraft sales and benefiting the economy and COMACs global position.
The ARJ21-700 suffered from a slow start and many production issues, so a political push would seriously benefit the aircraft program.
According to FlightGlobal China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines will fund the orders, using their own resources and bank loans or financial arrangements from institutions.
Each airline presented similar comments when announcing the order, stating the aircraft would address a shortage of regional capacity.
Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2020 and follow through to 2024, however this will depend on the production capability and supplier availability.
Performing its first flight in 2008, the COMAC ARJ21-700 is a locally made twin-engine regional jet.
Depending on cabin configuration the ARJ21-700 can carry between 78 and 90 passengers 1200-2000 nautical miles, depending on whether the standard or extended range has been chosen.
Propelling the aircraft are two General Electric CF34-10A engines, producing between 17,000 and 18,500 pounds of thrust.
Type certification was granted by the Civil Aviation Administration of China in December 2014, with the production certificate following in July 2017.
Chengdu Airlines and Genghis Khan Airlines are currently the only operators of the aircraft.
Sam Chui recently flew the ARJ21-700 operated by Chengdu Airlines, who were the launch operator of the type. You can check out his report here:
The ARJ21 isn’t the end of COMACs attempt at breaking the global dominance of Airbus, Boeing, Embraer and Bombardier.
Work is currently being completed on their new C919 jet, this aircraft aims to compete with the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737.
Additionally, COMAC and Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation have joined forces as CRAIC to design and build a modern, long-haul medium capacity aircraft called the CR929.
Sam Chui has photos of the cabin and cockpit mockups as presented at the MAKS 2019 Airshow:
Cover image source: Wikimedia Commons
Are you excited to see the growing number of COMAC aircraft destined for regional fleets?
Oh boy.
China’s 105 ARJ21-700 looks startlingly like the McDonald Douglas/Boeing 717 that’s in my view an out-dated and currently non-competitive “regional jet” that most US airlines quietly and rather quickly got rid of them. I had several occasions to fly in the Delta version of the 717 when they mistakenly tried to modernize their aging DC-30/50 fleet by purchasing these on the cheap on a distressed sale from the likes of Southwest when they acquired them through a merger with a now defunct carrier. The plane, although compliant and quiet, had a seating configuration that would only be affable to “little people”. With the likes of Airbus’ A220-200 and 300 currently offered models, why would any other non-China airline in their right mind consider the out-dated 105 ARJ21-700?!? If seat/mile costs, not to mention range are important–currently a pivotal factor, I think this model is a day late and several dollars short.