With a firm launch customer in hand and fourth test aircraft ready to take flight, China’s ARJ21 program appears to have found its stride just ahead of this year’s Singapore Airshow. As the show approached, the first three flying test beds, assembled by Comac subsidiary Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing Co. (SAMC), had flown some 220 hours over the course of 69 flight days. Comac expects to gain Chinese certification of the 90-seat ARJ21-700 by the end of this year, around which time a new carrier called Chengdu Airlines will likely take the first production airplane, officially placing China back in the business of delivering indigenously designed and built commercial airplanes.
Government-owned Comac last year reached an agreement with Sichuan Airlines and Chengdu Investment Co. to restructure Chengdu-based Airbus A320 operator United Eagle Airlines, rename it Chengdu Airlines and place a firm order for 30 ARJ21s. The arrangement increases the airline’s capital base from 300 million yuan ($44 million) to 680 million yuan ($100 million) and gives Comac a 48-percent share, while Sichuan Airlines and Chengdu Investment Co. retain, respectively, 40.97 percent and 11.03 percent of the reorganized entity.
