ARJ21, regional jet tailored for domestic civil aviation market

"Advanced Regional Jet in the 21st century (ARJ21)" is a new-type turbofan regional jet with 70-90 seats and a designed traveling distance within 2,000 nautical miles. Its four 1:10 samples, upon their debut at Zhuhai Air Show, roused strong interest from visitors.

Many people noticed that, although a regional jet, ARJ 21 is no much less comfortable than large, trunk-line planes. The biggest merits of the aircraft, however, are invisible--outstanding adaptability to plateau conditions and high temperature to ensure full-capacity landing and take-off in most airports of western China; the biggest compatibility possible to 150-seat trunk line aircraft to reduce training and operation costs for air companies; four models (standard, extended, cargo and business) for customers' choice; full-range cost control (8-10 percent lower in operation costs than its rivals) with world-class performance which makes profits for airlines possible after ticket discounts. ARJ21's developer, China Aviation Industry Corporation I (AVIC I) summed up these merits into one point--to meet the needs of domestic regional aviation market as much as possible.

The research work has entered the stage of detailed design, sources said, and 90 percent structure design will be completed by this December and parts production had begun in aircraft plants in Xi'an, Chengdu, Shenyang and Shanghai. At the air show, AVIC I signed with Canada-based CAE an MOU on ARJ21 fly simulator, a mark that ARJ21's customers service system has been drawn closer to international standard.

The market prospects of the new plane turned out promising. Following last year's 35 orders, a letter of intent for purchasing 6 ARJ21 was signed with Xiamen Airlines last July. Sales on overseas markets were also kicked off at the same time.

New plane to push forward regional aviation

Many people expect that the ARJ21 program will serve to push forward the development of regional aviation market.

When trunk lines are expanded to a certain degree, feeder lines will be needed to improve the whole network. But China's regional market has been held back by the manufacture of feeder aircraft. Airlines are often weighed down by high purchasing and operation costs of European or Brazilian made regional jets, which, moreover, usually can not fly in full capacity due to ill adjustment to plateau conditions of western China, the country's main feeder aviation market. So, many air companies displayed strong interest in ARJ21 for its low operation cost and high adaptability to airports and runways in west China.

It is estimated that by 2015 the number of airports in west China will reach around 100, 90 of them regional ones. The ARJ21 program, it can be said, lightens hope for airlines who set eyes on feeder aviation.

Insist on our own IPRs

The biggest feature of ARJ21 is its totally independent intellectual property rights of China, a home designed and manufactured jet in real sense.

We firmly stick to two principles during the research process, said Yang Yuzhong, deputy general manager of AVIC I, one is share holding by the Chinese side, the other is Chinese control over core technologies. Only in this way, said Yang, can we avoid becoming a company controlled by internationals and truly forge a national brand.

Meanwhile, the country will continue to put efforts on civil aircraft research, trying to make breakthroughs in key technologies as general design, power design, lifespan structure, etc. so as to lay a foundation for bigger plane development in future.

By People's Daily Online