The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China -- a government-owned designer and constructor of large passenger aircraft -- has delivered its second jet to Chengdu Airlines in Shanghai. It's a huge step for COMAC, who is trying to ease China's dependency on international aircraft producers, and enter a stage of mass industrialization .
Delivery completed. This 78-seater aircraft -- equipped with an economy and a business class -- is COMAC's second ARJ21-700. It's expected to begin its routes soon -- the same ones as its sister jet -- which made its maiden commercial flight in late June. It has completed 70 flights, with load factors of above 90 percent. The ARJ21 is the first type of jet to be designed and constructed in China.
"The implementation of the ARJ21 has been very smooth. Both experts and passengers spoke highly of the aircraft, from the flight conditions to the service," Chengdu Airlines President Zhuang Haogang said.
There are now more than 400 orders for the ARJ21 jet. COMAC will now begin to ramp up their production and they expect, by 2020, their annual output will be at 25.
"The ARJ21 is able to operate successfully, and I believe that it will operate better and better with further improvements..." Shen Xiaoming with China Civil Aviation Administration said.
The success of the ARJ21 has been a great boost for the industry here, from research and development and marketing, to mass production and customer services.
It shows that China can not only progress its own research and design to produce regional jets, but today's students now have a great base to go even further in the industry.
