Comac ARJ21 explained

The Comac ARJ21 Xiangfeng is a 78–90 seat regional jet manufactured by the Chinese state-owned aerospace company Comac.

Development of the ARJ21 (Advanced Regional Jet) began in March 2002, the first prototype was rolled out on 21 December 2007, and made its maiden flight on 28 November 2008 from Shanghai. It received its CAAC Type Certification on 30 December 2014 and was introduced on 28 June 2016 by Chengdu Airlines.

It features a 25° swept, supercritical wing designed by Antonov and twin rear-mounted General Electric CF34 engines. 100 airframes had been delivered by the end of 2022.

Development

The development of the ARJ21 (Advanced Regional Jet) is a key project in the "10th Five-Year Plan" of China. It began in March 2002 and was led by the state-owned ACAC consortium. The maiden flight of the ARJ21 was initially planned to take place in 2005 with commercial service beginning 18 months later.[1] The programme became eight years behind schedule.[2] The design work was delayed and the final trial production stage did not begin until June 2006.[3]

The first prototype (serial number 101) rolled out on 21 December 2007,[4] with a maiden flight on 28 November 2008 at Shanghai's Dachang Airfield. The aircraft completed a long-distance test flight on 15 July 2009, flying from Shanghai to Xi'an in 2 hours 19 minutes, over a distance of 1,300 km. The second ARJ21 (serial number 102) completed the same test flight route on 24 August 2009. The third aircraft (serial number 103) similarly completed its first test flight on 12 September 2009.[5] The fourth aircraft (CN 104) flew by November 2010. By August 2011, static, flutter and crosswind flight tests had been completed.[6]

The ARJ21 is a small jet aircraft that looks similar to the McDonnell Douglas MD-80. COMAC claims that the ARJ21 is based on an original design, part of which was created by supercomputers in China. The ACAC consortium was reorganized in 2009 and became a part of COMAC.[7]

Key flight tests and CAAC certification

AC104 returned to China on April 28, 2014, after completing natural-icing tests in North America. This was the first time a turbofan-powered regional jet independently developed by China had flown abroad to carry out flight tests in special weather conditions. At the same time, other flight-test aircraft covered more than 30,000 km across Asia, America, Europe, and the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Natural-icing tests are required for airworthiness certification, and conducting these tests outside China showed it was feasible to do certification tests for civil aircraft in other countries.[8]

The first production aircraft flew on 18 June 2014.[2] and AC104 completed an airspeed calibration flight on October 30. Route-proving started on October 29, 2014, and AC105 made 83 flights between ten airports in Chengdu, Guiyang, Guilin, Haikou, Fuzhou, Zhoushan, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Yinchuan and Xianyang. The cumulative flight time was 173 hours and 55 minutes.[9] By November 2014, AC104 had completed 711 flights in 1,442 hours and 23 minutes. Certification tests included stall, high-speed, noise and simulated and natural icing.[10] AC105 returned to Yanliang airport on December 16, 2014, from Xi'an Xianyang International Airport after the last function and reliability flight. This completed the testing for the ARJ21-700 airworthiness certificate.

The ARJ21-700 received its Type Certification under Chapter 25 of the Chinese civil aviation regulations from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), on December 30, 2014.[11] The certification program for the CAAC required 5,000 hours.An ARJ21-700 completed a final demonstration flight on 12 September 2015 before being delivered to a customer.

Introduction

On 29 November 2015, COMAC delivered the first ARJ21-700 to Chengdu Airlines.[12] The first commercial flight took off from Chengdu Shuangliu Airport on June 28, 2016, landing in Shanghai two hours later,[13] [14] one day after its commercial flight was approved by the CAAC. During the summer schedule period of 2016, i.e. until October 29, 2016, the ARJ21-700 was scheduled to operate three weekly rotations between Chengdu and Shanghai Hongqiao. 85 flight segments were operated by ARJ21 (81 by B-3321, four by B-3322).

Further developments

In June 2018 an ARJ21-700+ was proposed for 2021 with weight and drag reductions. Subsequently, a -900 stretch version was designed to accommodate 115 all-economy seats, similar to the Bombardier CRJ900, Embraer E175-E2 or Mitsubishi MRJ90.Structurally conservative and designed for hot and high operations, the ARJ21's empty weight is higher than initially targeted in 2002, and also higher than competing aircraft. In 2018 an executive version was in final assembly and a cargo variant was proposed.[15]

Freighter conversion program

The ARJ21 Passenger to Freighter (P2F) conversion program began in May 2020; the type certification and testing program was completed in December 2022 and the type certified by the CAAC on 1 January, 2023.[16]

The first two ARJ21 converted freighters (B-3329 and B-3388) were delivered to customers on 30 October 2023. The two airframes were initially delivered to Chengdu Airlines in 2018 in the passenger configuration and were subsequently withdrawn for the P2F program in 2021. Airframe B-3329 was handed over to YTO Cargo Airlines which intends to operate the type on short-haul international routes while airframe B-3388 was delivered to Air Central (based in Zhengzhou, China and not to be confused with a Japanese company formerly known by the same name) for flights on domestic routes.[17] The converted freighters have a maximum payload capacity of 10 tonnes and a range of about 1500 nautical miles (2780 km).

Production

In early July 2017, the CAAC certified the ARJ21 for mass production.[18] On 6 March 2020, the first ARJ21 assembled at the second production line in Pudong, took its first production test flight. The second production line, with a production capacity of up to 30 jets a year, is located at the same facility that assembles the C919.[19]

Design

Several Western sources claim the ARJ21 closely resembles either the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 or the MD-90, which were produced under licence in China.[20] [21] Comac states that the ARJ21 is a completely indigenous design.[22] [23] [24] The ARJ21's development did depend heavily on foreign suppliers, including engines and avionics from the United States. The ARJ21 has a new supercritical wing designed by Antonov Design Bureau with a sweepback of 25 degrees and winglets.[25] [26] [27] Some of China's supercomputers have been used to design parts for the ARJ21.

Manufacturers

Members of the ACAC consortium, which was formed to develop the aircraft, will manufacture major components of the aircraft:

Variants

ARJ21-700
  • Baseline model which has a capacity of 70 to 95 passengers.
    ARJ21-900
  • Stretched fuselage model based on the ARJ21-700, which will have a capacity of 95 to 105 passengers.
    ARJ21F
  • Planned dedicated freighter version of the ARJ21-700. It will have a capacity of five LD7 containers or PIP pallets, with a maximum payload of 10,150 kg.
    ARJ21P2F
  • The ARJ21P2F is designed with a maximum payload of 10,150kg and is compatible with PMC, PAG and AKE cargo containers. The first aircraft began conversion operations on 22 December, 2022 at GAMECO in Guangzhou, China.[31] The first batch of conversions involves 2 ARJ21-700 aircraft originally operated by Chengdu Airlines and was returned to COMAC in 2021.[32]
    ARJ21B
  • Planned business jet version of the ARJ21-700. A typical configuration would cater for 20 passengers.

    Operators

    See main article: List of Comac ARJ21 operators.

    As of October 2018, there were six aircraft in commercial service with an average monthly utilization rate of around 30 hours.[33]

    By the end of 2021, 66 aircraft had been delivered to customers.[34] And by the end of 2022, 100 aircraft have been delivered.[35]

    Orders and deliveries

    As of 31 August 2018, Comac had 221 outstanding orders, after 23 deliveries to launch operator Chengdu Airlines who put it in service on 28 June 2016.[36]

    Executing ordersThe following table is current as of 29 April 2024. Note that the numbers listed in the table have been obtained by cross-referencing the two web-based sources cited in the footnotes. Also note that the numbers listed are for the year of initial deliveries of airframes to (non-COMAC) commercial aerial services operators and do not necessarily reflect the number of airframes currently operated by each such operator; as a result, the total number delivered may exceed the total number of airframes cited in the original contracts.

    DateAirlineConfirmed(+Options)Deliveries
    2015201620172018201920202021202220232024
    8/30/2019 Air China3534894
    1/2010 Chengdu Airlines30112686643
    8/30/2019 OTT Airlines (Subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines)3525105
    11/2020 China Express Airlines502132
    8/30/2019 China Southern Airlines3534893
    12/2019 China Flight General Aviation Company (CFGAC)211
    8/20/2018 Genghis Khan Airlines25(+25)321
    1/2020 Jiangxi Air532
    Urumqi Air5
    12/2022 TransNusa30111
    Totals252(+25)1126122222342215
    137

    Reported Orders

    DateAirlineTypeOptionsRights
    ARJ21-700ARJ21-700FARJ21-700P2FARJ21B
    September 2003 Shanghai Airlines[37] 5
    Shandong Airlines10
    Shenzhen Financial Leasing20
    March 2004 Xiamen Airlines[38] 37
    December 2007 Henan Airlines[39] [40] 100
    December 2007 9nes[41] [42] 2
    March 2008 GECAS[43] 520
    Joy Air[44] 50
    May 2010 Merukh Enterprises[45] 10
    November 11, 2014 Republic of Congo[46] 4
    March 9, 2015 ICBC Leasing[47] 30
    August 30, 2019 China Eastern Airlines[48] 35
    October, 2022 Longhao Airlines50
    November, 2022 YTO Cargo Airlines702
    20 September 2023 GallopAir[49] 123[50]
    Totals345 Orders20

    An Indonesian airline will fly with its entire fleet consisting of 60 ARJ21 aircraft, although as of now that airline is not specified.[51]

    Specifications

    ARJ21-700ARJ21-900
    Cockpit crewTwo
    Seating capacity90 (1-class)
    78 (2-class)    		105 (1-class)
    98 (2-class)
    Seat pitch31 in (1-class), 36 & 32 in (2-class)
    Length33.46m (109.78feet)36.35m (119.26feet)
    Wingspan27.28m (89.5feet)
    Wing area79.86sqm
    Wing sweepback25 degrees
    Height8.44m (27.69feet)
    Cabin width3.14m (10.3feet)
    Cabin height2.03m (06.66feet)
    Aisle width48.3cm (19inches)
    Seat width45.5cm (17.9inches)
    OEW24955kg (55,016lb)26270kg (57,920lb) STD
    26770kg (59,020lb) ER
    MTOW40500kg (89,300lb) STD
    43500kg (95,900lb) ER    		43616kg (96,157lb) STD
    47182kg (104,019lb) ER
    Cargo capacity20.14m2-
    Take-off run at MTOW1700m (5,600feet) STD
    1900m (6,200feet) ER    		1750m (5,740feet) STD
    1950m (6,400feet) ER
    Service ceiling11900m (39,000feet)
    Max. operating speedMach 0.82 (870 km/h; 470 kn; 541 mph)
    Normal cruise speedMach 0.78 (828 km/h; 447 kn; 514 mph)
    Range (fully loaded) STD
    ER    		 STD
    ER
    Maximum fuel load10386kg (22,897lb)-
    Powerplants (2x)General Electric CF34-10A[52]
    Engine thrust17057order=flipNaNorder=flip18500order=flipNaNorder=flip

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: China-Made ARJ21 Feeder Plane to Appear at Zhuhai Aviation Show . People's Daily . 2002-11-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20031004015958/http://english.people.com.cn/200211/04/eng20021104_106234.shtml . 2003-10-04 . live .
    2. http://aviationweek.com/zhuhai-2014/c919-inches-toward-flight-testing-arj21-toward-upgrade C919 Inches Toward Flight-Testing, ARJ21 Toward Upgrade
    3. Web site: Self-developed jet to fly maiden trip . XINHUA . 2006-06-01 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20061110005953/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-06/01/content_4631760.htm . 2006-11-10 .
    4. News: 'Flying Phoenix' is China's first homegrown commercial aircraft . December 22, 2007 . Associated Press . TheRecord . https://web.archive.org/web/20090208120256/http://news.therecord.com/Business/article/286248 . 2009-02-08 .
    5. Web site: Third Chinese ARJ-21-700 takes off (in Spanish) . CCTV . 2009-09-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121022154434/http://www.cctv.com/program/e_BizChina/20090914/102936.shtml . 2012-10-22 . live .
    6. Web site: China's ARJ21 falls behind on flight test schedule . Flightglobal.com . 24 August 2011 . 18 October 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121105202328/http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/08/24/361199/chinas-arj21-falls-behind-on-flight-test-schedule.html . 5 November 2012 . dead .
    7. information on COMAC's website (Chinese)
    8. Web site: China-made ARJ21 aircraft completes natural icing flight test and achieves a global flight of 30,000km. 2014-12-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20141227013558/http://english.comac.cc/news/latest/201405/06/t20140506_1596644.shtml. 2014-12-27. live.
    9. Web site: ARJ21-700 AC105 completes function and reliability flight test successfully. comac.cc. 2014-12-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20141227071741/http://english.comac.cc/news/latest/201412/26/t20141226_2207764.shtml. 2014-12-27. live.
    10. Web site: ARJ21-700 AC104 completes all flight tests before issuance of TV. comac.cc. 7 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160305010422/http://english.comac.cc/news/latest/201411/18/t20141118_2094722.shtml. 2016-03-05. live.
    11. Web site: Perrett. Bradley. China Certifies Comac ARJ21-700. AviationWeek. 30 December 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20150101170953/http://aviationweek.com/commercial-aviation/china-certifies-comac-arj21-700. 2015-01-01. live.
    12. News: China's COMAC delivers first ARJ21 jet plane to domestic airline. Reuters. November 28, 2015. 2017-06-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20151203121845/http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/29/china-comac-idUSL3N13O02620151129. 2015-12-03. live.
    13. Wong, Chun Han, First Chinese-built passenger jet goes into service, Wall Street Journal, June 29, 2016, p.B7
    14. News: China's first domestically manufactured passenger jet takes off. Shanghai Daily. June 28, 2016. 2016-06-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20160629173613/http://www.shanghaidaily.com/business/Chinas-first-domestically-manufactured-passenger-jet-takes-off/shdaily.shtml. 2016-06-29. live.
    15. News: Comac To Upgrade ARJ21, Planning Freight Version . June 15, 2018 . Bradley Perrett . Aviation Week & Space Technology.
    16. Web site: ARJ21客改货项目获得适航批准 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230117051102/https://www.chinaerospace.com/article/show/016b5fc1cc67958949a5efebf607c1c2 . 2023-01-17 . 2023-01-17 . www.chinaerospace.com.
    17. News: COMAC delivers first ARJ21 converted freighters . 30 October 2023 . Alfred Chua . FlightGlobal.com.
    18. News: Matthew Miller and Fang Cheng . China Certifies COMAC to Mass Produce ARJ-21 Regional Jets: Xinhua . Himani Sarkar . Reuters . 9 July 2017 . 2017-12-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180108175606/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-comac-approval-idUSKBN19U05F . 2018-01-08 . live .
    19. News: Comac opens second ARJ21 production line . Alfred Chua . 12 March 2020 . Flightglobal.
    20. Web site: With ARJ21-700 Certified, Focus Shifts To Support. aviationweek.com. 20 January 2015. 2016-06-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20160703053243/http://aviationweek.com/commercial-aviation/arj21-700-certified-focus-shifts-support. 2016-07-03. live.
    21. News: Vertesy. Daniel. Szirmai. Adam. Interrupted innovation: Innovation system dynamics in latecomer aerospace industries.
    22. Web site: Xinhua – English . News.xinhuanet.com . 2006-06-01 . 2010-06-02 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090209031739/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-06/01/content_4631760.htm . 2009-02-09 .
    23. Web site: 我国已具备生产大型民用飞机的能力 . News.eastday.com . 2007-03-30 . 2010-06-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100620030213/http://news.eastday.com/c/20070904/u1a3087281.html . 2010-06-20 . live .
    24. Web site: 中国首架自主知识产权新支线飞机-上海频道-东方新闻-东方网 . Sh.eastday.com . 2010-06-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100526004545/http://sh.eastday.com/dta/ARJ21/index.html . 2010-05-26 . live .
    25. Web site: Website "Antonov": News. bot: unknown. https://timetravel.mementoweb.org/memento/2011/http://www.antonov.com/news/index.xml?news=antk-main/news_20071224.xml. 2018-01-24.
    26. Web site: ARJ21-A . AINonline . https://web.archive.org/web/20060204221503/http://www.ainonline.com/Features/regionalbusaircraft/arj21a.html . 2006-02-04 . 2006-06-23.
    27. Web site: Chinese ARJ21-700 Airliner Roll-Out. 2008-06-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20080414213324/http://www.deagel.com/news/Chinese-ARJ21-700-Airliner-Roll-Out_n000003364.aspx. 2008-04-14. live.
    28. Web site: CF3410APowered ARJ21 Regional Jet Certified by CAAC. December 30, 2014. General Electric Company. 2015-12-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20150906084639/http://www.geaviation.com/press/business_general/bus_20141230.html. 2015-09-06. live.
    29. Web site: COMAC ARJ21 – program supplier guide. Airframer.com. 2010-06-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20110707100234/http://www.airframer.com/aircraft_detail.html?model=ARJ21. 2011-07-07. live.
    30. Wong, Chun Han, China's first jetliner set to take off after delays, Wall Street Journal, p.B2
    31. Web site: 【罗戈网】 圆通航空与中国商飞举行ARJ21-700全球首架客改货原型机大开口切割仪式 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230117051804/http://www.logclub.com/m/articleInfo/NDI0MjI= . 2023-01-17 . 2023-01-17 . www.logclub.com.
    32. Web site: 网易 . 2022-10-04 . ARJ21货机首飞，配备大侧舱门，C919也应尽早发展客改货 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221006065054/https://www.163.com/dy/article/HIS4GIBK0535013N.html . 2022-10-06 . 2023-01-17 . www.163.com.
    33. News: Comac marches forward with ARJ21 and C919 . 26 October 2018 . Firdaus Hashim . Flightglobal . 2018-10-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181028112303/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/analysis-comac-marches-forward-with-arj21-and-c919-452053/ . 2018-10-28 . live .
    34. Web site: Shaw-Smith. Peter. Deliveries of Comac's ARJ21 Approach 70 Units. 2022-02-23. Aviation International News. en.
    35. Web site: 100th Chinese-developed ARJ21 jetliner delivered-Xinhua . https://web.archive.org/web/20221229150837/https://english.news.cn/20221229/2318583c5c914e7f98777bc3a5957bd6/c.html . 2022-12-29 . 2022-12-29 . english.news.cn.
    36. News: Comac marches forward with ARJ21 and C919. Firdaus Hashim. 26 October 2018. Flightglobal. 2018-10-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20181028112303/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/analysis-comac-marches-forward-with-arj21-and-c919-452053/. 2018-10-28. live.
    37. News: Three carriers place ARJ21 orders. 2003-09-23. Flight International. 2006-07-03. Reed Business Information.
    38. News: ARJ21 orderbook climbs to 41 as Xiamen signs up. 2004-08-03. Flight International. 2006-07-03. Reed Business Information.
    39. News: Ceremony inaugurates Chinese jet. 2007-11-21. Flight International. 2008-01-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20071224100605/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7155452.stm. 2007-12-24. live. Reed Business Information.
    40. AVIC announced a new order for 100 planes from Kunpeng Airlines, a Sino-US joint venture, raising the total number of orders to date to 170.
    41. News: Building a future: The AVIC I ARJ21-700 programme. 2007-08-07. Flight International. 2009-04-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20090528120124/http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/08/24/216287/building-a-future-the-avic-i-arj21-700-programme.html. 2009-05-28. live. Reed Business Information.
    42. Web site: China lays plans for ARJ21-900. K.K. Chadha. AINonline. 2010-10-25.
    43. News: GE Commercial Aviation Services Announces Purchase of Five ARJ21-700ER Regional Jet Aircraft from Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, LTD (COMAC); Options for Additional 20 Aircraft. 2008-11-21. 2010-07-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20101120025620/http://www.gecas.com/news20080511.asp. 2010-11-20. dead. Gecas .
    44. News: China Eastern, AVIC I launch Joy Air. 2008-04-01. Flight International. 2008-04-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20081007000957/http://www.avbuyer.com.cn/e/2008/22420.html. 2008-10-07. dead. Reed Business Information.
    45. Web site: China exporting ARJ21s and other aircraft to Indonesia. Flightglobal.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20100604001955/http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/05/21/342225/china-exporting-arj21s-and-other-aircraft-to-indonesia.html. 2010-06-04. live. 2010-06-02.
    46. Web site: The Republic of Congo announces to order three ARJ21-700 aircraft. comac.cc. https://web.archive.org/web/20141227092848/http://english.comac.cc/news/latest/201411/20/t20141120_2106615.shtml. 2014-12-27. live. 2014-12-27.
    47. Web site: I.C.B.C. Leasing orders thirty ARJ21-700 aircraft. comac.cc. 9 March 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150311205009/http://www.chinatopix.com/articles/41327/20150309/icbc-leasing-buys-30-china-made-jets.htm. 2015-03-11. live. 2015-03-10.
    48. News: China's top airlines to buy ARJ21 jets from COMAC. reuters.com. 2 September 2019.
    49. News: 20 September 2023 . Brunei's Gallop Air places US$2bil order for China-made C919, ARJ21 jets .
    50. Web site: Behind GallopAir's ambitious bid to position Brunei as a regional travel hub - Biz Brunei . 3 November 2023 .
    51. News: Indonesian airline will be first to fly fleet entirely of ARJ21s. 12 July 2016. South China Morning Post. en. 2017-02-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20170227062402/http://www.scmp.com/business/article/1989044/indonesian-airline-will-be-first-fly-fleet-entirely-arj21s. 2017-02-27. live.
    52. Web site: Datasheet-CF34-10A.
    53. Web site: ARJ21 Series page . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090713064343/http://www.acac.com.cn/site_en/product.asp . 2009-07-13.
    54. http://www.icas.org/media/pdf/ICAS%20Congress%20General%20Lectures/2010/ICAS-2010-0.5_ARJ21-700_en.pdf ARJ21-700 Specifications

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