| An ARJ21 of Chengdu Airlines, the type's launch operator | |
| Role | Regional jet |
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| Manufacturer | Comac |
| Design group | AVIC I Commercial Aircraft Company (ACAC) |
| First flight | November 28, 2008; 15 years ago |
| Introduction | 28 June 2016 with Chengdu Airlines |
| Status | In production, in service |
| Primary user | Chengdu Airlines |
| Produced | 2007–present |
| Number built | > 137 (as of 30 May 2024) |
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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. The programme became eight years behind schedule. The design work was delayed and the final trial production stage did not begin until June 2006.
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
| 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 |
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Ceiling
MAX RANGE
Aircraft Speed
Max Crew
Dimensions |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Length (m) | 33.5 | 36.4 | |
| Wingspan (m) | 27.3 | 27.3 | |
| Height (m) | 8.4 | 8.4 | |
| Wing area (m2) | 79.9 | 79.9 | |
Weight |
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| Maximum take-off weight (kg) | 40 500 | 47 180 | |
| Operating empty weight (kg) | 25 000 | 26 770 | |
| Maximum payload (kg) | 8 900 | 11 300 | |
| Standard fuel capacity (litres) | 12 700 | 12 700 | |
Performance |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Range with max payload (km) | 2 200 | 3 300 | |
| Cruise speed (km/h) | 870 | 870 | |
| Maximum operating altitude (m) | 10 600 | 12 600 | |
| Take-off field length (m) | 1 700 | 1 950 | |
| Engines | GE CF34-10A, 2 x 17000 lb |
GE CF34-10A,2 x 18500 lb | |
Cabin Data |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Passengers (1-class) | 90 | ||
| Passengers (2-class) | 78 | ||
| Cabin width (m) | 3.1 | ||
| Cabin height (m) | 2.0 | ||
| Aisle width (m) | 0.48 | 0.48 | |
| Seat width (m) | 0.45 | ||
On 29 November 2015, COMAC delivered the first ARJ21-700 to Chengdu Airlines.[17] The first commercial flight took off from Chengdu Shuangliu Airport on June 28, 2016, landing in Shanghai two hours later.
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.
Some of China's supercomputers have been used to design parts for the ARJ21.