Regional jets to elevate local market
By Hu Meidong and Li Dapeng (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-07-24 08:58

The first batch of home-made ARJ21-700 regional jets is expected to be launched domestically in 2008, according to the manufacturer of the aircraft, AVICI Commercial Aircraft Co Ltd (ACAC).

"The future use of advanced regional jets will boost the development of the civil regional aviation market especially in the nation's western areas," said the General Manager of ACAC, Tang Xiaoping, on Friday when the company signed an agreement with Xiamen Airlines for six of the ARJ21-700s.

Before the agreement was inked, three other domestic aviation enterprises had already signed contracts with ACAC to buy 35 of the jets.

The first ARJ21-700 batch - which was simultaneously put into production at the end of last year in Shanghai, Xi'an in Shaanxi Province, Chengdu in Sichuan Province and Shenyang in Liaoning Province - will be delivered to customers in 2008, Tang said.

With complete proprietary intellectual property rights, the regional jets are being fully produced in China.

The design, market positioning and sales plan are all being directed by ACAC, Tang said.

Regional jets are currently in strong demand in China.

They are expected to become the main players in the nation's aviation transport industry, said Wu Rongnan, Xiamen Airlines' general manager.

"There is no problem for Chinese to produce this kind of aircraft," Wu said.

The ARJ21-700 is designed to be especially suitable for the tableland environment in China's western areas, said Tang.

"Besides our development in the country, we also have a long-term plan to expand our overseas market in the future," he said.

ACAC already has strong technological co-operation links with a number of multinational companies, such as GE Aircraft Engines - which is providing the engine for the ARJ21-700.

"The CF34-10A (the engine) is tailor-made for the ARJ21-700 and China's western tableland environment," said Hou Xiaofan, China regional general manager of GE Aircraft Engines.

Hou says there is a lot of potential for the ARJ21-700 abroad.

Tang said: "We believe the ARJ21-700 will be successful in China's aviation market."

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