Aviation officials, executives and journalists were among the first passengers aboard the ARJ21 regional jet on the Chengdu Airlines flight, which departed the central city of Chengdu after some fanfare featuring ribbon-cutting and a posse of panda mascots. The plane landed in Shanghai just over two hours later, according to state media, which declared the flight a success.
The ARJ21, or Advanced Regional Jet for the 21st century, can carry between 78 and 90 passengers more than 2,200 kilometers, according to its state-owned manufacturer, Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China. Officials originally set a 2006 deadline for the jet's commercial rollout, but its debut was repeatedly delayed by production setbacks.
The delays, industry experts said, mean that the ARJ21 is entering a more crowded regional-jet market dominated by the likes of Canada's Bombardier Inc. and Brazil's Embraer SA. Russia's Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Co. also makes a regional jet, while Japan's Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. will pose a challenge with a new 70-to-90 seater.
Chengdu Airlines took delivery of the ARJ21 in November and hoped to start operations in February. Regulatory approval to launch commercial services finally came through Friday. The carrier didn't offer specific reasons for the delays, though executives say they racked up nearly 140 hours worth of flight trials to make sure the aircraft is safe and ready.
"There have been various minor problems. This is unavoidable for all aircraft types and they have been dealt with properly," the government news agency, Xinhua, quoted Chengdu Airlines Deputy General Manager Shuai Zhiyong as saying Tuesday. "Currently, the aircraft is safe."
Source: Wall Street Journal by Chun Han Wong
from China Travel & Tourism News http://ift.tt/1iB6EFm
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