Aviation in China takes off with first domestically-designed regional jet

World Today

Chinese plane manufacturer COMAC delivered China’s first home-developed jet to domestic carrier Chengdu Airlines on Sunday, marking a big breakthrough in the country’s aviation industry.

CCTV’s Liu Yang in Chengdu reports.

The country’s first domestically designed regional jet, the ARJ21-700, arrived at the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport on a bright, sunny Sunday.

The jet is produced by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China. First proposed in 2008, Chengdu Airlines has become the first to receive the plane seven years later.

The ARJ-21, short for Advanced Regional Jet for the 21st Century, has five seats per row. The jet was approved by both the Civil Aviation Administration of China and U.S. Federal Aviation Agency.

Chengdu Airlines has opened more than 60 domestic routes nationwide. The ARJ21-700 will be flown between a number of major cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu.

China’s appetite for flying continues to grow. Its 21 largest airports saw more than 10 million passengers in 2014. Experts say the ARJ21 marks just the beginning of what’s set to be a bright future for the Chinese aviation industry.