Comac ARJ21

The Comac ARJ21 Xiangfeng (Chinese: 翔凤; pinyin: xiángfèng; lit.: 'Soaring Phoenix') 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. Resembling the McDonnell Douglas MD-80/MD-90 produced under licence in China, it features a 25° swept, supercritical wing designed by Antonov and twin rear-mounted General Electric CF34 engines.

ARJ21 Xiangfeng
ARJ21-700 in flight at the Zhuhai Air Show (2010).
Role Regional jet
Manufacturer Comac
Designer AVIC I Commercial Aircraft Company (ACAC)
First flight 28 November 2008
Introduction 28 June 2016 with Chengdu Airlines[1]
Status In production, in service (deliveries began)
Primary user Chengdu Airlines[2]
Produced 2007–present[3]
Number built 32[4]
Unit cost
US$40 million as of 2018
Developed from Partly based on McDonnell Douglas MD-80 engineering wise[5]

Development
Joy Air ARJ21 Model at the 2008 China Airshow

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.[6] The programme became eight years behind schedule.[7] The design work was delayed and the final trial production stage did not begin until June 2006.[8]

The first prototype (serial number 101) rolled out on 21 December 2007, [9], with a maiden flight on 28 November 2008 at Shanghai's Dachang Airfield.[10] 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.[11] The fourth aircraft (CN 104) flew by November 2010. By August 2011, static, flutter and crosswind flight tests had been completed.[12]

The ARJ21 is a small jet aircraft that looks similar to the MD-80, which was licensed to be built in China, although COMAC claims that it is an original design, part of which was created by supercomputers in China.[13]

The ACAC consortium was reorganized in 2009 and became a part of COMAC.[14]

Key flight tests and CAAC certification

ARJ21-700 AC104 of Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC) returned to China safely on April 28, 2014 after successfully completing natural icing flight testing 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. In the meantime, the fleet of ARJ21-700 test aircraft has achieved a global flight log of more than 30,000 km across Asia, America, Europe, and the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. This success of the ARJ21-700 in natural icing flight testing has cleared another obstacle toward airworthiness certification, and proven access and feasibility for China's civil aircraft to carry out flight testing abroad.[15]

The first production aircraft flew on 18 June 2014.[7] and ARJ21-700 AC104 successfully completed one flight of supplementary applicant flight test for compliance of airspeed calibration on October 30, 2014, which led to an entire completion of all flight tests undertaken by AC104 before Type Certification (TC).

Function and reliability flight test was the last major special flight test before the issuance of Type Certificate (TC). ARJ21-700 aircraft conducted the function and reliability flight test strictly in accordance with flight test plan and successfully completed the special inspection of various systems. Flight testing started on October 29, 2014 and AC105 successively conducted 83 flights in the routes among ten airports in Chengdu, Guiyang, Guilin, Haikou, Fuzhou, Zhoushan, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Yinchuan and Xianyang to simulate operations in routes. The cumulative flight time was 173 hours and 55 minutes.[16]

By November 2014, AC104 had undertaken and completed major flight tests of stall, high-speed characteristic, noise, simulated icing, minimum flight crew, etc., realized global flight and natural icing flight test success, and had accumulated 711 flights in 1,442 hours and 23 minutes, and accomplished 468 test points (74 tests) of applicant flight test for compliance and 420 test points (63 tests) of certification flight test. AC104 became the first test aircraft which completed all the flight tests before receiving a Type Certificate (TC).[17]

ARJ21-700 AC105 returned to Yanliang airport at 12:32 on December 16, 2014 from Xi'an Xianyang International Airport after the last flight for function and reliability flight test, which indicated that the function and reliability flight test of ARJ21-700 aircraft has been completed successfully, and also indicates that all the flight tests before airworthiness certification of the aircraft have been completed successfully.

The ARJ21-700 advanced regional jet 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.[18] The program logged 5,000 hours before obtaining certification from the CAAC.[19] ARJ21-700 completed the final demonstration flight on 12 September 2015 prior to delivery.

Introduction

On 29 November 2015, COMAC delivered the first ARJ21-700 to Chengdu Airlines.[20] The first commercial flight took off from Chengdu Shuangliu Airport on June 28, 2016, landing in Shanghai two hours later.[21][22] 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 planned to cut weight and drag for 2021 before a 115-seat -900 stretch from the -700 seating 90 in all-economy like the CRJ900, E175-E2 or MRJ90. Structurally conservative as it was designed by a new entrant and designed for hot and high operations, its 25 t (55,000 lb) empty it is heavier than its competitors and than targeted at program launch in 2002. Cabin fittings and secondary structures could be lightened: lighter seats can cut 500 kg (1,100 lb), aerodynamic refinements will cut drag, avionics may be improved and the GE CF34-10 can be uprated from 18,500 to 20,000 lbf (82 to 89 kN). An executive version was in final assembly and a cargo variant could be developed.[23]

Production

In early July 2017, the CAAC certified the ARJ21 for mass production.[24] On 6 March, the first ARJ21 assembled in this second production line, in the C919 assembly facility, took off, while there were 27 aircraft in operation in China and Comac had another 330 on order.[25]

Design

Different sources claim the ARJ21 closely resembles either the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 or the MD-90 which were produced under licence in China[26][27] and for which the production tooling was never returned to McDonnell Douglas. Comac states that the ARJ21 is a completely indigenous design.[28][29][30] The ARJ21's development did depend heavily on foreign suppliers, including engines and avionics from the United States. The ARJ21 features an all-new supercritical wing having a sweepback of 25 degrees and designed by Ukraine's Antonov Design Bureau. It is fitted with winglets to improve aerodynamic performance.[31][32][33] Antonov also assisted the project with geometrical determination and integral analysis of the construction strength of ARJ21.[31] Some of China's supercomputers have been used to design parts for ARJ21.[34]

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.
ARJ21B
Planned business jet version of the ARJ21-700. A typical configuration would cater for 20 passengers.

Operators
Chengdu Airlines' ARJ21 at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport in 2019

In October 2018, six aircraft were in service with an average monthly utilisation rate of around 30 hours.[19]

Operator First commercial service -700 -900 Combined
Air China 28 June 2020 1 1
Chengdu Airlines 28 June 2016 20 20
China Southern Airlines 28 June 2020 1 1
Genghis Khan Airlines 26 July 2019 4 4
Jiangxi Air 5 5

Orders and deliveries
The first ARJ21 for Air China was delivered on 28 June 2020

As of 31 August 2018, Comac has 221 outstanding orders after 6 deliveries to launch operator Chengdu Airlines, which put it in service on 28 June 2016.[38]

Executing Orders

Date Airline Confirmed

(+Options)

 Deliveries
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
August 30, 2019 Air China 35 1
Jan 2010 Chengdu Airlines 30 1 1 2 6 7 3
August 30, 2019 China Southern Airlines 35 1
Aug 20, 2018 Genghis Khan Airlines 25(+25) 3 1
Jiangxi Air 5 2
CFGAC 2 1
Totals 82(+25) Orders 1 1 2 6 11 5
26

Reported Orders

Date Airline Type Options Rights
ARJ21-700 ARJ21B
Sep 2003 Shanghai Airlines[39] 5
Shandong Airlines[39] 10
Shenzhen Financial Leasing[39] 20
Mar 2004 Xiamen Airlines[40][lower-alpha 1] 37
Dec 2007 Henan Airlines[41][42] 100
Dec 2007 9nes[43][44] 2
Mar 2008 GECAS[45] 5 20
Joy Air[46] 50
May 2010 Merukh Enterprises[47] 10
Nov 11, 2014 Republic of Congo[48] 4
March 9, 2015 ICBC Leasing[49] 30
August 30, 2019 Air China[50] 35
August 30, 2019 China Eastern Airlines[50] 35
August 30, 2019 China Southern Airlines[50] 35
Totals 378 Orders 20
  1. Although the Xiamen order for six was reported in some press as firm, ACAC's own web site still shows them as "options"

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
ARJ21-700 ARJ21-900
Cockpit crew Two
Seating capacity 90 (1-class)
78 (2-class)		 105 (1-class)
98 (2-class)
Seat pitch 31 in (1-class), 36 & 32 in (2-class)
Length 33.46 m (109 ft 9 in) 36.35 m (119 ft 3 in)
Wingspan 27.28 m (89 ft 6 in)
Wing area 79.86 m2 (859.6 sq ft)
Wing sweepback 25 degrees
Height 8.44 m (27 ft 8 in)
Cabin width 3.14 m (10 ft 4 in)
Cabin height 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)
Aisle width 48.3 cm (19.0 in)
Seat width 45.5 cm (17.9 in)
OEW 24,955 kg (55,016 lb) 26,270 kg (57,920 lb) STD
26,770 kg (59,020 lb) ER
MTOW 40,500 kg (89,300 lb) STD
43,500 kg (95,900 lb) ER		 43,616 kg (96,157 lb) STD
47,182 kg (104,019 lb) ER
Cargo capacity 20.14 m3 (711 cu ft) -
Take-off run at MTOW 1,700 m (5,600 ft) STD
1,900 m (6,200 ft) ER		 1,750 m (5,740 ft) STD
1,950 m (6,400 ft) ER
Service ceiling 11,900 m (39,000 ft)
Max. operating speed Mach 0.82 (870 km/h, 470 kn, 541 mph)
Normal cruise speed Mach 0.78 (828 km/h, 447 kn, 514 mph)
Range (fully loaded) 1,200 NM (2,200 km; 1,400 mi) STD
2,000 NM (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) ER		 1,200 NM (2,200 km; 1,400 mi) STD
1,800 NM (3,300 km; 2,100 mi) ER
Maximum fuel load 10,386 kg (22,897 lb) -
Powerplants (2x) General Electric CF34-10A[52]
Engine thrust 75.87 kN (17,057 lbf) 82 kN (18,500 lbf)
  • Notes: Data are provided for reference only. STD = Standard Range, ER = Extended Range
  • Sources: ARJ21 Series,[53] ICAS[54]

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Related lists

References
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