Comac's first passenger aircraft is ready

[Aeronotix]

China unveils ARJ21-700 aircraft a twin engine passenger Jet at the Commercial Aircraft Corp of China Ltd (Comac) factory in Shanghai.

The ARJ21-700 can seat 78 to 90 passengers. The company started working on the project in 2002. Though the aircraft’s delivery was scheduled for 2007, it got delayed due to technical issues. Built for Chengdu Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China has completed the work on ARJ21-700 and is ready for certification after having test flown 13,000 hours. The aircraft completed test flights in April this year.

China is now ready to deliver its first indigenously built aircraft.
According to Reuters, Commercial Aircraft Corp of China Ltd and JSC United Aircraft Corporation are considering jointly developing advanced wide-body jets, a move that could help the Chinese plane maker compete with Boeing and Airbus.

[desertopsguy]

Can't see it being popular outside China, at least in short-medium term.

Chinese market probably big enough to support it though.

For various reasons the Americans and European's won't buy it. The Russians have their new Sukhoi and massive, protectionist import duties on foreign manufactured aircraft. Type certification in many countries could take years, deliberately.

Likely it will fly around inside China for many years until someone outside is brave enough to buy a plane with a 'Made in China' sticker on it.

Price would need to be extremely attractive too for anyone to risk buying it and the Chinese central bank will need support it through export credit arrangements otherwise forget seeing this thing outside China any time soon.

Ironically, Boeing/Airbus etc might buy one but just to see how many of their patents were ripped off :E