ARJ21-700

Cette dernière a reçu 208 commandes d'avions de type ARJ21, émises par des pays américains et européens.

La commande cumulée du projet de l'avion de ligne ARJ21 s'élève à 240 appareils

Selon une information publiée par la Compagnie chinoise des avions commerciaux (COMAC), la société a établi avec l'UEAIR (compagnie d'aviation privée basée à Chengdu, capitale du Sichuan) un contrat pour la vente de 30 avions ARJ21-700. Il s'agit de la plus importante commande du projet puisqu'elle a dépassé celle des 25 appareils passée en 2008 par la société américaine GECAS. Jusqu'à présent, la commande du projet ARJ21 s'élève donc à 240 appareils.

En tant que tout dernier avion de ligne chinois à courte et moyenne portée, l'ARJ21 présente une bonne faculté d'adaptation tout en étant confortable. Selon COMAC, trois avions ARJ21-700 ont réussi leur premier vol d'essai et deux d'entre eux sont actuellement soumis à la deuxième étape des essais de vol à Xi'an. COMAC a promis de décrocher le permis de vol en 2010 pour assurer la livraison dans les délais annoncés.

De la part de l'UEAIR, la société possèdera un réseau de vol depuis Chengdu après la livraison des 30 avions ARJ21-700 pour répondre aux besoins des passagers locaux. Ceci contribuera au développement du transport aérien dans l'ouest, et à priori, dans le sud-ouest du pays.

Également en charge du développement du grand avion chinois, COMAC a annoncé le bon déroulement des préparatifs du projet C919. Les neuf fournisseurs des composants de l'avion ont été décidés, et la fabrication du prototype du cockpit de l'avion a débuté le 1er septembre à Chengdu.

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-- Commercial Aircraft Corp of China has taken a 47.96 percent stake in United Eagle Airlines and secured a deal to sell 30 of its self-develped ARJ21-700 regional jets to the small carrier. It has received 240 orders for ARJ21 jets so far.
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China's ARJ21 regional jet aircraft has achieved a new milestone in its flight test programme and the aircraft's engine-maker is on track to deliver the first production engine in the fourth quarter.
A senior source at Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) says the ARJ21-700 has completed around 540 flight hours as part of its flight test programme.
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Flight tests have mostly been taking place at China's National Flight Test Centre in Xian but there have also been cold weather flight tests in China's Inner Mongolia province.
The ARJ21-700 is a 90-seat regional jet aircraft designed for 'hot and high' flying conditions. China's government, which is bankrolling the programme, has said it wants the aircraft for new regional routes in remote parts of western China, an area synonymous with mountainous and hot terrain.
Comac was planning to receive Chinese certification in time for first customer delivery in this year's fourth quarter, but the general consensus among industry sources in China is that first delivery is now likely to be in 2011's first quarter.

Le jet ARJ21-700 dével(oppé de façon autonome par la Chine a passé lundi avec succès les tests de résistance aux températures extrêmes et à une forte humidité.

Ces douze derniers jours, le jet a subi des essais et tests portant sur son air conditionné, son radar climatique et sa résistance à la glaces et à la pluie.

L'ARJ21-700 est le premier avion chinois développé en accord avec les normes internationales de vol.

Il est conçu pour des vols régionaux, avec une portée de 2 225 kilomètres.

La réussite de ces tests lundi marque la fin de tous les tests en vol et sur terre de cet avion, a annoncé Gao Xijun, directeur général adjoint de la société AVIC Commercial Aircraft, le constructeur du jet.

Le 20 juillet, l'avion a rallié l'aéroport de Yanliang dans la ville de Xi'an, la capitale de la province du Shaanxi (nord-ouest) à Sanya, une ville dans la province insulaire de Hainan (sud) en deux heures et 54 minutes.

Il va retourner à sa base à Xi'an lundi plus tard, a-t-il ajouté.

L'avion ARJ21-700 est conçu pour faire face aux températures extrêmes des régions dans l'ouest de la Chine.

First delivery of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China's (Comac) ARJ21 regional jet has been further delayed until at least the third quarter of 2011.

Sources close to the programme say Comac plans to deliver the first ARJ21 towards the end of next year, after the aircraft receives certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

Chengdu Airlines, which is expected to be the jet's launch operator, was previously due to take first delivery in early 2011. Comac had initially aimed for entry into service in 2007 when it first launched the ARJ21 programme.

Comac's spokesman could not be reached for comment, but sources within the company confirm the delay, citing "design issues".

"The problems have resulted in the schedule being pushed back by about four months, and we are aiming to deliver the first aircraft in September," says one of the sources.

The four aircraft in the ARJ21 test fleet have completed about 600 flight hours, and aircraft 104 is scheduled to make its air show flight debut during China's Zhuhai Airshow in November.

General Electric has delivered the first two CF34-10A production engines for Comac's twin-engined ARJ21 regional jet programme.

The delivery took place in October, says GE Aviation's marketing general manager for commercial aircraft programmes in China, Terry Sharp. This puts the delivery slightly ahead of schedule, as GE Aviation had in September suggested that delivery could take place in November or December.

GE's CF34-10A powerplant received FAR 33 certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration in late July. The engine is a derivative of the CF34-10E, which is used on Embraer 190 regional jets.

First delivery of the ARJ21 is expected to take place in the third quarter of 2011 at the earliest, after delays caused by design issues. Comac was initially expected to deliver the first aircraft to launch operator Chengdu Airlines in early 2011.

Assembly work has started on the first Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) ARJ21 production aircraft, which will be delivered to the regional jet's launch operator.

The first shipment of parts for the aircraft was delivered to Comac subsidiary Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing, which is responsible for final assembly of the ARJ21, at a ceremony on 8 November, says Comac.

Among the parts was the aircraft's nose section supplied by Chengdu Aircraft, the fuselage sections from Xian Aircraft and the vertical stabiliser from Shenyang Aircraft, adds Comac.

Aircraft 105 will be the first production aircraft delivered to the ARJ21 launch operator, expected to be Chengdu Airlines.

Delays to the ARJ21 programme have pushed first deliveries to the third quarter of 2011 at the earliest, sources close to the programme have said.

Aircraft 104, one of four in the ARJ21 test fleet, will make its airshow flight debut at Airshow China in Zhuhai next week. It arrived at Zhuhai yesterday after a flight from Xian, where most of the flight testing has been taking place.

The Comac ARJ21 regional jet is set to take to the skies above Zhuhai this month as it makes its air show flight debut.

Aircraft 104, one of the four in the test fleet, will take part in the flight display, even as sources say that setbacks have resulted in the first delivery of the aircraft, initially scheduled for early 2011, being delayed until at least the third quarter of 2011. Sources within Comac say unresolved design issues have led to the slippage.

Chengdu Airlines is expected to be the launch operator of the 90-seat aircraft.

Comac declines to comment on its commercial aircraft programmes, but sources close to the aircraft manufacturer say deliveries could take place only in late 2011.



The ARJ21 regional jet is expected to fly this month at the Zhuhai air show. Picture: Rex Features
CERTIFICATION
The aircraft has yet to be certificated by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and the sources say Comac aims to achieve this later in 2011.

A shadow certification programme by the US Federal Aviation Administration is ongoing, as US authorities assess the CAAC's ability to technically assess the aircraft. Comac can then apply for FAR 25 certification if the CAAC passes this shadow programme.

In the meantime, GE Aviation delivered the first two CF34-10A production engines to the ARJ21 programme in October. This follows FAR 33 certification for the powerplant obtained from US regulators in late July.

"There will be plenty of time for Comac to fold it into the production system," says GE Aviation's vice-president and general manager for commercial aircraft programmes Roger Seager.

Endurance testing of the engine is continuing, as GE supports the ARJ21 in its flight-testing programme. "The programme has gone remarkably successfully, given that we already have a lot of experience with this engine," says Seager. GE's CF34-10A is a derivative of the CF34-10E, which is used on Embraer 190 regional jets.

The ARJ21, which had its first flight in November 2008, has flown about 600h so far.

Most of the flight testing has taken place in Xian, and the programme completed high temperature, humidity and static load tests earlier this year.

Besides launch operator Chengdu Airlines, Chinese carriers Henan Airlines, Shandong Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, Joy Air and Shanghai Airlines have also reportedly placed orders, even though some of these are letters of intent. Lao Airlines, with an order for two ARJ21s, is set to be the regional jet's first foreign operator.

GE Commercial Aviation Services placed a firm order for five ARJ21s and 20 options at the last Zhuhai air show in 2008.

Indonesian mining firm Merukh Enterprises has also reportedly signed a tentative agreement to export ARJ21s and other Chinese-made aircraft to Indonesia.

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE
In total, Comac has reportedly gained more than 200 orders for the ARJ21. The number of orders is expected to go up as the Chinese government is believed to be urging airlines to support the country's domestic aircraft programmes.

Sources close to the ARJ21 programme say more orders are expected to be announced at this month's air show.

In the meantime, work has started on a facility in Shanghai that will eventually assemble the regional jet and Comac's C919 narrowbody.Due for completion in 2012, the facility will produce 50 ARJ21s a year by 2016, Comac has said.

Despite the latest setbacks to the regional jet programme, suppliers involved in the aircraft say they believe the programme will take off eventually, as they point to delays in other more high-profile aircraft programmes such as the Airbus A350 XWB and Boeing's 787.

"Comac is not any different, they have taken a bit longer than they thought," says GE's Seager.

TC Chan, vice-president and managing director of Asia Pacific for Rockwell Collins, which is supplying part of the avionics on the ARJ21, says: "Comac has suffered some delays but we have confidence that the programme will be successful."

Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (Comac) now aims to deliver its first ARJ21 regional jet toward the end of next year, representing another one-year delay in the program.

It had been aiming to have first deliveries by the end of this year, but Comac director general airworthiness management department, Zhao Yuerang, says they aim to finish the flight test program in April and the supplemental ground tests in June.

“At the end of next year, we will complete (Civil Aviation Administration of China) type certification and have first delivery,” he says. Zhao was speaking at the China International Aviation and Aerospace Forum on Nov. 15 in Zhuhai.

The ARJ21 has experienced several delays over the years. Previous delays were caused by weight issues and difficulties with systems integration.

But the latest delay is due to structural issues. Industry sources say the ARJ21’s wing broke, during static testing before achieving ultimate predicted load. The wing’s failure then led the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to limit the aircraft’s flight envelope during its flight test program.

The sources say the structural issue has since been resolved because Comac has redesigned the aircraft’s wing to make it stronger. The CAAC has responded by restoring the flight envelope to its fullest, add the sources.

Chengdu Airlines, in which Comac is a major shareholder, is to be the launch operator. Chengdu placed an order for 30 ARJ21s after Comac bought into the airline. The launch operator was originally supposed to be Shandong Airlines, but it decided to delay taking delivery of the Chinese-built regional aircraft. Shenzhen Airlines’ Kunpeng Airlines was next in line to be the launch operator, but it handed that mantle to Chengdu.

The ARJ21-700 is a 90-seat regional jet powered by two, fuselage-mounted General Electric CF34-10A engines.

China is hoping that once the ARJ21 receives Chinese certification, it will get FAA certification, making it the first Chinese commercial transport aircraft to receive U.S. approval. The FAA has agreed in-principle to embark on a shadow certification, which involves ensuring the CAAC certification process is in line with FAA standards.

Passing the shadow certification process would make it easier for the ARJ21 to get FAA certification. Having FAA certification would help Comac to sell the aircraft overseas.

Comac has sold the ARJ21 mostly to Chinese airlines. Its foreign customers are GE Commercial Aviation Services and the Laos Government. Laos is a political ally of China. GE is providing the engines for the ARJ21.

The Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (Comac) says its ARJ21 regional jet flight test programme has completed 900 flight hours, and it aims to receive Chinese regulatory certification for the aircraft by September 2011.

The four aircraft in the ARJ21 test fleet have completed more than 400 flights, Comac said at Airshow China in Zhuhai.

It aims to receive certification for the aircraft from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) by September 2011, says ARJ21 chief designer Chen Yong.

"After that, we expect to deliver the first aircraft by year-end to [launch operator] Chengdu Airlines," he adds.

First delivery of the ARJ21 was initially expected to be at the end of this year, but sources have said previously that unresolved design issues resulted in it being postponed.

Comac hopes to eventually market the ARJ21 overseas, and a shadow certification programme by the US FAA is ongoing.

The shadow certification, which started in March, involves the FAA assessing the CAAC's ability to technically assess the aircraft in 49 different areas, says Comac.

Comac can then apply for FAR 25 certification if it passes this shadow certification, which is expected to be completed in 2012, says Chen.

First delivery of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) ARJ21 regional jet is likely to be delayed by up to a year or more, after problems surfaced during the flight testing programme.
Sources close to the programme, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the airframer is not likely to deliver the first aircraft to launch operator Chengdu Airlines by end-2011 as scheduled.
A Comac spokesman was not able to comment on the reported delay. Chengdu Airlines was uncontactable for comment.
Among the problems faced by the airframer is the incorrect positioning of aircraft probes which resulted in inaccurate readings during flight testing, said sources.
The programme has also not completed its icing tests, said a source, adding that this makes it difficult for the ARJ21 to receive its type certificate by year-end.
"There isn't much time left, the icing tests were supposed to be completed in the first half of this year but they were not," he added.
Sources said the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is conducting a shadow certification of the programme and is assessing the Civil Aviation Administration of China's (CAAC) ability to assess the aircraft, has played a part in pushing for further testing of the ARJ21.
A FAA spokesman said the agency cannot discuss details of the shadow certification as it is still active. "We are observing the CAAC as they certify the aircraft. We will observe testing, review certification data, and observe meetings with the certification applicant; the CAAC defines the actual certification requirements," said the spokesman.
Comac has said it intends to apply for FAR 25 certification after the ARJ21 passes this shadow certification, so the aircraft can be marketed overseas.