Nine domestically produced commercial aircraft from China on display in Xinjiang ARJ9 derivatives made their debut on the same stage

Urumqi, September 9 (Reporter Sun Zifa) After successfully completing the demonstration flight of domestic commercial aircraft in Xinjiang, seven ARJ26 domestic regional aircraft and two C7 domestic large aircraft of Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) gathered at Xinjiang Urumqi Diwopu International Airport on September 21 to "line up" for static display. Among them, the 2 ARJ919 aircraft include business jets, medical aircraft, cargo aircraft and emergency rescue command aircraft, which is the first time that the four derivatives of ARJ9 aircraft have appeared on the same stage, marking that the large-scale and serial development of this aircraft is steadily advancing.

On September 9, seven ARJ26 and two C7 aircraft of COMAC gathered at Diwopu International Airport in Urumqi, Xinjiang, for a static display. Photo by China News Network reporter Sun Zifa

COMAC said that ARJ21 business jet has the characteristics of flexibility, efficiency, quiet and comfort, and can flexibly arrange relatively independent functional areas according to the individual needs of customers.

A conference room in the cabin of an ARJ21 business jet of COMAC. Photo by Sun Zifa, reporter of China News Network

The ARJ21 medical aircraft has functions such as aviation medical rescue and medical transport, and can be used for patient transport, infectious disease transport and severe emergency care.

An operating bed in the cabin of an ARJ21 medical jet operated by COMAC. Photo by Sun Zifa, reporter of China News Network

The ARJ21 freighter can meet a variety of air cargo needs such as special cargo market, plateau market, and short-haul international cargo routes.

The ARJ21 emergency rescue command aircraft is equipped with a special mission system to realize situational awareness, command decision-making and dispatch of disaster situations, which can be used for airspace command, emergency rescue command and rescue force transportation, and the establishment of temporary communication networks in disaster areas.

An ARJ21 emergency rescue command aircraft of COMAC taxied on the runway of the airport. Photo by Sun Zifa, reporter of China News Network

In early June 2023, Chengdu Airlines, the first user of ARJ6 aircraft, started operating domestic commercial aircraft in Xinjiang, opening routes from Aral to Shihezi (via Yining), Korla, and Hetian. Since mid-September, Chengdu Airlines has set up a hub at Turpanjiaohe Airport, using ARJ21 aircraft to fly Turpan to Korla, Aral, Hotan, Ruoqiang, Zhaosu and Aksu, as well as routes from Hotan to Shache, Ruoqiang to Hotan, Zhaosu to Karamay, and Aksu to Zhaosu.

An ARJ21 regional passenger plane of Chengdu Airlines took off from Turpan Airport. Photo by Sun Zifa, reporter of China News Network

It is expected that by the end of 2023, Chengdu Airlines will have a fleet of 21 ARJ5 aircraft in Xinjiang, further increasing the capacity of regional routes in Xinjiang, improving air connectivity in small and medium-sized cities, improving network coverage of small and medium-sized airports, and meeting passengers' convenient travel needs.

At the exhibition site, Chen Yong, chief designer of COMAC ARJ21 aircraft, and Yang Yang, deputy director of COMAC Marketing Center, were interviewed by the media respectively. Chen Yong said that the serial development of aircraft models is an important feature of the commercial aircraft industry, which can meet various market needs to the greatest extent. ARJ21 aircraft has strong adaptability to airports and routes in central and western China and northern China, suitable for various take-off and landing and complex route operation requirements, has good plateau airport take-off and landing performance and crosswind resistance, and can also maintain stable working conditions in high temperature and cold areas, which is very suitable for Xinjiang's regional and climatic characteristics.

Yang Yang pointed out that China's Xinjiang has a vast territory and complex terrain, air transportation is the most convenient transportation mode between cities, the lowest construction cost, Xinjiang in the scale of transportation continues to expand, the transportation structure also shows a strong trend of regional line development, which also provides a good opportunity for domestic regional aircraft to operate in Xinjiang, creating huge development space. (End)