China's first turbofan regional aircraft, the ARJ21, is expected to come off the production line at the end of this year and be ready for test flights in March next year.

The jet's wing, the longest and most complicated part to manufacture, was delivered in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province, yesterday.

"It signals the manufacturing has made a significant breakthrough, and guarantees the jet's final assembly on schedule," said Lin Zuoming, general manager of China Aviation Industry Corporation I (AVIC I), the manufacturer.

The first ARJ21 will be delivered in the third quarter of 2009, he said.

ARJ21, which stands for "Advanced Regional Jet for the 21st Century," is China's first locally developed short-haul plane.

The engine and avionics system has been purchased from abroad, but its other parts are manufactured in Xi'an, Shanghai, Chengdu and Shenyang, where AVIC I has aircraft plants.

"New technology was used in the manufacturing of the wings, mastered for the first time in China," Lin said. "The delivery also signifies that the country has the capability to manufacture large planes."

Approved in 2002, the ARJ21 project received government investment of 5 billion yuan (US$646 million) for the first stage.

The jet can carry 70 to 110 passengers, with a maximum flight distance of 3,702 kilometers.

The aircraft's design is said to have met China's market needs and natural conditions. In China, 60 percent of flight routes range between 600 and 2,200 kilometers, and on average, 80 percent of daily flights accommodate fewer than 100 passengers.

So far, AVIC I has received 71 orders for the jet. The orders are from domestic carriers including Shanghai Airlines, Shandong Airlines and Xiamen Airlines.

"We expect to sell at least 300 ARJ21 aircraft within 20 years to domestic airlines," said AVIC I Assistant President Tang Xiaoping.

The jets are also targeted for markets in Asia, Africa and South America, Tang said. The corporation is confident of a market share in those regions because of the plane's competitive price.

The Xinzhou-60, another domestically made regional jet, has already been sold to countries in Africa, Asia and America, said the manufacturer Xi'an Aircraft Industry Co, a subsidiary of AVIC I.

The Xinzhou-60 is a turboprop aircraft that can carry 50 to 60 passengers. It sells for about 100 million yuan (US$12.9 million).

(China Daily March 8, 2007)