Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
SHANGHAI, June 30 (Xinhua) — China’s commercial jet airliner C909, formerly known as ARJ21, celebrated the ninth anniversary of its maiden flight on Saturday.
The C909 is a turbofan regional airliner developed by China itself, seating 78 to 97 people and having a range of 2,225 km to 3,700 km. It complies with international civil aviation regulations and is the first of its kind independently developed by China.
According to the data, a total of 166 C909 aircraft have been delivered to the market to date, serving more than 700 air routes and carrying more than 24 million passengers.
The C909 was a breakthrough in the commercial operation of domestic jet airliners and explored the development path of the entire life cycle of Chinese-made commercial aircraft, Chen Yong, chief designer of the aircraft, told Xinhua News Agency.
LINKING BORDER CITIES
The C909 aircraft were first put into service in China’s border areas, including the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR, northwest China), the northeast region and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (north China). By expanding the regional air route network, they improve travel convenience, support people’s mobility and stimulate local economic development.
Since the C909’s debut in Xinjiang in June 2023, a total of 22 aircraft of this model have entered service, opening more than 120 routes and carrying more than 1.3 million passengers safely, according to Chen Yong, who is also the chief engineer of Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), the developer of the C909.
In June 2025, when Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region entered its peak tourist season, four daily round-trip flights were launched between the popular cities of Kashi (Kashgar) and Yining. The flights are operated by C909 aircraft of Chengdu Airlines and China Express.
“We have received positive feedback from various airlines, including Chengdu Airlines, which confirmed that in terms of performance, this model of aircraft is very well suited to operating conditions in regions such as Xinjiang,” Chen Yong said.
In addition, these airliners have expanded the international route schedule. On October 26, 2019, the C909 launched its first international flight, connecting Harbin in northeast China and Vladivostok in Russia. The airline promotes economic, cultural and tourism exchanges and integration between cities on both sides of the border.
MARKET EXPANSION TO SOUTHEAST ASIA
On 18 April 2023, the C909 made its maiden flight in Indonesia, thus initiating regional inter-island routes and expanding services to cross-border trunk routes. Notably, the Manado-Guangzhou route, with a length of over 2,700 km, is the longest commercial route served by the C909 to date.
Chen Yong believes that the advanced airport infrastructure, flexible route configuration and comfortable passenger conditions make the C909 particularly suitable for the operational needs of the Southeast Asian aviation market. The aircraft has pioneered a new business model for domestic passenger aircraft in the region: it is leased to airlines under dry lease and wet lease agreements.
The term “dry lease” means the provision of only the aircraft by the lessor, while aircraft package leasing means the provision of not only the aircraft but also the flight crew, safety management, maintenance and operational control.
For example, two C909 aircraft that Chengdu Airlines wet leased to Vietnam’s Vietjet Air operate daily flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao, respectively.
“The runway length of Con Dao Airport is only 1,800 meters, and the sea serves as a natural boundary on both sides. This fully confirmed the C909’s short and narrow runway performance and its suitability for the humid climate of Southeast Asia,” Chen Yong added.
Today, three Southeast Asian airlines – Indonesia’s TransNusa, Laos’ Lao Airlines and Vietnam’s Vietjet Air – operate a total of seven C909 aircraft. Fifteen new routes have been opened, providing air service between 18 cities, and the combined passenger traffic on these routes has exceeded 370,000 person-times.
EXPANSION OF SERIAL PRODUCTION
Developing variants of aircraft models is a characteristic feature of the commercial aviation industry. Currently, four variants of the C909 jet airliner are available to the public: a cargo aircraft, a command aircraft for emergency response, a medical aircraft, and a business jet.
Chen Yong says the C909 cargo aircraft can meet various air cargo needs, covering the special cargo market, highland market and short-haul international cargo routes. The rescue command aircraft version can provide situational awareness, decision-making and coordination in disaster relief. Its versatility extends to applications such as transporting rescue forces and establishing temporary communication networks in disaster-stricken areas.
The medical aircraft model is capable of performing rescue and air ambulance missions, as well as aeromedical transportation of patients. The business jet is flexible, efficient, quiet and comfortable. Its functionality package can be easily adjusted to meet specific customer requirements.
“Over its nine-year operational history, the C909 has undergone a series of upgrades and optimizations. These modifications have been aimed at improving various aspects of the aircraft, including its performance, crew experience and passenger cabin comfort,” Chen Yong said. -0-