First overseas delivery of ARJ21 successfully completed

The ARJ21, the first domestically developed regional passenger jet, was officially delivered on Sunday to its first overseas customer TransNusa Airlines, an Indonesian carrier, marking the first time that China's jet airliner has entered the overseas market.

The ARJ21-700 aircraft that delivered to TransNusa has a layout of 95 economy class seats, and the seats have applied all-leather materials. The fuselage is printed with the Indonesian national flag pattern, and the exterior painting is designed based on the iconic colors of the airline's logo, which included blue, yellow and green, according to Commercial Aircraft Corp of China, or COMAC, its manufacturer.

Indonesia serves as one of the largest economies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation, and it is one of the world's rapidly growing civil aviation markets. With a large number of islands, the country is suitable for the operation of regional airliners.

Founded in 2005, TransNusa has been a low-budget carrier based in Jakarta, and it mainly operates domestic flights and international routes that connect Indonesia and its surrounding areas.

With a flying range of 2,225 to 3,700 kilometers, the ARJ21 is mainly used to meet the transportation demand between major cities and surrounding smaller cities. The aircraft model obtained its certification in 2014, and nearly 100 planes have been delivered and put into operation in more than 300 domestic routes. It has good wind-resistance and night navigation operation, according to COMAC.

In the past few years, COMAC has made preparations in market cooperation, airworthiness certification, customer training and material support for ARJ21's market expansion overseas, especially in the countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, the company said.

zhuwenqian@chinadaily.com.cn