COMAC ARJ21
COMAC · China · first flew 2008 · airliner
The COMAC ARJ21, rebranded C909 in 2024, is China's first indigenous regional jet.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Two rear-fuselage turbofans with a T-tail |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Two rear-fuselage turbofans with a T-tail
- Swept supercritical low wing recalling a DC-9/MD-80 layout
- Pointed nose on a stretched single-aisle regional jet
Two engines on the rear fuselage under a T-tail give a layout reminiscent of the DC-9 and MD-80. The swept supercritical low wing and pointed nose mark it as a modern Chinese regional jet.
Specifications
- The COMAC ARJ21 has a length of 33.46 m (110 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 27.28 m (90 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 870 km/h (541 mph).
- Typical crew: 2 pilots.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It first flew in 2008 and entered commercial service in June 2016 with Chengdu Airlines. It was built to seed a domestic commercial-aircraft industry that later produced the larger C919.
Variants
Versions include the standard and extended-range models, a CBJ business jet, a CCF converted freighter and special-mission types for firefighting and emergency response.
Where you'll see it
Operations are overwhelmingly Chinese domestic with Chengdu Airlines, Air China, China Southern and China Eastern. Limited exports have gone to TransNusa in Indonesia, Lao Airlines and VietJet.
Related aircraft
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.