By Gu Yekai, Qiu Chaoyi, People’s Daily
Developed in accordance with international airworthiness standards and backed by fully independent intellectual property rights, China’s homegrown regional jetliner ARJ21 made its maiden flight on June 28, 2016. In November 2024, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) officially introduced the aircraft’s new commercial name: C909.
Over nine years of operation, the C909 has achieved significant market penetration: 166 aircraft delivered, serving over 700 routes and transporting over 24 million passengers. As the first jetliner independently developed and commercially operated in China, the C909 marks a significant step in the country’s civil aviation advancement.
According to chief designer Chen Yong, the aircraft carries a critical mission: to expand China’s technological and industrial capabilities for commercial aircraft.
Chen noted that the aircraft has helped China develop a complete commercial aviation ecosystem from foundational technologies to industrial infrastructure,” Chen stated. “We’re now working to enhance product competitiveness and achieve a new level of capability.”
In northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, 22 C909 aircraft are in service, flying over 120 routes and safely transporting more than 1.3 million passengers. In Heilongjiang province in northeast China, the aircraft connects 32 airports in and beyond the region, with Harbin as a key hub. Meanwhile, Chengdu Airlines has expanded its C909 fleet from a single aircraft to 30, now operating more than 360 routes nationwide.
“The C909’s most significant contribution to China’s civil aviation lies in building a complete jetliner development system aligned with international airworthiness standards,” said Chen. “Moreover, it has demonstrated the feasibility of a full lifecycle approach to aircraft operation and fleet development, paving the way for future large aircraft programs.”
In July 2024, the C909 demonstrated its versatility by successfully flying a high-altitude route from Kashgar Laining International Airport to Khunjerab Airport in Taxkorgan Tajik autonomous county, Xinjiang – regions where thin air and sharp temperature fluctuations pose severe operational challenges. Thanks to performance upgrades, the aircraft proved capable of reliable engine starts and stable handling under such extreme conditions.
On April 18, 2023, the C909 completed its maiden flight in Indonesia, launching regional inter-island routes and expanding into cross-border trunk routes. Notably, the Manado-Guangzhou route, covering over 2,700 km, is currently the longest commercial route operated by C909. “Going global has unlocked new operational scenarios for the C909 and contributed to the international civil aviation market,” said Chen.
The C909 has also been at the forefront of exploring new commercial models for Chinese aircraft. On April 12, 2025, a C909 aircraft dry-leased (aircraft only, excluding crew and maintenance) by COMAC to Lao Airlines completed its first commercial flight. Since then, the aircraft has served the Vientiane-Pakse route, a key economic hub in southern Laos, flying up to eight segments a day.
A week later, on April 19, 2025, two C909 aircraft, wet-leased by Chengdu Airlines to Vietnam’s VietJet Air, began service on the Hanoi-Con Dao-Ho Chi Minh City route. The aircraft also successfully handled operations at Con Dao Airport – known for its short, sea-flanked and narrow runway of just over 1,800 meters, proving its suitability for short-field takeoffs and landings in Southeast Asia’s humid climate.
To date, three Southeast Asian airlines – TransNusa of Indonesia, Lao Airlines, and VietJet Air – operate a total of seven C909 aircraft. They have launched 15 routes connecting 18 cities and have transported over 370,000 passengers.
Fleet diversity has become a defining feature of the commercial aircraft industry. The C909 boasts four distinct variants: the freighter, emergency rescue command aircraft, medical aircraft, and business jet. This series-based development strategy enables the C909 to address a wide range of market requirements.
“In developing the C909, we’ve also established more than 10,000 design and testing specifications for civil jetliners,” Chen noted.
Reliable aircraft are not just built – they are refined through service. Over the years, the C909 has undergone over 1,000 design optimizations based on operational flight data, enhancing engine performance, cockpit experience and cabin comfort. “The C909 has found its place in the market,” Chen said. “Now we look forward to seeing it fly higher and further.”
