Chinese jetliner ARJ21 debuts flight in Central Asia

The Chinese ARJ21 regional jet, produced by the state-owned company COMAC, expanded its area of activity a little further when on June 7, a Chengdu Airlines aircraft completed the flight between Kashgar, Xinjiang, and Khujand, in Tajikistan.

The country is the first in Central Asia to receive the 90-seat plane produced in Shanghai. The region, west of China, is part of the so-called Silk Road, and has received investments from Chengdu since 2023.

According to the airline, currently nine of its ARJ21s operate from Xinjiang province, covering 43 routes in the region.

The flight to Tajikistan, just 340 miles (550 km) from Kashgar. The city of Khujand is the second largest in the country and known for its ancient history.

The route from Kashgar and Khujand (FlightConnections)

ARJ21 launch customer

Established in 2004 as United Eagle Airlines, Chengdu is the launch customer for the ARJ21, a regional jet based on Boeing’s MD-95.

It can carry up to 90 passengers in a single class, in a 3+2 seating arrangement. The aircraft has a maximum range of 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km) in the ER version.

Chengdu has 28 ARJ21-700s in its fleet and debuted the aircraft powered by GE CF-34 engines in 2016.