China's ARJ21 regional jet has become the latest new airliner programme to suffer a delay to its first flight, with the maiden sortie of the initial -700 variant slipping six months to allow systems suppliers to complete testing.
The aircraft's maker, AVIC I Commercial Aircraft (ACAC), originally planned to have the aircraft's first flight in March but president Luo Ronghuai says it now "expects to fly the ARJ21-700 in September or October". He adds: "The delay is due to the fact that some suppliers of key systems were not able to provide the necessary test conditions on time."
This means ACAC now has only 12 months to complete the Chinese certification process if it is to deliver its first aircraft at the end of 2009's third quarter, as originally planned.
ACAC says it is making efforts to ensure key systems, including the advanced flight system, are delivered in time "so as to be able to deliver the ARJ21-700 to airline customers in 2009".
Shandong Airlines, which has 10 ARJ21-700s on firm order, will be the first airline to operate the ARJ21-700. Shenzhen Airlines' Kunpeng Airlines hopes to start operating the aircraft in 2009.
Source: Flight International
