First delivery of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China's (Comac) ARJ21 regional jet has been further delayed until at least the third quarter of 2011.
Sources close to the programme say Comac plans to deliver the first ARJ21 towards the end of next year, after the aircraft receives certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).
Chengdu Airlines, which is expected to be the jet's launch operator, was previously due to take first delivery in early 2011. Comac had initially aimed for entry into service in 2007 when it first launched the ARJ21 programme.
Comac's spokesman could not be reached for comment, but sources within the company confirm the delay, citing "design issues".
"The problems have resulted in the schedule being pushed back by about four months, and we are aiming to deliver the first aircraft in September," says one of the sources.
The four aircraft in the ARJ21 test fleet have completed about 600 flight hours, and aircraft 104 is scheduled to make its air show flight debut during China's Zhuhai Airshow in November.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
