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A C909 jetliner lands at Con Dao Airport, Vietnam, April 19, 2025. (Xinhua)

SHANGHAI, June 29 (Xinhua) -- China's commercial jetliner C909, formerly known as ARJ21, celebrated the 9th anniversary of its maiden flight on Saturday.

With a layout of 78 to 97 seats, and a range of 2,225 to 3,700 km, the C909 is the first short-medium range turbofan regional aircraft independently developed by China in accordance with international civil aviation regulations.

A total of 166 C909 aircraft have been delivered to the market, which have operated on more than 700 routes and transported over 24 million passengers.

The C909 has achieved a breakthrough in the commercial operation of homegrown jetliners and explored a development path for their entire life cycle, its chief designer Chen Yong told Xinhua in an interview.

LINKING BORDER CITIES

The C909 aircraft have been deployed in China's border regions, such as Xinjiang, the northeast and Inner Mongolia. By expanding the regional air route network, they have enhanced travel convenience, supported population mobility, and spurred local economic development.

According to Chen, who also serves as chief engineer at Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd., the developer of the C909, since the jetliner's debut in Xinjiang in June 2023, a total of such 22 aircraft have been put into local operation, opening more than 120 routes and safely transporting over 1.3 million passengers.

In June 2025, as Xinjiang entered its peak tourist season, four daily round-trip flights began operating between the popular destinations of Kashgar and Yining, serviced by C909 aircraft from Chengdu Airlines and China Express.

"We have received feedback from airlines such as Chengdu Airlines, indicating that in terms of flight performance, they are very well-suited to the operating environment in places like Xinjiang," Chen said.

The jetliners have also been deployed on international routes. The first C909 international service, connecting Harbin in northeast China and Vladivostok in Russia, was launched on Oct. 26, 2019. These routes have further facilitated economic, cultural and tourism exchanges and integration between cities on both sides of the border.

SOUTHEAST ASIA EXPANSION

On April 18, 2023, the C909 completed its maiden flight in Indonesia, marking the launch of regional routes between the islands and expanding to cross-border trunk routes. Notably, the Manado-Guangzhou route, covering over 2,700 km, is currently the longest commercial route operated by the C909 aircraft.

Chen Yong said that with its excellent airport and route adaptability, as well as passenger comfort, the C909 is well-suited to meet the operational needs of Southeast Asia's aviation market. The aircraft has pioneered a new business model for domestic passenger planes in the region by being leased to airlines through both dry and wet lease agreements.

Dry lease means that the lessor only provides the aircraft, while wet lease refers to the lessor providing not only the aircraft but also flight crew, safety management, maintenance and operational control.

For example, the two C909 that Chengdu Airlines has wet leased to Vietnam's Vietjet Air operate daily flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao, respectively.

"The Con Dao Airport runway is only over 1,800 meters long and bordered by the sea at both ends. This has fully verified the C909's operational capability on short and narrow runways and its adaptability to the humid environment in Southeast Asia," Chen explained.

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.

VARIANT TYPES

The development of aircraft variants is a feature of the commercial aircraft industry. At present, four variants of the C909 jetliner have been made public, namely the freighter, emergency rescue command aircraft, medical aircraft and business jet.

According to Chen, the C909 freighter can meet diverse air cargo needs, including the special cargo market, plateau market and short-haul international cargo routes. The emergency rescue command variant can achieve situation awareness, decision-making and coordination in disaster response. It can also be used for transporting rescue forces and establishing temporary communication networks in disaster-hit areas.

The medical variant is capable of air medical rescue and patient transfer missions. The business jet, known for its flexibility, efficiency, quietness and comfort, can be customized to meet individual customer requirements.

"Over the past nine years of operation, the C909 has been continuously improved and optimized to enhance its performance, crew operating experience and cabin comfort," Chen said.

"Today, the C909 has found its suitable operational scenarios, such as high-density shuttle routes. It will continue to deliver greater value in the future," he added.