The Comac ARJ21 Xiangfeng is a twin-engined regional airliner. The design incorporates components from 19 major European and US aerospace suppliers, including General Electric (engine production), Honeywell (fly-by-wire system) and Rockwell Collins (avionics production).
Comac was accused of copying the MD-80, although ACAC refers to the ARJ21 as "designed by Chinese with completely independent intellectual property rights". Indeed, it reuses the tooling that was provided by McDonnel Douglas for the production under license of the MD80 in China.
The plane features an all-new supercritical wing having a sweepback of 25 degrees and designed by Ukraine's Antonov Design Bureau. It is fitted with winglets to improve aerodynamic performance. Antonov also assisted the project with geometrical determination and integral analysis of the construction strength of ARJ21. Some of China's supercomputers have been used to design parts for ARJ21.
| Role | Regional jet |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Comac |
| Designer | AVIC I Commercial Aircraft Company (ACAC) and Antonov |
| First flight | 28 November 2008 |
| Status | Flight testing |
| Number built | 6 |
| Unit cost | US $20 million as of 2008 |