China's HCAD to take control of bankrupt Henan Airlines

Comac eyes late November delivery date for maiden ARJ21-700

COMAC (Shanghai Pudong) has set a provisional date of November 28, 2015 for the delivery of its first ARJ21-700, B-938L (cn 105). Quoting China National Radio, WCARN states Chengdu Airlines will take delivery of a total of five of the aircraft this year ahead of their entry into commercial service in February of next year.

Though no initial routings have yet been published, Chengdu Airlines general manager Sui Mingguang last year alluded to the type's maiden flight being from Chengdu Shuangliu to either Beijing Capital or Shanghai Pudong.

Alongside Chengdu Airlines' order for thirty ARJ21-700s, Comac has orders for a further 245 machines from firms which include Shenzhen Financial Leasing, GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), Shanghai Airlines, Shandong Airlines, Henan Airlines (2009), Xiamen Airlines, Lao Airlines, JoyAir, SN Air Congo, and Myanmar National Airlines.

Comac celebrates Chengdu Airlines ARJ21's maiden flight

COMAC (Shanghai Pudong) has reached a milestone in its ARJ21-700 twinjet programme when airframe B-938L (cn 105) made its maiden flight in Shanghai Pudong on Wednesday, June 18, 2014.

The aircraft - China's first independently developed twin-engine regional airliner - is the first of thirty on order from launch customer Chengdu Airlines (EU, Chengdu Shuangliu) and is expected to be delivered in early 2015.

COMAC intends to complete all outstanding ground tests and flight tests in order to secure the type its airworthiness certificate before year-end.

Other operators and lessors to have ordered the type include: Shenzhen Financial Leasing, GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), Shanghai Airlines (FM, Shanghai Hongqiao), Xiamen Airlines (MF, Xiamen), Shandong Airlines (SC, Jinan), Henan Airlines (2009) (VD, Xi'an Xianyang), Lao Airlines (QV, Vientiane), JoyAir (JR, Xi'an Xianyang), Myanma Airways (UB, Yangon), and Merpati (MZ, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta).

China Southern Airlines Henan secures its CAAC operator licence

China Southern Airlines (CZ, Guangzhou) has secured a public air transport enterprise operating license from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) for its proposed new 60/40 joint venture with the Henan Civil Aviation Development & Investment Co. (HCADI).

Based out of Zhengzhou, China Southern Airlines Henan intends to operate B737-300 and B737-800 aircraft on flights throughout China before moving into the international market.

HCADI also owns a 35% stake in Cargolux (CV, Luxembourg) as well a stake in the now defunct Henan Airlines (2009) (VD, Xi'an Xianyang).

China Southern to set-up new Henan province joint venture

China Southern Airlines (CZ, Guangzhou) has agreed with local government owned Henan Civil Aviation Development Investment to set-up a new joint venture in Henan province that will be 60% owned by China Southern Airlines (CZ, Guangzhou) and 40% owned by HCADI. The same local government entity also owns a stake in Henan Airlines (2009) (VD, Xi'an Xianyang) which had been forced to suspend operations in 2010 following a fatal crash of one of its E190s. It had announced earlier this year that Henan Airlines could resume operations as a cargo carrier. It is unclear if these plans now will go ahead given the new China Southern joint venture is also expected to offer cargo services. China Southern already operates approximately 65 daily flights from Zhengzhou, Henan province's largest airport with a mix of 3 B737-300s and 8 B737-800s currently based there.