Genghis Khan Airlines' first licensed commercial flight ARJ21 takes off from the Hohhot Baita International Airport in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on July 26. Photo: IC

China has seen a faster and increased pace in its civil aircraft industry development, with multiple major aircraft models entering new phases.

As the world's second-largest civil aviation market, China has continually achieved growth in the industry amid economic growth and rising air transport demands.

China has committed to developing two trunk airliner models and two regional airplane models, the C919 narrow-body and the CR929 wide-body jetliners, as well as the ARJ21 regional jet and the MA60 series turboprop aircraft.

C919 intensive test flights

China's C919 large passenger airplane will enter into a new phase of intensive test flights in the second half of this year, according to the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC).

The fourth C919 prototype has completed its first test flight mission. A total of six prototypes of the jetliner model will undergo intensive test flight missions, with two more aircraft set to join the fleet, the developer said.

The twin-engine C919 is China's first homegrown trunk jetliner. The project began in 2008, and the C919 had its successful maiden flight on May 5, 2017.

COMAC has received 815 orders for the C919 planes from 28 customers worldwide. 

The C919 is expected to receive its airworthiness certificate from the country's civil aviation authorities in 2021, according to the developer.

The China-Russia joint CR929 wide-body passenger aircraft project has already entered its initial design phase.

ARJ21 in commercial operation

The ARJ21, China's first domestically-developed regional aircraft, is already on its way to commercial operation at scale. Its Chinese operators are aiming to build regional airline networks with the model.

China's Genghis Khan Airlines plans to expand its fleet to 25 ARJ21 airplanes in five years. Established in March 2018, Genghis Khan Airlines is based in Hohhot, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

With the ARJ21 planes, Genghis Khan Airlines is gearing up to build a regional airline network with 60 air routes to 40 destinations.

Developed by COMAC, the ARJ21 is designed with 78 to 90 seats and has a flight range of 3,700 kilometers. 

It is capable of flying in alpine and plateau regions and can adapt to various airport conditions.

The first ARJ21 jetliner was delivered to Chengdu Airlines in 2015. To date, the airline has used the ARJ21 airplanes on more than 20 air routes and transported more than 450,000 passengers.

MA700 to enter market in 2021

The China-developed MA700 turboprop regional aircraft is expected to be put on the market in 2021, according to its developer, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).

The MA700 project is in its trial production and test phase. 

The first MA700 is scheduled to roll off the production line this September, and its maiden flight is expected to take place within the year, AVIC said.

The plane's large parts, the fuselage middle section and the nose section, were delivered in May.

The MA700, an upgraded aircraft with a high speed and high adaptability, is the third member of China's MA60 "Modern Ark" regional airplane family, following the MA60 and the MA600.

The MA700 turboprop regional aircraft is designed to fly at a maximum speed of 637 kilometers per hour, and has a single-engine ceiling of 5,400 meters. 

The aircraft is designed for airports with high temperatures, high altitudes and short runway conditions.

To date, 285 intended orders from 11 customers at home and abroad have been received, said AVIC.

China is now the world's second-largest civil aviation market. The International Air Transport Association forecast that China is expected to become the world's largest by the mid-2020s.

As of June, China had a total of 3,722 civil aircraft, based on the latest statistics released by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.