Homegrown ARJ21 completes ultra high-altitude flight

China's first indigenously developed regional passenger jet, ARJ21, successfully completed its first ultra high-altitude flight in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region on Tuesday.

The aircraft is expected to further help meet travel demand of passengers in high-altitude regions.

The ARJ21 aircraft operated by Chengdu Airlines departed from Kashgar International Airport and landed at Taxkorgan Airport, in Xinjiang on Tuesday, according to Commercial Aircraft Corp of China, the aircraft's manufacturer.

Taxkorgan Airport, at an elevation of 3,258.4 meters, is the first ultra high-altitude airport in Xinjiang and also the westernmost airport in China. The airport was put into commercial operation in December 2022.

"China boasts the world's highest demand for high-altitude planes. Such planes are of great significance for meeting the travel demand of passengers in high-altitude regions of the country," said Lin Zhijie, a civil aviation industry analyst.

High-altitude airports are mainly found in China, Nepal, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. Among the top 10 airports with the highest altitudes worldwide, China has eight, according to industry reports.

Taxkorgan is part of the Kashgar region and is located at the eastern foothills of the Pamir Plateau, bordering countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. The average altitude within the region is over 4,000 meters, and the region has unique natural landscapes of glaciers and grasslands.

Airports located at an altitude of 2,438 meters or above are regarded as ultra high-altitude airports, and such airports face significant difficulties due to the high altitude and sparse oxygen supply. Airports located at an altitude above 1,500 meters and below 2,438 meters are considered high-altitude, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

By the end of last year, 24 ultra high-altitude airports were in operation nationwide, and they are located in Southwest, Northwest, and Central China. A total of 12 carriers operate flights at such airports, mainly with the Airbus A319, A330, and Boeing B737-700 aircraft models, the CAAC said.

So far, Sichuan province-based Chengdu Airlines has set up three bases in Xinjiang — in Turpan, Yining and Kashgar. The carrier operates nine ARJ21 aircraft and more than 40 flight routes in the autonomous region, covering 24 airports in Xinjiang.

The newly launched Kashgar-Taxkorgan round-trip route will operate every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, Chengdu Airlines said.

The launch of more flight routes will provide more convenient air travel services for people in Xinjiang and those who come to the autonomous region for tourism, business trips and migrant work, and help promote the economic and social development of the region, the carrier said.

Currently, more than 110 ARJ21 aircraft are in commercial operation, with most operating at regional airports. In the past few years, China's regional aviation sector has further developed with the ARJ21 operational across the market and strong growth in flight frequencies between regional and hub airports, the CAAC said.