The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China announced that the ARJ21 regional jet program has begun icing performance tests as part of the aircraft’s ongoing certification.
In a statement from Comac, as part of its first nacelle anti-icing test, Aircraft 104 departed from Xi’an Yanliang airport on February 25th, 2012 for a three hour test flight to Hafei airport. No difficulties were reported in the testing.
COMAC ARJ-21 Prototype B-1110L. Photographed by Peng Chen
The test was designed to prove the ability of the aircraft’s anti-icing systems to allow operation in freezing temperatures with precipitation.
Comac indicated that after inspections, the aircraft and its engines were found to be in good working condition.
The icing tests came shortly after the aircraft was issued its type inspection authorization notice, which allows the program to begin Civil Aviation Administration of China’s certification procedure.
The program’s launch customer Chengdu Airlines, was to receive the first aircraft by the end of 2011, but this has been delayed by up to one year because of ongoing delays in the certification process by the manufacturer..
