After nearly a decade of absence, Equatorial Congo Airlines (ECAir) resumed its flights on May 16. The airline also announced the purchase of three ARJ 21 aircraft from the Chinese manufacturer COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China).
ECAir stopped operating due to debts of 14 billion CFA francs (approximately USD 23 million) with its suppliers. Now, the airline has resumed activities with a single Boeing 737-700, registered as TN-AJI, connecting Brazzaville (BZV) with Pointe-Noire (PNR) and Oyo (OLL), with 14 and 2 weekly flights respectively.
The state of Congo exclusively finances the resumption of the company’s activities. During the inaugural event, it was announced that Ethiopian Airlines is one of ECAir’s partners, providing spare parts and maintenance services. Congolese Minister of Transport, Civil Aviation and Merchant Marine, Honoré Sayi, emphasized the need for a national airline given the country’s airport infrastructure, considered one of the best in Central Africa.
Africa’s first COMAC ARJ 21
Due to low domestic market demand, the Boeing 737 is considered oversized for many destinations in Congo. Therefore, ECAir and COMAC announced the purchase of three ARJ 21 aircraft, suitable for lower demand routes, with deliveries scheduled for 2024. ECAir will become the second foreign airline, after Transnusa in Indonesia, to operate the ARJ 21.
«As part of our global strategic partnership with China, we have negotiated to strengthen ECAir’s fleet with three aircraft from the Chinese manufacturer Comac. It is another step towards a strong, modern, and competitive national airline that will carry Congo’s colors high in the African sky and beyond, thanks to the commitment of its staff and the support of the state and our partners,» added Congolese Minister of International Cooperation and Promotion of Public-Private Partnership, Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso.
The long history of the COMAC ARJ 21
After the failures of the Xian Ma-60, AVIC initiated the project in 2002 before becoming part of COMAC in 2009. The original plan aimed to enter commercial service in 2005, but this was delayed by eight years due to various design and production issues. The first prototype was presented in 2007 and flew for the first time on November 28, 2008.
The ARJ-21 design is similar to the iconic MD-80 or DC-9, but COMAC has emphasized that it is an original product with native technology. The ARJ 21-700 received its type certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on December 30, 2014, after a program of over 5,000 flight hours.
In November 2015, Chengdu Airlines received the first aircraft and the first commercial flight of the ARJ21 took place in June 2016.
In 2017, the CAAC certified the mass production of the ARJ21, allowing 30 aircraft to be manufactured annually at COMAC’s facilities at Shanghai Pudong International Airport.
The ARJ 21-700, depending on its variant, can fly between 2,200 and 3,700 kilometers with a capacity of up to 90 seats. In 2020, a cargo version was launched to carry up to 10 tons. Then, in 2022, an executive version was launched to transport between 12 and 29 passengers for operations of up to 5,500 kilometers.
See Also: The COMAC ARJ21 surpassed 10 million passengers transported
A modernized version called ARJ 21-900 is also being studied, with weight and resistance reductions for hot & high operations.
Chinese airlines, driven by the government, have highlighted the model, allowing an expansion of regional flight offerings and replacing Bombardier CRJs and Embraers. As of May 1, 134 aircraft out of 252 confirmed orders have been delivered, with Chengdu Airlines being the largest operator with 28 units.
