China delivers first two converted ARJ21 air freighters

The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC) delivered the first batch of two air freighters converted from ARJ21 passenger planes on Monday, a milestone in the conversion program for China's domestic regional jetliner.

The converted aircraft has a designed maximum payload of 10 tons and a flight range of 2,778 kilometers. It is primarily intended for transporting cargo, mail and express shipments on domestic routes and short-haul international routes, according to COMAC.

The ARJ21 freighter conversion program was officially initiated in May 2020. After going through phases of initial and detailed design, as well as conversion, the aircraft received its airworthiness approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China in January 2023.

China is the largest air cargo market in Asia, with its booming e-commerce and express delivery industries imposing heightened demand on cargo transportation.

Industry insiders believe the ARJ21 cargo aircraft could be a new option to explore low-capacity and specialized cargo markets, as well as high plateau regions.