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Comac C909

Comac · Commercial · China · Digital Age (2010–present)

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The Comac C909 (formerly ARJ21 Xiangfeng, "Soaring Phoenix") is a Chinese twin-engine short-haul jet — China's first indigenous short-haul jet aircraft + Comac's smaller predecessor to the C919. Comac began ARJ21 development in 2002; the prototype first flew on 28 November 2008 + first commercial flight occurred 28 June 2016. About 130 ARJ21 / C909s have been delivered as of 2026. The aircraft serves Chinese short-haul airlines + several international operators in 70-90 seat short-haul jet service.

The C909 uses 2 × General Electric CF34-10A turbofan engines (18,500 lbf each). Maximum speed Mach 0.82, range 3,700 km, service ceiling 11,900 m. Capacity: 78-90 passengers (depending on configuration) + 3-4 crew. The aircraft heavily uses Western-supplied components (GE engines, Rockwell Collins avionics, Hamilton Sundstrand systems) — similar approach to the Comac C919. The aircraft was renamed from ARJ21 to C909 in 2023 to align with Comac's C-series airliner branding.

C909 service is concentrated in Chinese short-haul airlines + 4 international operators. Major operators include Chengdu Airlines (the launch customer with 25 aircraft), Genghis Khan Airlines, Tianjin Airlines, OTT Airlines, and several smaller Chinese short-haul operators. International operators include Indonesia (TransNusa Aviation Mandiri), Laos (Lao Airlines), and 2 others. As of 2026 about 130 C909s have been delivered + production continues at ~25 per year. The C909 serves Chinese-market short-haul routes the larger C919 cannot economically operate.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Comac C909 (formerly ARJ21 Xiangfeng, meaning Soaring Phoenix) is China's first homemade short-haul jet. The C909 first flew on November 28, 2008. The first commercial flight was June 28, 2016. About 130 C909s have been delivered as of 2026. Comac renamed the ARJ21 to C909 in 2023 to match its C-series airliner branding.

The C909 is 110 feet long with a 90-foot wingspan, smaller than a Boeing 737. Two General Electric CF34 jet engines each make 18,500 pounds of thrust. Top speed is 624 mph, faster than most race cars. The plane carries 78 to 90 passengers on short flights.

The C909 was Comac's first airliner, paving the way for the larger C919. Like the C919, the C909 uses many Western parts: GE engines, Rockwell Collins avionics, Hamilton Sundstrand systems. Comac plans to replace these with Chinese parts over time.

The C909 serves Chinese short-haul airlines plus a few international operators: Indonesian and Laotian carriers. About 130 are flying in 2026. The C909 is much smaller than the C919 but proved that China could build modern airliners.

Fun Facts

The C909 (formerly ARJ21) is China's first homemade short-haul jet.
Xiangfeng means Soaring Phoenix in Chinese.
The C909 first flew on November 28, 2008.
The C909 is 110 feet long, smaller than a Boeing 737.
Top speed is 624 mph, faster than most race cars.
About 130 C909s have been delivered as of 2026.
Comac renamed the ARJ21 to C909 in 2023.

Kids’ Questions

Why two airliners?

Comac is building two main airliners: the small C909 (around 90 seats) and the larger C919 (around 170 seats). The C909 covers short routes between smaller Chinese cities. The C919 covers main routes between bigger cities. Together they compete with foreign small jets (Embraer E2) and big airliners (Boeing 737 and Airbus A320).

How is it different from the C919?

The C909 is much smaller than the C919: 110 feet versus 124 feet long, 78 to 90 seats versus 158 to 192 seats. The C909 has 2 GE CF34 engines mounted under the wings; the C919 has bigger CFM LEAP engines. The C909 is for short hops; the C919 is for medium-haul flights up to 5,500 km.

Why renamed to C909?

Comac wanted a clear naming system: the C-series for airliners. ARJ21 was a confusing name. The renamed C909 fits alongside the C919 (single-aisle) and CR929 (wide-body). All start with C and have year-style numbers. The rebranding in 2023 helps customers see Comac as a serious airliner maker with a clear product family.

Variants

ARJ21 / C909-700 (basic): Standard 78-passenger variant. About 120 delivered.
C909-900 (extended): Stretched 90-passenger variant. About 10 delivered.

Notable Operators

Chengdu Airlines (2016+, launch customer): 25 C909s. First commercial flight 28 June 2016.
Other Chinese short-haul airlines: Genghis Khan, Tianjin, OTT, others. Combined ~80 airframes.
International (TransNusa Indonesia, Lao Airlines, others): About 15 airframes. First Chinese-airliner international exports.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was the C909 originally called ARJ21?

Yes. The aircraft was designated ARJ21 Xiangfeng ("Soaring Phoenix") from 2002 development start through 2023. Comac renamed it C909 in 2023 to align with the company's C-series airliner branding (C909, C919, C929). The renaming was marketing-only; the aircraft itself is unchanged.

How is the C909 different from the C919?

The C909 is the smaller short-haul jet (78-90 passengers, range 3,700 km). The C919 is the larger single-aisle airliner (158-192 passengers, range 5,555 km). Both are Comac products + use Western engines + avionics, but they target different markets — short-haul jet vs. medium-haul narrow-body. Comac's full C-series (C909 + C919 + C929) is designed to compete across the full commercial airliner size range.

Sources

Wikipedia — Comac ARJ21