Cambodian air carrier places new order for C909 jet

China's domestically developed C909 regional jet model has taken another step forward in its global expansion by securing new orders from Air Cambodia.

The Cambodian carrier plans to purchase 20 C909 jets, 10 confirmed orders and 10 letter-of-intent orders, marking a key milestone for the homegrown aircraft to expand its presence in the international market.

Air Cambodia inked a Memorandum of Understanding with Shanghai-based Commercial Aircraft Corp of China, the manufacturer of the C909, in Zhengzhou, Henan province on Monday.

The two parties will work closely across areas such as aircraft acquisition, operational support and industrial collaboration, COMAC said.

As the national flag carrier, the airline is invested in by the Kingdom of Cambodia. It is also the only airline in the country to have obtained certification from the IATA Operational Safety Audit.

David Zhan, vice-chairman and CEO of Air Cambodia, attended the delivery ceremony in Zhengzhou and said the Air Silk Road — which connects economies participating in the Belt and Road Initiative — has been operating well in Henan and is highly regarded in overseas markets.

"The new Air Silk Road that connects Zhengzhou with Cambodia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations focuses on the operation in Asia, and it will become a new name card of Henan," Zhan said.

So far, the C909 aircraft has been put into commercial operation by domestic airlines and overseas carriers in Indonesia, Vietnam and Laos. The aircraft model, with a flying range of 2,225 to 3,700 kilometers, is capable of operating most domestic as well as international routes around these Southeast Asian nations.

Meanwhile, the first C909 medical aircraft — a specialized derivative of the C909 — was delivered to China Flying-Dragon General Aviation Co Ltd in Zhengzhou on Tuesday. The handover marks a significant step forward in the serialized development of homebuilt commercial aircraft.

The aircraft will be used for missions including emergency rescue, long-range medical services and critical care transportation.

Designed with a maximum payload of 10 metric tons and a range of up to 3,700 kilometers, the C909 medical aircraft can also take off and land at ultra-high-altitude airports.

"The serialized development of the C909 refers to the development of other derivative models such as high-altitude versions, cargo aircraft versions, and business aircraft versions on the basis of the basic passenger transport models, so that the aircraft can adapt to more markets and undertake more tasks," said Lin Zhijie, an independent aviation industry analyst.