State-run Chinese airframe maker Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (Comac) has formulated several initiatives to place new ARJ21s in Africa following the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Hainan Airlines (HNA) that calls for delivery of the regional jets with African partners such as Accra-based Africa World Airlines. Comac and HNA said they would take an active role in helping African countries to build regional airline networks and carry out cooperation in areas including maintenance, materials supply, and training.
Comac and HNA already held talks on the possibility of jointly establishing an aircraft leasing company in Africa. Comac board chairman He Dongfeng said his company’s partnership with HNA will help facilitate the expansion of Chinese commercial aircraft placement and expansion of the air transport industry globally, and in Africa in particular.
“The aviation sector in Africa has a huge market potential,” commented HNA chairman Chen Feng. This past June HNA agreed to buy 100 ARJ21s and 200 C919 narrowbodies, certification of which Comac expects by the end of 2020.
In its recent Global Market Forecast, Airbus predicted that African carriers will need more than 1,100 new passenger and freighter aircraft over the next 20 years. According to Airbus, passenger traffic from and to Africa will grow 4.9 percent annually.
