GECAS Orders Chinese RJ

Irish-American aircraft lessor GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS) is to acquire as many as 25 General Electric CF34-powered ARJ21-700ER regional jets from China Aviation Industry I (AVIC I) Commercial Aircraft Company (ACAC) for delivery from 2013 in a deal signed last month at the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai. The Asian country’s largest such contract in both unit numbers and value, the business is valued at about $730 million. The 1,200-nm-range ARJ21 was expected to fly by the end of last month, some eight months later than planned. Certification had been previously slated for this month.