Pesawat jet ARJ-21 mulai diperkenalkan bulan Maret 2007

Pesawat komersial pertama buatan Cina telah terbang untuk kali pertama. Pesawat ARJ-21 yang berkapasitas 90 tempat duduk menjalani uji terbang perdana dari salah satu bandara di kawasan Shanghai. Berikut laporan wartawan BBC spesialis BBC Mark Gregory:

Dengar ceritanya

China has ambitious plans to develop civil aircraft manufacturing. Eventually the aim is to challenge Boeing and Airbus, the dominant Western plane makers. The first step is a small regional jet - the ARJ-21, also known as the Flying Phoenix - designed to take 90 passengers on short and medium length journeys.

It's the first Chinese designed and manufactured commercial jet. And in a little piece of history it's now made its maiden test flight from an airport near Shanghai. Chinese media reports said the flight went extremely well, although for safety reasons the aircraft wasn't allowed to fly more than 900 meters, about 3,000 feet, above the ground.

It's due to go into service within 18 months. The main market will be Chinese airlines operating routes within China, but earlier this month the plane got its first foreign order. The American industrial giant General Electric is buying five of the jets for its aircraft leasing arm, with an option to buy 20 more later.

Friday's test flight took place more than six months later than originally planned after reports of problems with components provided by outside suppliers.

Mark Gregory, BBC

Dengar kata-katanya

ambitious plans
rencana ambisisus, niat dan keinginan untuk sangat berhasil

civil aircraft manufacturing
pembuatan pesawat terbang yang akan dipergunakan untuk mengangkut penumpang

Eventually the aim is
di sini, tujuan jangka panjang bagi Cina; tujuan yang akan dicapai Cina di masa datang

dominant
dominan, di sini, artinya lebih banyak dipakai dari yang lain

jet
a powerful airplane which has engines that allow it to travel very fast covering long distances

in a little piece of history
melakukan sesuatu yang akan dikenang lama

maiden
kali pertama, perdana

It's due to go into service
rencananya pesawat itu akan mulai dioperasikan untuk mengangkut penumpang dalam jalur penerbangan reguler

arm
di sini berarti divisi, bagian, departemen dalam suatu organisasi

outside suppliers
di sini, perusahaan selain pembuat utama yang memproduksi dan memasok bagian-bagian atau komponen-komponen penyusun pesawat, pemasok luar