¡¡ he first large MD-90 airliner manufactured by Chinese in cooperation with the US company completed its first test flight on October 4 in Shanghai.

¡¡ The 3-hour flight carried 10 Chinese and US aviation experts.

¡¡ The aircraft can carry as many as 165 passengers and has a range of 4,020 km. About 70 percent of the airliner's components were produced locally and represent a major improvement in Chinese aviation engineering and manufacturing.

¡¡ Its electronics and equipment make the aircraft fuel efficient and relatively quiet, according to experts.

¡¡ China's leading aircraft manufacturers in cities like Shanghai, Chengdu, Xi'an, and Shenyang have been involved in the project, which began in 1995. Analysts say that manufacturers will apply to government departments in the United States to extend their licensing agreements soon after they finish the second trial flight, so that the aircraft will be fully eligible for commercial use. (Xinhua)